Flying RC: Deeper Dives
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Operating the Sticks; Options to Consider
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Adjusting the Transmitter Feel
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Control Reversal
Grasping the Stick.
Did you know there are two popular ways to grasp the controller sticks? The videos below discuss two common methods. Which one is best for you?
1. The most popular style, thumb on top of the stick, seems like the most natural position. The pilot places the thumb on the top of the stick and relies on the flexibility of thumb action to move the stick precisely in any direction. The advantage of this style is faster stick movement and the ability to move the stick rapidly to its extreme right-left or up-down travel stops.
The disadvantage is that it can make it more difficult to fly the plane with precision. Why? Because when learning to fly, it can be hard to sense when the stick is in the center or neutral position. Performing precise and beautiful aerobatic maneuvers often requires the stick to be moved precisely horizontally or vertically moving the plane in only one axis at a time. It takes practice. Yes, some maneuvers require the stick to be moved in a diagonal to produce two- or even three-axis movement.
2. Using the thumb and index finger method, the pilot places the tip of the thumb on the grip below the top of the stick bottom and places the bottom of the index finger on the top side of the grip. This positioning means that the stick is held securely and movement is sensed by thumb and finger sensors.
The advantage of the thumb-squeeze method is that the pilot is more likely to feel the motion and position of the stick while flying. After experimentation, I found that using the thumb only on the left stick for quicker and wider (rudder and throttle) adjustments and the thumb and index finger on the right stick (aileron and elevator) gave me the easiest and most precise control of the airplane.
Customize your radio feel.
1. Improve your flying by customizing the stick length to suit your reach.
2. The spring tension on your sticks can usually be adjusted. Beginner pilots may find a stronger tension setting is better.
Moving the Sticks; Options
The first and most popular is a continuous push-pull motion using a thumb on the top of the stick. The advantage of this style is realizing faster stick movements and obtaining a better ability to rapidly move the stick to its extreme right-left or up-down travel stop.
The disadvantage is that it makes over-controlling your plane more likely for beginners. Also, the stick position and movement direction as sensed by the thumbs only making a single point of contact with the stick makes it very difficult to precisely know the exact direction and distance you are moving the stick as you fly. Precise stick movement is essential to feeling in control of your airplane.
Using an index finger-thumb squeeze on the stick, the pilot bumps the stick in the proper direction to provide a flight control input to the airplane.
The advantage to the squeeze and bump method is that smaller corrective inputs are sent to the aircraft and the pilot has more time to react and add more bumps or an opposite-direction stick bump when needed to guide an aircraft safely and precisely.
Better Banking by Bumping
Not talking here about 3D flying. But recommending that novice RC flyers learning to fly, try the bump method of sending the airplane small commands.
Wiring the Brain for the "RC Reversal Conundrum"
RC Learning Rule, #1; Drive first, fly later. Why? There is one control skill that is absolutely essential to being successful from the get-go in RC operation. That is sending the vehicle correct directional control commands, whether the airplane or ground vehicle is traveling toward you or it'si moving away from you.
Beginning pilots must understand this apparent control reversal from the first flight onwards. One way to learn apparent directional reversal control quickly and easily is to drive an RC car before your first flight. When you are proficient at driving straight away turning and then coming back toward you, then first RC flight will be easier and more successful.
If you do not have access to an RC vehicle, it will work just as well to practice taxing your airplane away and toward you. In learning how to takeoff an airplane you must command the plane to move on the path you desire.
To avoid reversal, face parallel and in the direction the plane is flying.
One more tip to help with "Reversal". Try rotating your body while operating the RC controller in such a way that you face parallel and in the direction the plane is flying. This means that when the plane is flying toward you, you are standing in such a way that you rotate your neck and look back at the airplane as it moves toward you.
When it passes by, maintain your body stance and rotate your head to see where the plane is now going. Rotating your head not your body will mean that left and right commands will make sense.
If you stand with your body facing toward an oncoming plane, the right and left command movement of the transmitter stick will seem reversed and may be quite confusing for a while until your brain learns to make the correct stick movement automatically.