duals

I am building my first plane - a Great Planes Spirit sailplane. There seem to be few 2 channel stick radios available. Can I buy a 4 channel radio and set it up to function like a 2 channel with the rudder on the right stick and the elevator on the left stick? Is it simply a matter of plugging the servo into the correct slot on the receiver? And will I still have the same adjustability of trim, end points, and whatever else you can control? Thanks for the help.

bikerbc

I don't see any reason why not . Welcome to building . That is for me almost as good as flying . I love my time in the shop . You are far better off with a radio that has more channels than you presently require because that gives you the ability to get bigger and better planes in the future without need to buy a new radio . I would recommend at least 6 channels if you plan on staying in the hobby . I would not set your plane up with the elevator on the left stick though . It should be on the righr stick and the rudder usually goes on the left side but for your set up with only two channels the rudder should go on the right stick with the elevator . That way you fly with the one stick . .. When you are flying with ailerons and rudder the rudder goes on the left stick . And yes it would be a matter of plugging into the right spot in the receiver to get your servo to operate from which stick you want it to . You would probably plug your rudder servo into the aileron spot .

MajorTomski

A little more info. As bikerbc said, in most cases in the US airplanes are set up with the elevator on the spring loaded to the center up and down right stick, and the ailerons OR the rudder (if it is a two or three channel design) is set up on the spring loaded to the center left and right right stick. This way you duplicate the motions of a full scale control stick. The difference is that for most two and three channel models the rudder makes the airplane behave as if you were flying with ailerons on a four channel airplane.

You DO NOT want to put the elevator on a US radio on the LEFT stick because it is not spring loaded. you will almost never be able to fly straight and level because the elevator will never return to neutral.

duals

I asked the question because the Spirit manual shows a 2-channel 2-stick radio with the elevator on the left stick and the rudder on the right stick. Would the left stick be spring-loaded on a typical U.S. 2 channel radio? I have seen a Futaba Attack 2-channel 2-stick AM radio on 27 MHz (channels A1 - A6) for sale and my understanding is that this is OK for aircraft. My concern is that this radio may have only the basic features and limited range. And I am not sure how well 27MHz works for aircraft in general. Most aircraft seem to be on 72MHz and the new 2.4 GHz radios.

I realize that if spoilers are added the rudder and elevator usually go on the right stick. And that if ailerons are added the rudder usually moves to the left stick. And I have also seen gliders with a single stick radio which also combines the rudder and the elevator on the one stick. In the end I may be OK with the 2-channel AM radio as I am more interested in building and don't know when I might actually try to fly the sailplane.

bikerbc

Most new radios for aircraft are on 2.4 and one of the reasons for this is that you can't accidentally shoot somebody else down by turning your radio on . The 2.4's don't interfere with each other . You can have as many on as there is at the field and you won't interfere with each other . With the 72MHz you need to be careful that you don't have two with the same frequency on at the same time or you will run the risk of causing your friend to lose control of his plane . The left stick is normally only spring loaded sideways . Up and down is used for throttle and is meant to stay in the position you leave it in . I have never seen or used a two channel radio except maybe on a Christmas toy . I personaly would steer away from them in favor of a bigger radio with more channels and more features. Even if you aren't planning on flying this yourself I think it would be safer and better to go with something set up the same way most other aircraft will be set up . As I said I have not ever seen or used a Two channel radio. I have however seen lots of two channel planes and they have always been set up with the rudder on the right side along with the elevator . Good luck with this project . I have never built a glider but I think I am going to build one this winter . I have lots of planes that will work as tugs . I would like a fairly big one. Is a sail plane the same as a glider ?

duals

I have seen the terms sailplane and glider used interchangeably but sailplane is probably the better term since some gliders do not have controllable steering. I know Estes sells rocket gliders that are shot up and then just glide back down to Earth with no control. Thanks for the info.

jetmech05

Mode 2 is by far the most widely used in the U.S. This is the mode you'll want to learn on. Mode 2 is elevator and aileron on the right stick throttle and rudder on the left stick. If it were me that's the way I'd fly the sail plane elevator on the right and rudder on the left.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

Don't get a 27 MHz radio. There are too many other things that use that band, so using one on an aircraft is asking to be shot down. It's used for all sorts of toys, cars, boats, etc. If you plan to stay in the hobby, get something on 2.4 GHz. If you just want to fool around on the cheap, pick up a used 72 MHz radio. People are practically giving these away. If you pay more than $10 for one you're being ripped off.

