Skitimberlake

My Feedback: (35)

Here is my $.02 worth.

If there is not a prevelant circular pattern going one way or the other, I usually turn to the right at the left end of the runway and to the left at the right end of the runway so as to turn away from the pits. Seems safer to me. Either that or I use other turnarounds like a stall turn, half cubans, immelmanns, split s, english bunts or such that do not involve turning left or right.

To me, quite a few posters have mentioned the underlying reason for the left turn preference - which to me is the ease of pushing the control stick to the left with your right thumb (or thumb and fingers) versus pulling stick to the right. I am assuming mode 2 transmitters. 3 channel -> rudder is on right stick, 4 channel -> aileron on right stick. thus right stick controls the turn. It is easier for me to push with my right thumb than to pull.

As a somewhat proof, what else does this thumb push vs pull preference phenomenon affect ? I submit it affects Rolling.

So, why not ask the input question again to the group, but instead of asking about preferred turn direction, ask about the preferred roll direction. I'll bet more folks will roll to the left than to the right if they are not compensating for crosswind direction and rolling into the wind. A function of thumbs. But I might be wrong ? Just much easier for me to roll to left.

So to me, it is easier to push with the thumb (or thumb and firefinger) than to pull as several folks have said. this affects turns and rolls.

As a check, does anybody fly 4 channel with aileron on left stick ? Or 3 channel with rudder on left stick and not on right stick ? What are the turn preferences then ?

One last analogy, I waterski a lot. Have for years. Drive the boats a lot, constantly doing turns to adjust path & direction or to pickup fallen skiers etc. On those inboard skiboats, wheel is on right seat side and throttle is on the gunnel on right. Thus wheel is controlled by driver's left hand and throttle by the right hand. (Yes I use Zero Off and formerly used Perfect Pass - both auto throttles But my right hand is still near the throttle lever...just in case I need to override.) Left hand always on wheel. Now, which way is it easiest to precisely turn the boat a small or moderate amount ? I submit it is a bit easier to precisely turn to the right since the turning is done with left hand and arm, and right turn is a push with left hand and arm, not a pull.. Somewhat similar situation to our mode 2 transmitters, just the opposite direction.

By the way, anyone else ever flown a float plane or seaplane off the waterski jump ramp ? It is a hoot. Being dead center on the ramp turns out not to be so easy if pilot is positioned well to the side of the ramp...

Ski

Rob2160

LOL..not from where I am standing..

52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

I think it is because Americans see stock car racers just turn left! I, on the other hand am an ex sports car road racer and therefore I can fly my planes in either a left or right hand pattern.

tevans55

I'm with you Flyby12. I'm right handed and much prefer to fly CW and land from the right. I fly equally well in both directions and I think that is the eternal unanswered question...why do I have a preference. If there is no wind, no trees, the sun is behind you, and no one else is flying, why do most flyers have a preference and why is it usually CCW? I don't think it has to do with training or airplane design or airplane physics. As stated previously, does it have something to do with the way we are wired?

jetmech05

Hey instructor I'm not sure what you were saying in your post. Right turn left wing high correct to the high wing I agree. Then you say it doesn't matter if it's coming to you or away from you. This is where you lose me coming at you correct to the low wing. Not the high wing

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Getting way to complicated for me ... Just go out and burn a few tank fulls doing what ever is difficult for U and pretty soon it isn't difficult any more. Then U take on the next difficult thing and so on till nothing is difficult anymore. If U are afraid to attempt it get your clubs best flyer (U know the guy that maidens every buddys new planes and does the most instructing) and jump back on the buddy box and use him as a safety pilot and go for it .... life at the field will get a lot better when u aren't shaking like a leaf cause U aren't as sharp as other guys are when U've been doing this hobby for 40 years. Better yet get your self a 3D foamy and fly it like your wife doesn't know U bought it.

sensei

Better yet get your self a 3D foamy and fly it like your wife doesn't know U bought it.

