diff --git a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp
index f1c046b069133a..6a1841c3c30e42 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ void Plane::one_second_loop()
     gcs().send_message(MSG_HEARTBEAT);
 
     // make it possible to change control channel ordering at runtime
-    set_control_channels();
+    g2.rc_channels.set_control_channels();
 
 #if HAL_WITH_IO_MCU
     iomcu.setup_mixing(&rcmap, g.override_channel.get(), g.mixing_gain, g2.manual_rc_mask);
diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index 8d333a1057d3e7..411f49645367f1 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -1084,10 +1084,11 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
 
         uint32_t tnow = AP_HAL::millis();
 
-        manual_override(plane.channel_roll, packet.y, 1000, 2000, tnow);
-        manual_override(plane.channel_pitch, packet.x, 1000, 2000, tnow, true);
-        manual_override(plane.channel_throttle, packet.z, 0, 1000, tnow);
-        manual_override(plane.channel_rudder, packet.r, 1000, 2000, tnow);
+        RC_Channels_Plane &rc = plane.g2.rc_channels;
+        manual_override(rc.channel_roll, packet.y, 1000, 2000, tnow);
+        manual_override(rc.channel_pitch, packet.x, 1000, 2000, tnow, true);
+        manual_override(rc.channel_throttle, packet.z, 0, 1000, tnow);
+        manual_override(rc.channel_rudder, packet.r, 1000, 2000, tnow);
 
         // a manual control message is considered to be a 'heartbeat' from the ground station for failsafe purposes
         plane.failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms = tnow;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp b/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp
index 5af7c81bf871aa..d22492e25c82dc 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp
@@ -966,7 +966,7 @@ const AP_Param::Info Plane::var_info[] = {
 
     // @Group: RCMAP_
     // @Path: ../libraries/AP_RCMapper/AP_RCMapper.cpp
-    GOBJECT(rcmap,                "RCMAP_",         RCMapper),
+    GOBJECT(rcmap_old,                "RCMAP_",         RCMapper),
 
     // @Group: SR0_
     // @Path: GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ void Plane::load_parameters(void)
                                       Parameters::k_param_rc_11_old, Parameters::k_param_rc_12_old,
                                       Parameters::k_param_rc_13_old, Parameters::k_param_rc_14_old };
     const uint16_t old_aux_chan_mask = 0x3FF0;
-    SRV_Channels::upgrade_parameters(old_rc_keys, old_aux_chan_mask, &rcmap);
+    SRV_Channels::upgrade_parameters(old_rc_keys, old_aux_chan_mask, &rcmap_old);
 
     // possibly convert elevon and vtail mixers
     convert_mixers();
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Parameters.h b/ArduPlane/Parameters.h
index 50745f83f60708..73236bbc93d320 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Parameters.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Parameters.h
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ class Parameters {
         k_param_pitchController,
         k_param_yawController,
         k_param_L1_controller,
-        k_param_rcmap,
+        k_param_rcmap_old,
         k_param_TECS_controller,
         k_param_rally_total_old,  //unused
         k_param_steerController,
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index bed8d246fb62b5..8d8ed6b95b0793 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ class Plane : public AP_HAL::HAL::Callbacks {
     // main loop scheduler
     AP_Scheduler scheduler;
 
-    // mapping between input channels
-    RCMapper rcmap;
+    // mapping between input channels; only used for parameter conversion
+    RCMapper rcmap_old;
 
     // board specific config
     AP_BoardConfig BoardConfig;
@@ -197,10 +197,10 @@ class Plane : public AP_HAL::HAL::Callbacks {
 #endif
 
     // primary input channels
-    RC_Channel *channel_roll;
-    RC_Channel *channel_pitch;
-    RC_Channel *channel_throttle;
-    RC_Channel *channel_rudder;
+    RC_Channel *&channel_roll = g2.rc_channels.channel_roll;
+    RC_Channel *&channel_pitch = g2.rc_channels.channel_pitch;
+    RC_Channel *&channel_throttle = g2.rc_channels.channel_throttle;
+    RC_Channel *&channel_rudder = g2.rc_channels.channel_rudder;
 
     // notification object for LEDs, buzzers etc (parameter set to false disables external leds)
     AP_Notify notify;
@@ -925,7 +925,6 @@ class Plane : public AP_HAL::HAL::Callbacks {
     void setup_turn_angle(void);
     bool reached_loiter_target(void);
     void set_control_channels(void);
-    void init_rc_in();
     void init_rc_out_main();
     void init_rc_out_aux();
     void rudder_arm_disarm_check();
diff --git a/ArduPlane/RC_Channel.h b/ArduPlane/RC_Channel.h
index 5b31e90b003b00..eff8751025bcd7 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/RC_Channel.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/RC_Channel.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ class RC_Channels_Plane : public RC_Channels
 {
 public:
 
+    void init() override;
+
     RC_Channel_Plane obj_channels[NUM_RC_CHANNELS];
     RC_Channel_Plane *channel(const uint8_t chan) override {
         if (chan > NUM_RC_CHANNELS) {
@@ -32,6 +34,13 @@ class RC_Channels_Plane : public RC_Channels
 
     bool has_valid_input() const override;
 
