Is the idea of mixing that it is on all the time or do you hit a switch to enable some mixing as you go to preform a maneuver where you need mixing?

Example when going into a knife edge, should i have the mixing on (rudder to aileron for example) by default or have it on a switch that i hit right before i enter the maneuver.

mixing can be on all the time *or* activated via a switch. Personally, I prefer to always have a *tiny* bit of aileron to rudder mixing in most of my planes (to counter adverse yaw), but for a knife edge maneuver as you describe, I'd assign the mix to a switch so you can activate it just before entering the maneuver. Otherwise it can throw off other acrobatic maneuvers and make them not fly quite right, since a knife-edge type mix is usually very specific to that maneuever only.

I'm thinking you're going to want the "mixing" option on when you're several mistakes high, as I do knife edges with my P47 without any mixing being done...just bank it left and hit right rudder, or vice versa...

Thats exactly what i was thinking. Mixing on all the time could throw things off for other tricks. Could be even worse for landing and taking off.

Originally Posted by ryanbe15

Thats exactly what i was thinking. Mixing on all the time could throw things off for other tricks. Could be even worse for landing and taking off.

This is very true...

Can't imagine going into a Knife Edge, and concentrating on rudder control, aileron control, elevator control, power control, and then start looking for a switch to flip.

By the time I would find the switch my plane would toothpicks.

Just curious, why would you want to have rud->ail mix during knife-edge? Typically a ton of rudder is needed, wouldn't that mix immediately roll the plane? Or will you be fighting the mix with opposite aileron input? Why? I just don't understand.

I have rudder/aileron and rudder/elevator on all the time, it corrects the plane for all conditions. If you use a curve mixes you can correct right up to full rudder deflection. Sometimes have throttle/rudder mix on all the time too if I need a little more right thrust.

jkettu the mix stops the roll induced by the rudder. I need a 17% mix on one of my EPP planes to STOP it rolling with rudder.

+1 with Threshold. If a plane needs a knife edge correction the mix is actually needed for all other attitudes also. In knife, most planes want to pull to the top or bottom or not keep the wings vertical. If both the horizontal and vertical CG are correct then mix is the answer.

For a knife mix, I don't use a switch, for other mixes I generally do but it really depends on the aircraft, the purpose of the mix and the pilot. For example, some like to use a throttle-rudder mix to keep an up-line straight, but for some reason I prefer to input the rudder correction manually.

Azarr

+2 with Threshold. 'Knife Edge Mixing' should be left on all the time because it works equally well for any manouver that uses rudder. All the mix is doing is tuning out the undesirable roll and pitch coupling that you usually experience when you add rudder. It works equally well when the plane is in any orientation, not just in knife edge.

Originally Posted by jkettu

Just curious, why would you want to have rud->ail mix during knife-edge? Typically a ton of rudder is needed, wouldn't that mix immediately roll the plane? Or will you be fighting the mix with opposite aileron input? Why? I just don't understand.

Quite the opposite. Rudder to aileron mix is to prevent the plane rolling when you apply rudder. Pretty much every plane to a greater or lesser extent will roll when you apply a lot of rudder, KE mix eliminates it.
Usually you would also have rudder to elevator mix to remove the pitch coupling that you often get when you apply rudder.

Originally Posted by ryanbe15

Is the idea of mixing that it is on all the time or do you hit a switch to enable some mixing as you go to preform a maneuver where you need mixing?

Example when going into a knife edge, should i have the mixing on (rudder to aileron for example) by default or have it on a switch that i hit right before i enter the maneuver.

It really depends on the mix and what you want it to do. I have some planes that have mixes on all the time while others are activated with a switch.

Ok so i was reading about mixing in the manual last night and maybe i'm just slow but i don't understand what all the options do. Attached you'll find a photo of a rudder to elevator mixing. Can someone please give me a explanation of what the settings are?

Totally depends on the person and the plane could be either or or both .

Treshold, Azarr, JPF: thanks for the insight. As you can see, I'm not familiar with that type of planes and wasn't aware that they could have such a strong yaw-roll coupling. Learning something new every day.


Ryanp15: see below. Just play with the settings and observe the result. Change only one parameter at a time.

Rate - this sets the amount of movement sent to the slave channel. If set at 100%, full stick gives full movement on the slave channel. If set at 50%, full stick gives only 50% of full movement on slave. Naturally the master channel remains unaffected.

Offset - this lets you adjust centering of the slave channel while the mix is active.

Trim - is an on/off type of setting. It selects if the trim lever of master channel has an effect on slave channel or not. ACT = active, INH = inhibited.