After bank 'n yank, what?

[Elliot]

Those of us who were weaned on the Zagi learned to turn an aileron-equipped plane by the old bank 'n yank method. Then, when faced with a full four-function ship, we are inclined to fly the same way and don't quite know what to do with a rudder. Aside from a bit of taxiing and the occasional attempt at a hammerhead, the rudder servo on my Crazy Max is virtually virginal, despite a fair amount of flying time.

Although I can make the plane go where I want it, my maneuvers are sorely lacking in aesthetics. Is there an old hand out there who can suggest how to practice the nuances of co-ordinated controls? :confused:

[Ben74]

i have a CM too. you don't need to use the rudder to fly it well. it doesn't "slip" the way some full sized planes do when you don't use enough rudder.

if you want to play with the rudder some, try a spin. i recently learned to do spins on my CM, and they're kinda fun. get some major altitude, gradually slow down until you stall, and apply full rudder and full up elevator. the plane will decend straight down while spinning. looks like you're totally out of control! to recover, just center the controls and apply throttle. if the plane won't spin, try moving your CG back a little. also try adding some aileron in the direction you're spinning to get even crazier :D

[flyfalcons]

Some other rudder excercises include making flat turns and snap rolls, among others. Keep trying new things with the rudder; there is a whole new world opened up with the fourth function. Most models, if set up correctly, don't really require rudder to make smooth turns.

[jbourke]

I respectfully disagree that rudder isn't important. I use the rudder as much as any other control.

Rolls require rudder. Loops require rudder if there is any crosswind component. Snaps, spins, and stall turns require rudder. Rudder is used to compensate for torque so it is crucial on any extended up-lines or sudden throttle changes, particularly at low airspeed. Obviously, turns require rudder to be coordinated. Yes, you can do some of these things without rudder but if you use it properly it adds a lot of subtle detail that impresses spectators.

Just start experimenting a bit with rolls. Learn to do a nice slow roll using rudder during the knife-edge portions.

Jim

[gwh]

To fly smoothly and precisly, the rudder is very important. Pilots that just want to thrash around in the air ignore the rudder.