ORIGINAL: heliopilot32137
Well, how about teaching me the secret of torque roll? Everybody seems to be saying 'practice, practice, practice". Well, if no one can tell me what it really takes to torque roll, what am I going to practice? Somebody has to tell me what kind of inputs, big, small, with exponentials, no exponentials, with gyro or no gyro, aft or forward cg, high pitched or low pitched props, etc. What does it take to torque roll for real? It seems of lot people have their own ideas and opinions
Simple guidlines:
#1-plane that is 3D capable, Light, low wing loading, large control surfaces, preferably with wing and hor. stab inline on the thrust line.
#2-Motor selection: within the crafts advised weight specs, the lightest, most powerfull engine. Personally I prefer 4 strokes.
#3-prop selection: Under the advised specs of the engine the largest diameter, lowest pitch prop that will still keep you in the advised rpm range. The low pitch gives greater thrust, quicker spool up and greater speed management. The large diameter offers greater torque and more wash over the control surfaces.
#4-set up: Through trial and error you must determine the effect that the large diameter prop and power of the engine has on your plane and correct it by adjusting the angle of the engine. On a full throttle up line with no input if it pulls left, then right thrust angle is needed. If it pulls towards the wheels, then up thrust is needed. If it pulls towards the canopy, then down thrust is needed. Fly, observe, adjust. Continue, until, on full throttle upline with no input it climbs straight up. Then and only then will you have the proper thrust angles for hovering and torque rolling. It is challanging enough without haveing to correct with opposite inputs when the engine is pulling one way or the other.
#5-control surface setup. All control surfaces should be neutral, Centered. If your goal is torque rolling and 3D then forget adjusting the surfaces so it flies straight and level at half throttle. Lets say that your model requires a little up elevator dialed in to fly normal, well in a hover or torque roll you are now also fighting the effects of that up elevator as the prop washes over it.
#6-CG We all know that a nose heavy plane(forward CG) flies more arrow like and an aft CG offers a more aerobatic set up. This also is trial and error. Start with recommended and work your way back in small increments until you reach YOUR comfort level.
#7-expo = personal preference. My self, I do not use it. There are many bennefits to the use of expotential and that will be left to someone with more experience on this matter. #8-torque rolling is accomplished with throttle management and the inputs to the tail feathers, which keeps the plane in a vertical attitude. Ailerons are only used to stop or slow the rate of the turn as torque propells it around. Hope this helps. Joe