How do i get better at flying my rc plane?

Question

I have an aerobird challenger i got for my birthday 2 years ago that i dont use very much, but recently i've been wanting to get back into it. the only down side is that if i crash it bad enough it's $150 down the drain. i like playing flying video games, but the thing is the controls on the video games use 2 sticks to control where the planes go, and the one for my plane only has one control stick.

and im not too great when it's flying towards me cause im not used to the controls being backwards....yeah

so any tips would be great.

Answer 1

Practice, Practice, Practice!!!

Seriously, that's the best way to improve, and you will be surprised at how quickly you get used to controlling the plane when it's flying towards you.

You can't use your video game experience well here. This is because you are NOT in the pilot's seat, you're standing outside the plane, and the direction you move the control stick to turn right changes based on the direction the plane is pointing.

Imagine that, when you move the stick, a tiny pilot in the plane is being told where to go. When you and the plane are facing the same direction, when you move the stick right, you are telling the pilot to turn right.

If the plane if facing towards you, when you move the stick to the right, you are telling the pilot to turn LEFT. Picture him holding your control stick in the cockpit. He's going to move the stick to the right when you move it to the right, and if he's facing you, he will move to HIS right, not your right.

If you practice flying, you'll get used to this. You can try turning so your chest is always facing the same direction as the nose of the plane, and look over your shoulder until you get used to it.

Other advice for flying these things is to go easy on the controls. Many video gamers over-control their RC planes- instead of moving the stick ALL THE WAY in one direction, just move it a tiny little bit, and that should be enough. The key to flying RC's is small, gentle, smooth movements- if you jerk the stick back and forth, it will lose control and crash.

Oh yeah, and fly close to the ground until you get used to it. A 10-foot crash could break your $150 airplane. Fortunately I was able to learn this lesson on a $40 helicopter.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

What "flying video games" do you play? Ace Combat 04 and 05 for the PS2 only use the left analog stick to control the aeroplane. The right stick is just to look around a bit from the cockpit (you can get by without ever doing that; just turn the jet to follow targets on radar).

I would recommend practising with your RC aeroplane at low speeds, and working on basic manoeuvres: climbing and descending, banking turns, etc. Once you get used to the controls, try more advanced manoeuvres. Also, practise at a moderate speed: not so low that you stall the engine, but not so fast that you cannot react in time. Try to practise on days that are not too windy, and in a large open area.

Answer 4

In the US you can NOT just fly "anywhere". Inquire as to the regulations at this park. It may be that you ARE allowed to fly there, in part because it IS a public park. Helicopters DO need less space to fly, BUT they are also harder to fly and more expensive than planes, (for the good ones!) The main plane requirements are a proper surface to land/take off from, (some smaller ones require a smooth, hard surface, and some can take off from fairly smooth grass fields;) and sufficient horizontal space for the take off and landing roll with reasonably clear areas to climb out after take off, to line up for landing, and to have good visibility of plane at all times while airborne. A large store parking lot, when the store is closed is sometimes used. SOME clubs also make use of space at airports, with permission of course. Many aircraft require more than a 700 foot run to get airborne, in part depending on the size and power of the aircraft; while some only need 100 feet, and a few are "hand launched." I have, on ocassion, used a residential street with little traffic as a runway. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

To get the plane flying back toward you, move the left-right stick in the direction the plane is moving.

Flying Model Simulator freeware for Windows
http://mpx.speedkom.net/cms/vorschau/upload/d_software/fms2alpha85me2b.exe

Tutorial
http://www.tti-us.com/sim/FMSop.html

Aerobird Extreme Model File
http://gunnerson.homestead.com/files/fms_models.htm

Answer 6

there are special rc flight sims they are a little $$$ but they are a good learning tool and can be lots of fun to. the best one out ther imo is the great planes real flight what the last person wrote really helps alot if you remeber it. if you really want to get into rc planes go to your local field and someone can set up a buddy box for you to hep you learn.