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Old 03-16-2011 | 04:47 AM
  #64  
HarryC
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Default RE: High wind technique

My goodness, a lot of you should not be teaching. At least Top Gunn knows what he is talking about. All those of you who are saying you hold on rudder in a crosswind or steer with it need to get some basic flying lessons, not be the teacher!
In flight, the "wind" will be on the nose of the plane, it is not from the side. If you want to fly along the runway or on any track over the ground, in a wind that is blowing across that track, you do not hold on rudder or try to weathervane into wind with the rudder. All you do is turn slightly into wind using the ailerons as normal in a turn. Then with all the controls at neutral the plane will fly along the desired track over the ground. The plane will feel the wind coming from its nose as usual. It is only you, standing on the ground and not moving with the wind, that thinks the plane is crabbing. Reduce power and descend, rudder and aileron still at neutral. Take that all the way down to the runway. Ideally use a touch of out of wind rudder just at touchdown to straighten the plane along the runway but for models it doesn't matter so much. That's how easy it is, none of this sideslip nonsense with dangerous and difficult crossed controls. Fly crosswind with ailerons and rudder at neutral. Turning is always done by banking the wing, and unless you have an old 3 channel model, always use ailerons to control bank. Aeroplane rudders are not like boat rudders, they are not used to steer, they are used to keep you straight.