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

As stated before, any radio can be used as a two channel radio. I too have a Spirit sail plane as well as many other planes, many using six channels and I fly them all with a 10 channel Futaba transmitter. The only question becomes which stick do you assign the rudder to. We have talked extensively about it at the field but have come to no hard conclusion. Do you leave the rudder on the left stick as it is on most airplanes or do you put it on the right stick because that is the one you will be turning the plane with? Your plane, your decision.

OliverJacob

My Feedback: (12)

Later you will need more then 2 channels, maybe an electric sailplane. add ailerons and you need 4 channels. It depends on your budget, but I'd recommend a 2.4 Ghz with at least 6 channels and you don't have to buy another radio for a long time.
To your questions - the radio should have at least the amount of channels the planes calls for.

Mode 2 is the most common radio version in the US, means the left stick is not self-centering and used for the throttle or pitch on a helicopter.
You'd use only the right stick for a 2 channel sailplane.

OliverJacob

My Feedback: (12)

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Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Max, I have built several three channel planes, small electrics so other then the throttle they are two channel. Last one I built I decided to use throttle and rudder on the left like all my bigger planes and elevator on the right. I don't know why but that rudder on the left stick really messed me up. I use rudder on all my planes but on the small electric I had to think about every move. I'm not going to over think it though, I just changed the plane to elevator and rudder to the right stick when I got home.
I think I still have a Hitec two channel radio out in the shop from the first RC plane I built? I may have a couple of them?

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Yeah, Gene, the reason this became a topic for me is that one of the best fliers at our field wanted to fly the Spirit I had at the time. He even asked what channel the rudder was on and I told him it was on the left stick, same as all my other planes. Even knowing that, he immediately lost the plane, looped back over our heads and crashed into the right rear tire of my truck. It totally destroyed the plane and the prop adapter on the plane poked a neat bullet size hole in the tire of my truck that only had 15,000 miles on it. Cost of the flight? About $250.00. So we have talked about it a lot.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

In my case it is simply a brain fart? I can't imagine flying one of my other planes without the rudder being on the left stick but two or three channel planes? I really had a hard time. I just find it easier to use the one stick for the controls and the one stick for the throttle/power. Figure it's just a me thing.

Hydro Junkie

I know the instructions that came with my Kadet Jr that I bought back in the mid 80s actually said to put the rudder on the right stick. The reasoning was that, since any plane I flew after that would most likely have ailerons, it's better to get used to turning using the right stick since most of the time you're doing aileron turns anyway. Not sure I totally agree with it but, then again, the plane was designed as a three channel trainer

buzzard bait

Think of it as roll and pitch on the right stick. A rudder plane, with no ailerons, has a lot of dihedral and it will turn much like an aileron plane using rudder. Don't try to fly with just rudder on the left and elevator on the right. It will be harder to learn that way, and serves no purpose.

I flew with two or three channels for years before I went to ailerons. I always flew with the rudder on the right stick. When I bought a kit for an aileron plane I programmed my computer radio so that both left and right sticks worked the rudder. That way I could learn to taxi and takeoff using the left stick, and then use the right stick for roll control in the air. When I finished my aileron plane I maidened it myself with absolutely no issues. Then I learned to use the left stick for yaw control so I could do slips and skids. Can't do those with just rudder anyway, so leave the rudder on the right stick.

