daven

My Feedback: (1)

I'm not sure about other racers, but I like my sticks as tight as I can get them. I am also a thumb flier, and quite often actually let go of the stick in the straights. If the plane is set up properly and you make the turn around pylon 1 or 3 just right I often just let it go until I need to bank and yank again.

Right, wrong, whatever.

It works for me.

nedim

My Feedback: (1)

Using tight sticks does not mean that you release the stick to stop a snap or spin. You should definitely need to hold the stick and bring it to neutral.
A better explanation for using hard (tight) spring can be done as follows. remove your springs and watch how precise you can fly. I think you can "hardly" fly. That is the difference!
It is a simple mathematical fact either you believe or not. Personal preferences and choices does not change math facts. I guess you all understand what I am saying.
For the flat mid range like a notch on throtlle I can say it is hard to feel where actually your stick starts to control your throttle. It is very easy to feel the notch where your engine allways runs at the desired speed for your cruise. Choose whichever is better for you. These are only recommendations for your convenience. Ideas are to share. This is why I want to share with you guys. Application is your personal preference...
That is all I can say, and I will shut up for the rest!
Thanks

snsmith

My Feedback: (5)

Hmmm...as an experiment, I cranked up the tension on my 10X and flew the Tracer on Realflight for awhile and it felt really odd. I constantly overcompensated and felt like I was fighting the sticks every step of the way. Granted, I'm not used to it, but I think that reinforces the assertion that much of this is preference, not so much science. While I won't refute those who profess stiff springs increases accuracy, but I really don't see why.

I should also note that I don't have it as loose as Mulligan describes. Mine is soft, but there is a definite center with some mild resistance, essentially just enough to give me tactile feedback when I'm trying to feed in a single axis. I also have the sticks cranked out longer than stock (by ~1/4").

If I apply a little science to my setup, I have to move the ends of my sticks further to get the same input (given the same angle on the stick gimble, the ends traverse a longer arc with a longer stick). In principle, this should increase precision since I have the ability to granulate finer the angle with the longer radius. IMHO, a lighter tension allows me to more easily move the stick a prescribed amount to get the desired output on the plane. Also, to me the ligher tension "feels" more linear, although I know in reality it's linear regardless of setting...perhaps my thumbs don't respond linearly.

Let's take an analogy closer to home. Would I be more precise if I had to steer my truck with a 5" diameter steering wheel without power steering or with a 12" wheel and power steering? Could I control the gas and brake pedals better with a strong return force or lighter return force? The comment of removing the springs is not really a good analogy, since a force of any magnitude is mathematically an infinite improvement over zero force.

Regardless, I'm not sure I see the math behind this. In practice, as are most ergonomic scenarios, whether a particular man-machine interface is good or not is highly dependent on the preferences of the user. More may choose one than the other, but that doesn't make the minority wrong.

Very interesting thread...I'm enjoying hearing how the other 86% lives.

mulligan

nedim,

Math- huh? You've completely lost me.

I actually experimented with no springs, and I enjoyed flying that way- I had the control I wanted, but as I posted earlier, when I get lazy, want to relax my hand for a moment, or whatever, I have the spring with very, very little tension.

But back to the math thing- I've got a M.S. in Engineering, and I cannot even fathom what you are saying about mathmatically not possible. Not as a slam, I just don't understand. Please don't "shut up"- this is one of the most civilized threads I've seen with differing opinions/preferences , and I'm obviously in the minority. Please explain a little more what you meant. I probably will disagree , but that's ok, too.

- George

George E.

My Feedback: (16)

With high tension it is easier to move the stick along one axis independent of the other, higher precision.