Radio Channels
 

Its going to be obvious that I'm new to R/C. I've already purchased and built an Easy Star (easy to build :p ) and I'm curious about the channel usage.

Is it normal to always have the rudder and throttle on the left joystick and elevator on the right joystick?

The easy star is just a three channel plane.. so just the throttle, rudder and elevator.

I would have figured the rudder/elevator would be the right joystick and almost be similar to a pilots yoke (pull = up, push = down, and left/right). Is there a standard that most go by?

I realize the aircraft with ailerons, will need another channel. (usually the right joystick?).

Re: Radio Channels
 

I only have one 3 channel plane without ailerons, a Parkzone Vapor, and the rudder is setup on the right stick.

If you would like it to be on the right stick, it would be easy to do on the Hitec and Futaba that you have, you simply put the rudder servo wire into the #1 channel on the reciever. Then when the day comes when you move up to four channel planes, the #1 channel is used for ailerons, #2 elevator, #3 throttle, #4 rudder.

Re: Radio Channels
 

It is normal to have the throttle (up/down) and rudder (left/right) on the left side and the elevator (up/down) and ailerons (left/right) on the right. Probably a good idea to get your hands used to this now.

The rudder on an airplane without ailerons does all the steering, but on an airplane with rudder and ailerons the rudder still should be used for some steering control. Getting used to the rudder contol on the left side now should help you in the long run, as you won't become solely dependant on right side steering control. Learing to use both rudder and ailerons in the turns will make you a better pilot and allow some very scale maneuvers.

Welcome to the forum!

Re: Radio Channels
 

The rudder channel assignment on a 3ch plane is always a head scratcher... left or right stick?

Personally, I prefer to have the rudder on the RH stick on my 3ch planes. Reason? The rudder is the primary (and only) roll control on a 3ch plane... and the RH stick normally controls roll. When I started flying 4ch (ailerons), it was a very simple transition as the roll control still remains on the RH stick but is now done by the ailerons. All I had to learn was rudder control with the left thumb.

Good luck!

Re: Radio Channels
 

On the 3 channel Radian (no ailerons) I mate the rudder on the left stick, to the Aileron on the right stick. (JR call it a 2-4 mix) This allows me to fly it (especially for those one hour flights) and light a smoke at the same time! :oops:

Re: Radio Channels
 

Or a beer...:cheers:

j/k! :D

Re: Radio Channels
 

On a more serious note, I guess mstotz1 should ask themselves where they want to be (flyin' wise) in 5 years. I was in soooooo much trouble (from my mentor) when I didn't use the rudder to initiate a turn. I think it is a wise move to use the channel assignment in the traditional manner. It is his/her "tender year" in learning what does what on the Tx.

From my Karate training I have learned that changing muscle memory is extremely difficult, best to start doing things the "proper way" than overcome bad habits! It would be possible to teach someone to fly with the sticks in a completely opposite orientation than everyone else uses them!

Re: Radio Channels
 

the way I try to explane it to new members is " forget what channel is what...the right stick controls pitch and roll ant the left stick controls throttle and yaw" if the plane uses rudder only the yaw causes the rolling movement so it should be on the right stick.

we have a new guy building a Kadet Sr. and I told him the rudder on the aleron channel...and put the nose gear steering on the rudder channel, that gets the left thumb used to steering on the ground and less of a transision to the next plane. and also lessens the work load of the rudder servo.

My $.02

Bill

Re: Radio Channels
 

I think what you are really asking can you have these on different sticks

what you have now is called Mode 2 throttle and rudder on left stick ailerons and elevator on right stick, there is also mode 1

which is reversed e and a on right and t and r on left

there is also mode 4

t and a on left stick and r and e on right.

Re: Radio Channels
 

Where did he get the Kadet Sr from .... been looking for a couple for a while. Nitro Planes had a rebrand (same kit different name) but refused to ship to CA .... something about package size which to me is a pile of BS since I can get bigger boxes from another vendor in LA sent via USPS without any problem ...

:cheers:

Arn