I'll probably end up using Mode 3. 2.4ghz does not have any surface or air designation, so I can and intend on using the same radio for cars and planes. Cars use a spring loaded throttle/brake channel, which on stick radios is the vertical axis on the left stick. Mode 2, standard for planes in the US, puts a ratchet here. I'm too deeply ingrained in the car layout to re-learn that, but since I've never flown before, I can handily learn any layout I want to for the planes, so I'm going to put the ratchet on the right stick and use Mode 3 for aircraft while the elevator and rudder channels are used for cars.