fzeller

Hi Folks

Here comes a novice question. When you are on final approach, Do you switch from ailerons to rudder just before the plane touches down.? You guys have given me some great answers, and I would like to let you know that I qppreciate it very much. Fred

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

No

About the only answer to this is:

You continue to use your ailerons to control "Roll" and your rudder to control "Yaw"

But when you are landing, Yaw is a little more critical than when you are just flying around - In other words, when you're flying you rarely need to use rudder, but when you're landing, you may find that a little rudder correction can come in handy.

aerowoof

use airlerons to keep wings level as needed,and if in a cross wind` you use rudder to crab into the wind and just before touch down release the rudder to neutral so the plane will track straight..if no cross wind then use both to make turns.when you fly a cub you will see what I mean when I say use both

voyager_663rd

When flying warbirds, using rudder in turns is highly recommended. With high wing loading and their (normal) instability, yank-and-bank is not the preferred turning method. Toss in some rudder on those turns and you will see quite a difference.

meaden

Use the rudder...you paid for the servo.

Rudder for direction, ailerons for roll, throttle for glide slope and elevator for pitch.

john_s3

My Feedback: (1)

If your landing is slow you willsee that the alerions don't do as much as the rudder.Relying on the alerions a landing can cost you when you are floating in.Guess How I Know.

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

A very basic rule. Rudder points the nose. Ailerons rolls the wings. So a rudder turns, ailerons bank. Both are necessary when landing. Runway center line will be held using the rudder. The ailrons will be used to bank into the wind and level the wings. Use them both at the same time until the plane comes to a full stop.

LuftwaffeOberst

Couldn't have said it better.



So true, too many people don't use it. I heard one person tell another at my club that I use the rudder too much in all my basic turns. I replied, " The rudder is used for more things than just ground control!" When I flew the full size planes I would line up with the runway, keep my wings level and yaw her in and flare. LYF we used to call it in my old days of flying. Our R/C planes... no difference. [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

So in a Nut Shell, it's good to get in the habit of using your rudder with the ailerons in all your turns, except when you're descending on your final approach upwind. Keep the nose pointed where you want it to go until you come to a full stop on the runway.


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II # 865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

I would like to add one addition thing to this.
What is said above is all true.
Just remember that a lot of planes will pitch with rudder application.
With this said, be ready to add or relax the elevator when you apply rudder.

MajorTomski

I teach a curving appoach much like that used on an aircraft carrier. The straight portion of final ususally isn't much longer than 300 feet from wings level to touchdown. When the aircraft rolls out of the base to final turn it should be set up wings level, body level to slightly nose down, already in whatever crab angle needed to maintain an extended centerline. During those last 300 feet, you're primarily focusing on the elevator to keep from diving or stalling. You the only thing you need rudder or aileron for is a gust blowing the plane off level. It's not a matter of switching from one to the other, it's more a matter of using what is right for that plane. For the Kadet LT 40 the answer is "either". The plane, because of its roots of originally being a three channel ruder plane reacts the same to rudder input or aileron input.

Personally I'm a strong believer in crab till touchdown, then steer with the rudder as needed approach. Much simpler to fly, less likely to create a cross controlled stall/spinn.

fzeller

Hi Guys
As usual, I got some great information. It was written so that even I can understand it. Now if I can just get it from my brain to my thumbs. May you always fly a good plane.
Thank you, Fred