Calculate required thrust and power-to-weight ratios for RC airplanes, trainers, warbirds, gliders, and 3D aerobatic aircraft.
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The RC Thrust Calculator helps radio-control (RC) model aircraft hobbyists and aeronautical builders choose the correct brushless motor, propeller, and battery combination to achieve the desired flight performance for any fixed-wing aircraft.
T_{\text{trainer}} = 0.50 \times W \quad ; \quad T_{\text{sport}} = 1.00 \times W \quad ; \quad T_{\text{3D}} = 1.80 \times WTrainers fly gently on 50W/lb (0.5:1 TWR), scale sport warbirds on 100W/lb (1:1 TWR), and 3D aerobats require 150–200W/lb (1.8+:1 TWR) for continuous vertical hover.
Scenario: A 1,000g (35.3 oz) sport aerobatic balsa airplane.
Weight: 1,000 grams.
Sport Flying TWR Requirement: 1.0:1.
Recommended Motor Thrust: 1,000 to 1,200 grams.
Target Power: ~220 to 250 Watts.
A trainer only needs a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.5:1 to 0.7:1 (or 50 to 70 watts per pound) to climb gently, maintain level flight, and handle routine touch-and-goes.
50 W/lb: Gliders and vintage slow-flyers; 75–100 W/lb: Basic trainers and scale aircraft; 100–150 W/lb: Sport aerobatic and warbirds; 150–200+ W/lb: Unlimited 3D vertical performance.
Absolutely. Most real-world general aviation airplanes and gliders fly with thrust-to-weight ratios well below 0.4:1 because their wings generate lift.
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