Exactly!

Bob

thatairplaneguy

My Feedback: (50)

Umm

http://youtu.be/LK3-F95l3LI

leadfootdriver

Most flying fields have a dictated flying pattern to follow, mine does you take off heading east down the runway lift off the ground come up and to the left starting a counter clockwise pattern. The wind is usually is rolling west down our runway so everyone takes off into the wind but if the wind is coming from the west we all fly a clockwise pattern but when Im not at the clubs field alternate and I fly both patterns so as to avoid becoming comfortable with just flying in one direction

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

We all know about the four "effects" the propeller has on the airplane ; torque, P-factor, precession , and slip stream.

But there are TWO human factors working on the human pilot.

1.) Muscle Memory Training.............. Simply put, you must practice a movement over and over for that movement to become fluid and natural without the need of consciously thinking about that movement.

2.) Orientation Training.................Simply put, there is also a certain amount of practice needed to train your brain to recognize the airplane in all the various orientations.

Often people will avoid the "thing" that they find difficult or uncomfortable. But in this case they should actually practice that "thing". With time and practice, you can teach your brain to recognize the airplane in all attitudes and orientations. And you can teach your body to make the movements needed without being consciously aware of those movements. Eventually it doesn't seem like you are flying the airplane. It seems like the airplane is responding directly to your thoughts. For those of you struggling with this issue, practice, practice, practice. It will go away. Good luck.

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Hi jetmecho5,

What I'm saying is this: you are in a right hand bank, plane going away from you, which way do you move the aileron stick to correct this bank? Don't you move the aileron stick to the left? If so, then you moved the aileron stick to the high wing or left wing. Now the plane is in a 180º turn, or coming back at you. Yor are in a right hand bank, right wing low. Whick way do you move the aileron stick? Didn't you just move the aileron stick to the left? If so, then you moved the aileron stick to the high wing , which was your left wing. Next time you are out flying, move the aileron stick to the low wing to correct the bank. I'm not to be held accountable for the crash....

Larry / Instructor

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

I still believe if U have 2, 3, 4 or more planes in the pattern and the winds dictate a left hand pattern (Left to Right ) half should fly Right to left after take off i.e. half CW the others CCW. Now U say That's crazy well maybe not. Let's say it takes 60 seconds to make a full circut as the Aussie's and Brits call it. well then the 2 planes set of planes have a greater chance of running into each other because they are constantly near each other. i.e. both CW. Now While the planes flying in the opposite direction CCW are near the ones flying CW are only near them for a fraction of a second twice in 60 seconds to complete the Circuit. But when one appealing thing if or when there is a mid air it's much more
"SPEC-TAC-ULAR"

microdon2

My Feedback: (47)

Here's a thought - as we're predominantly right-handed (about 85-90% of men), we naturally turn our left side \ hand toward the action, and control from the rear (baseball hitting and throwing, golf, tennis, snow-boarding, etc). Going right-first in snowboarding is thus called "goofy". Wondering if we have the same thing here. With the plane on final approach from the left that would seem a more natural orientation for us Righty's. I fly easily from both directions, but, thinking about it, I do prefer (and find it easier) landing from the left. Just wondering if this CCW observation is true for Lefty's, too.

Another thought is the torque of the engine. Doesn't that also make left turns \ banks easier and quicker?

jetmech05

Instructor
i think we're saying the same thing if the airplane is coming at you and the right wing as you're looking at the airplane is low ( which is the airplanes left wing) you push the stick to the low wing ( which is the airplanes right) to counter. I just find it easier on the student to say push the aileron to the low wing.

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

This thread is almost as good as the down wind turn stuff...