+    void set_control_channels(void);
+
+    // primary input control channels
+    RC_Channel *channel_roll;
+    RC_Channel *channel_pitch;
+    RC_Channel *channel_rudder;
+
 protected:
 
     // note that these callbacks are not presently used on Plane:
diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.h b/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
index 659639e960ffa1..2738ed5a1865a2 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ class QuadPlane
         return initialised;
     }
 
+    bool enabled(void) const {
+        return enable;
+    }
+
     // is quadplane assisting?
     bool in_assisted_flight(void) const {
         return available() && assisted_flight;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/radio.cpp b/ArduPlane/radio.cpp
index 21f89d1e4975f1..3409135b8e7520 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/radio.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/radio.cpp
@@ -6,24 +6,24 @@
 /*
   allow for runtime change of control channel ordering
  */
-void Plane::set_control_channels(void)
+void RC_Channels_Plane::set_control_channels(void)
 {
-    if (g.rudder_only) {
+    init_channel(channel_pitch, RC_Channel::AUX_FUNC::PITCH, "Pitch", 2);
+    init_channel(channel_throttle, RC_Channel::AUX_FUNC::THROTTLE, "Throttle", 3);
+    init_channel(channel_rudder, RC_Channel::AUX_FUNC::YAW, "Yaw", 4);
+    if (plane.g.rudder_only) {
         // in rudder only mode the roll and rudder channels are the
         // same.
-        channel_roll = RC_Channels::rc_channel(rcmap.yaw()-1);
+        channel_roll = channel_rudder;
     } else {
-        channel_roll = RC_Channels::rc_channel(rcmap.roll()-1);
+        init_channel(channel_roll, RC_Channel::AUX_FUNC::ROLL, "Roll", 1);
     }
-    channel_pitch    = RC_Channels::rc_channel(rcmap.pitch()-1);
-    channel_throttle = RC_Channels::rc_channel(rcmap.throttle()-1);
-    channel_rudder   = RC_Channels::rc_channel(rcmap.yaw()-1);
 
     // set rc channel ranges
     channel_roll->set_angle(SERVO_MAX);
     channel_pitch->set_angle(SERVO_MAX);
     channel_rudder->set_angle(SERVO_MAX);
-    if (!have_reverse_thrust()) {
+    if (!plane.have_reverse_thrust()) {
         // normal operation
         channel_throttle->set_range(100);
     } else {
@@ -40,23 +40,27 @@ void Plane::set_control_channels(void)
         SRV_Channels::set_angle(SRV_Channel::k_throttleRight, 100);
     }
 
-    if (!arming.is_armed() && arming.arming_required() == AP_Arming::Required::YES_MIN_PWM) {
-        SRV_Channels::set_safety_limit(SRV_Channel::k_throttle, have_reverse_thrust()?SRV_Channel::SRV_CHANNEL_LIMIT_TRIM:SRV_Channel::SRV_CHANNEL_LIMIT_MIN);
+    if (!plane.arming.is_armed() && plane.arming.arming_required() == AP_Arming::YES_MIN_PWM) {
+        SRV_Channels::set_safety_limit(SRV_Channel::k_throttle, plane.have_reverse_thrust()?SRV_Channel::SRV_CHANNEL_LIMIT_TRIM:SRV_Channel::SRV_CHANNEL_LIMIT_MIN);
     }
 
-    if (!quadplane.enable) {
+    if (!plane.quadplane.enabled()) {
         // setup correct scaling for ESCs like the UAVCAN PX4ESC which
         // take a proportion of speed. For quadplanes we use AP_Motors
         // scaling
-        g2.servo_channels.set_esc_scaling_for(SRV_Channel::k_throttle);
+        plane.g2.servo_channels.set_esc_scaling_for(SRV_Channel::k_throttle);
     }
 }
 
 /*
   initialise RC input channels
  */
-void Plane::init_rc_in()
+void RC_Channels_Plane::init()
 {
+    RC_Channels::init();
+
+    set_control_channels();
+
     // set rc dead zones
     channel_roll->set_default_dead_zone(30);
     channel_pitch->set_default_dead_zone(30);
diff --git a/ArduPlane/system.cpp b/ArduPlane/system.cpp
index 97ece4d2eb90cc..41df6a3e06a7e4 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/system.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/system.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ void Plane::init_ardupilot()
 
     ins.set_log_raw_bit(MASK_LOG_IMU_RAW);
 
-    set_control_channels();
+    // initialise rc channels including setting mode
+    g2.rc_channels.init();
 
     mavlink_system.sysid = g.sysid_this_mav;
 
@@ -67,9 +68,6 @@ void Plane::init_ardupilot()
     BoardConfig_CAN.init();
 #endif
 
-    // initialise rc channels including setting mode
-    rc().init();
-
     relay.init();
 
     // initialise notify system
@@ -123,8 +121,6 @@ void Plane::init_ardupilot()
     gps.set_log_gps_bit(MASK_LOG_GPS);
     gps.init(serial_manager);
 
-    init_rc_in();               // sets up rc channels from radio
-
 #if MOUNT == ENABLED
     // initialise camera mount
     camera_mount.init(serial_manager);