General Not Another Mode Discussion....

[vimy]

There has been lots of past discussion on transmitter mode preferences. US flyers prefer Mode 2, here in Australia we prefer Mode 1 and from what I read, Europe has a mixture of either.

Since I was learning all over again, I wondered why Mode 1 seemed to be the most "natural" to me. I then found this article:

http://mnewell.rchomepage.com/Techniques/Tx_Modes.pdf

.......in Martin's Flying Machines:

Martin's Flying Machines

All of a sudden, it all made sense.

Since I am left handed, Mode 1 was the correct choice. It was luck I just happened to be in Australia where Mode 1 was the historical preference.

However, for those of you (and that means most of you) who are right handed, Mode 4 would seem to be the best option for learning acrobatics and 3D flying.

The article made an interesting point, count the number of steps to achieve a continuous roll manoeuvre in Mode 2, there are 8, the same manoeuvre in Mode 4 there are only 4 steps.

Martin also reasoned that 3ch planes in America were already flown as Mode 4 and all that was needed was the throttle added to the left stick.

I don't know how this translates to using a buddy box, if the transmitters are not the same mode, but you would think this should not be a problem.

The only other thing, once you have become "set" changing is difficult and not advised. Also you will be an orphan, you won't be able to fly Mode 2 planes and Mode 2 flyers won't be able to fly Mode 4.

New flyers may find this useful.

 

[Lee]

Mode 2 all the way
Real aircraft have a stick that controls Aileron and elevator in a Plane and Cyclic control on a Helicopter.
I don't know why they would change it for RC to anything else. It just seem the most logical to me.
But its what you learn first that feels the best to you, so each to there own. Just have fun

 

[vimy]

I actually thought of using Mode 3 after looking at a light aircraft cockpit. Since the left stick would have pitch and roll just like a full size plane and the right stick would have yaw (emulating the pedals) and throttle. Again, this makes sense to a left handed flyer.

When I read Martin's article however, his arguments made sense. Keeping all tailplane control on the left stick with aileron and throttle on the right. In other words, Mode 1.

I'm not suggesting establish flyers change. But it is interesting for those learning to fly, that there are the other two modes to consider if neither Mode 1 or 2 doesn't feel right. That is the main point of my posting the article.