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

When I was working at NASA Ames, I flew at the SCCMAS field. There was this guy who used to always call foul when I scooted in on my tight touch and goes, ignoring the cross wind and in a right hand pattern. I was taught the left hand pattern and learned to be 'competitive' with either.

rowdyjoe

My Feedback: (9)

At our field, where we face east when in the pilot boxes, pattern direction is determined by wind direction. Wind from the South - fly left traffic pattern; wind from the North - fly right traffic pattern. This procedure avoids flying over people and property IAW AMA safety (insurance) rules.

RJ

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Let's Face it there those that can fly and those that will never master all pahses of flight ... It doesn't matter so long as they are having fun (after all this is supposed to be a fun hobby.) I don't care if they can or can not do all the maneuvers .... What I do care is that they FLY SAFE and if they do crash they do it on the other side of the line and not in the pits or parking lot.

microdon2

My Feedback: (47)

Not sure what these last few comments have to do with the topic, which is a vaild and interesting observation - why do most RC pilots seem to prefer to fly CCW?

rowdyjoe

My Feedback: (9)

It's a brain thing. Is that more to the point?

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

Really?

There have been several theories presented and no one seems to really KNOW the answer which goes a long way to suggest there really isn't one. I suspect that those who "feel better making left hand turns" only learned left hand turns to start with and never investigated right hand turns. Oh, here is a theory for that. Flying model airplanes is a leisure time hobby and then tends to be enjoyed in the afternoons or on weekends. I know you cannot figure out how that means anything, but a quick glance at the setting sun should convince you that many of us prefer to fly with our backs to that orb and the wind direction dictates turning direction. As beginners most don't learn the other direction until forced. Seriously, I got good at them just to give the usual suspects a hard time until they improved their skills equally.

So in the grand scheme of things exactly HOW IMPORTANT is knowing why many modelers prefer CCW patterns?

rowdyjoe

My Feedback: (9)

Just to add to the subject a bit ...it was well known during WWII that fighter pilots tended to break left more often than to the right when attacked. Why? Who knows but, it's true. I'm sure a psychotic ....errr psychologist could explain it but, in some cases it had to do with the airplane. Some turned more sharply, or quickly, to the left due to torque and other design factors.
Before the introduction of counter-rotating engines on the P-38 Lightening, the early model was known as a widow maker for the number of pilots who were killed due to the application of full throttle when too slow and too low.
It's an interesting subject if you're so inclined. My eyes glazed over after the first hour of that class and I told myself not to do that when flying a high powered fixed wing bird.

Having said all of that, I still can't answer the question.

RJ

tejician1

My Feedback: (2)

The reason most CL flyers prefer flying counter clock wise is because that's the way they were initially taught and possibly because it has always been done that way ...Although there is a contingent that fly their planes clock wise. The reasoning for this could be the "P" factor or torque coming from the engine, which is turning counter clock wise, is somewhat helpful in assisting the plane remain tight on the lines during abrupt aerobatic turning maneuvers..and helps the builder save a bit of weight by eliminating need for more lead in the outside wing and less offset in the engine. One other thought that comes to mind is, why do most modelers continue to fly in a counter clock wise direction ? This could be due to the Corealis Effect affecting their thought processes and supposedly affecting the direction water spins down the drain, which is all dependent on which side of the Equator you happen to live and fly from... It all really doesn't amount to a serious hill of beans because many of us try to fly some semblance of the PAMPA pattern and half of the schedule is flown inverted.....As for me, I continue to fly in the same direction which I learned in 1950..COUNTER CLOCK WISE !!...Old habits die hard

microdon2

My Feedback: (47)

Jim B - Didn't mean to upset anyone, just trying to get back on topic - guess I could have been more diplomatic. Sounds like there are some theories here and but no real answers. Still, some interesting possible reasons (though - admittedly - unimportant) (unless you were a WWII pilot and had an enemy fighter on your six who knew you're probably going to break left, due to your training, the late afternoon sun, windage, weekend hobbyists, this RCU thread ...)

rowdyjoe

My Feedback: (9)

Off the wall questions get all sorts of answers.