Jim

2walla

My Feedback: (10)

I ALWAYS set up a three channel plane so that both sticks will operate the rudder. Very few flyers truly know how to use their left thumb and when you do it can get you in trouble not having it there. When we started doing slow stick combat i crashed once because i didn't have the rudder on the left stick. The plane was in a attitude that a little rudder would have easily saved it and i slammed into the ground with the left stick hard over. DUH moment..

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

That sounds like a good idea, but I am not sure how to set up a transmitter so that both sticks operate one surface. I'll have to think about that.

Aquila1954

My Feedback: (1)

Hi:
I always went against the grain of everything I do. I have never flown a powered plane of sorts. I am a Sailplane/Glider pilot. And I always put my rudder/elevator on the right stick. Easy to control for me that way. And like all you guys recommend, to get at last a six channel radio. Once you built your sailplane and if you like flying it and want to build bigger ones that has more controls to it, the six or more channel radio's will come handy. I have been out of flying for about 27 yrs. Getting back into it next spring. I have a electric "Spectra Sailplane". And I am going to get 5 more wood kits before April. 1. Sig Riser, 2. Sig Riser 100, 3. Bird of Time , 4. Spirit and 5. Gentle lady. All these planes I set for 3 channels, Rudder/Elevator/Spoilers. But on the "Bird of Time" I am planning to put ailerons in it. I also have 3/4 built Airtronics "Aquila Grande" to finish.

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Sailplanes have the ability to go back up. Gliders do just that, glide.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

This works very well.

But I thought the thread was going to be about the propensity of about half of RC fliers that fly like they only have a two channel radio once the airplane is in the air.

buzzard bait

Without going back to my radio manual, here's how I think I did it: You plug the rudder servo into the rudder port on the rx. That gives you control on the left stick. Then you go to AIL-RUD coupling and set it to 100%. There's nothing plugging into the aileron port, but when you give it aileron it moves the rudder too, and since you set it to 100% it will control it from the right stick exactly the same as from the left.

This also gives you a kind of dual rate on rudder that doesn't depend on a switch, which can be pretty cool. When you want a stall turn or a snap roll, use both aileron and rudder sticks together and you get double the movement.

I did this on my Livewire Champ, an old design that still makes an excellent trainer. It was lots of fun, and later when I went to an aileron plane I already knew how to fly it.

Jim

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

I can see how that would give me aileron function when using the rudder stick, but I don't see how it can give me rudder function when using the right stick. However, these radios do some weird things, so I will certainly try it and hope it works. I really like the idea of having rudder authority from both sticks.

buzzard bait

No, it doesn't give aileron function on the rudder (left) stick. It gives rudder on the rudder stick. You plug the rudder in where it is supposed to go, in the rudder port on the rx. That part of it is the same as any other plane.

What makes it work is the AIL-RUD coupling, which affects the right stick. The reason the function is there on the radio is that sometimes people want the rudder to assist the ailerons automatically when they move the aileron stick. It can help overcome adverse yaw, which is caused by aileron movement. I use it on some scale models. The radio allows you to select how much coupling you want. On a WWI bipe, for instance, I will generally use about 20%. When you move the aileron stick, the ailerons move normally, but you can see the rudder move a little too. That is the 20% coupling.

But for a two or three channel plane, with no ailerons, I choose the coupling function and set it to 100%. Now when you move the aileron stick, instead of the rudder moving a little, it moves exactly the way it does from the rudder stick. Since you have no ailerons in this case, moving the rudder is all it does. So now you have identical rudder control from both the left AND the right stick.

Make sense now?

Jim

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

For any new pilots following what Max and Jim are doing you have to keep in mind they are using a higher channel computer radio and not a small four channel radio. Computer radios have mixing programs and they can assign channels to different places to do different things. More channels gives a lot more mixing options.
Max is using a 10 channel Futaba as I recall. I use an older 9 channel Futaba. I think, that should be a big THINK, Max has an extra P-mix or two more then my old radio?