A TIMELINE OF RADIO CONTROL MODEL AIR PLANES IN THE
UNITED STATES
1937: Twins Walt and Bill Good, only age 21, made their first flights at the Kalamazoo MI, airport after adding RC to their 8-foot gas FF model named KG-8.
1940: During WW II, the U.S. Army and Navy used RC airplanes called Radioplanes as artillery target drones.
1954: Don Brown developed a Galloping Ghost system that might have been the first singlechannel multicontrol system called the “crank system.”
1956: Jack Albrecht built what is thought to be the first handheld transmitter.
1958: FCC granted five additional frequencies at 50 kHz spacing on the 27 MHz band.
1959: Ken Willard flew indoor model using an .020 engine weighing only 3¾ oz.
1960: Bramco, Inc. introduced its Control Box Transmitter, which was advertised as the control box for controlling a model with the reflexes and coordination of a real pilot.
1960: Don Baisden submitted a proposed article to Grid Leaks magazine on his single-channel Galloping Ghost pulser and another for his rudder-only pulser, later kitted by Ace R/C.
1961: Howard Bonner’s relayless servo, the Transmite, became commercially available.
1961: First jet model flown with Dyna Pulse Jet and a reed radio system had Jerry Nelson as pilot.
1962: ACL introduced its pioneering feedback proportional system in April 1962, including its incorporation of receiver and servos into an airborne “brick.”
1962: The first commercial digital RC system flown by Doug Spreng. The radio was named Digicon.
1962: First commercially produced four-stick proportional radio, the Astroguide, by Klinetronics.
1965: FCC granted five frequencies on the 72 MHz band with 40 kHz spacing.
1966: PCS’s revolutionary low price of $299.95 shook the RC world to its foundations and led to the demise of several competing manufacturers.
1968: The first Controlaire three-channel proportional prototypes were built to explore the concept of a more-affordable, three-channel alternative to Controlaire’s full-house proportional system.
1968: Bob Elliot designed a servo amplifier that reduced the servo wires from six to three wires.
1969: FM and PCM receivers were introduced.
1975: Transmitter features were increased to servo reversing, adjustable travel, and dual rates.
1976: Mattel, the toy company, entered the RC hobby with its inexpensive single-channel pulseproportional system that sold for $29.95.
1976: Kraft Systems introduced the first synthesized RC system.
1982: The first computer transmitter was introduced by JR Radio.
1987: The FCC granted additional channels on the 72 MHz band.
1988: The FCC granted additional channels on the 72 MHz band with 20 kHz spacing referred to as narrow band.
Here you would see a channel board at the field. You would put your card on the channel you are using and then you could fly. Problem was not everyone would look at the board to see if someone is using the same channel they are and turn their radio on. This would cause some crashes and upset people.
2011: Futaba introduced FASST
2012: Futaba introduced S.Bus protocol using one cable to control multiple servos.
2004: Paul Beard developed DSM using 2.4 GHz.
2011: Futaba introduced FASST
2012: Futaba introduced S.Bus protocol using one cable to control multiple servos.
Signal Chasers R/C Flying Club 