esc

Hi Guys,

I am having trouble performing the rolling circle. Can anyone write down the conrol sequence for me so I can figure out what I am doing wrong.

Also, is there such a thing as a web page, book or video that details all the 3D maneouvres and how to accomplish them?

Thanks for your help,

Dave

Ryguy

My Feedback: (1)

With some foamies, it's as simple as just giving it aileron input. With real planes though, it's much more complicated. There's inside, outside, loops, etc, and the only difference between them is the timing. The best advice I have for you is to go the 3Dbatix.com and Flyinggiants.com. Both of these websites have videos on how to do rolling harriers and circles. There are several videos on the giant's site about improving your rolls.

Hope I helped!

Ryan

P.S. Go to rcpilotguide.com if you want to order the best RC manuever book ever written.

lwatson

My Feedback: (2)

I am not good at rolling circles either, but I have found that if you set up the plane to be neutral, (no down elevoter when inverted) Then the only thing that needs to be done is to use the aileron and rudder. Start with a slow roll, it helps control the timing. If the plane is not neutral then of course down elevator is needed when inverted and this confuses the crap out of my fingers.

leblanc

Actually the way that I've done it (am now trying to master rolling harriers), is to start high but not too much and roll to the left. The plane rolls faster that way and altitude is more easily kept. So to start off, just go high and roll left, and practice only syncronizing down or up elevator, whichever you like. When you can't see the landing gear, down, again can't see it down. After a while you re not even thinking about your sticks just your eyes tell your fingers, so when you get there add up elevator. After that has been mastered, this is where you can start learning the rolling circle. When the plane is inverted, push down, but kept it there for longer than usual, all the way until the plane reachs knife edge, then release, after same thing but with up elevator. When the plane is verted, pull up until it's in knife edge again. That makes the plane turn counter clock wise looking at it from the top.

I personnaly found it easier to learn rolling fast, because the plane is creating lots of lift by the speed and you have more time to practice before you get too close to the ground. So after time, it just becomes a part of your fingers, don't need to think, it's ust done.

Hope it helps!

LeBlanc

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

OK here goes. Hope this makes sense to you.

SO...you want to do rolling circles. First thing is understanding the effect each control input has on the aircraft. I'm pretty sure you understand that ailerons roll the wings. Of course rudder controls the yaw or side to side movement of the "nose" of the plane. Elevator controls the pitch, or the "up and down" movement of the nose. I will assume that you know how to use each input, that is the elevator, ailerons, and rudder.

To start a rolling circle, first decide which way is easiest for you to roll your plane, or most "comfortable" for you. Lets say you are going to roll to the right.

Begin a slow roll...as the plane reaches the quarter roll position, you should be giving it opposite rudder, just like in a knife edge, and a touch of down elevator.

Relax the elevator as the plane continues to roll to the half roll position...the plane will now be inverted.

Continue to roll to the three quarter position adding slight up elevator, and rudder. Just as in knife edge flight.

Relax the elevator, and rudder as the plane rolls to the upright position.

Keep in mind that what you are essentially doing is rolling from knife edge on one side to knife edge on the other side...as far as your rudder input. The aileron input is constant. The elevator is used to "turn" the plane when it is in the knife edge positions...alternating up and down as the plane rolls from one side to the other. Up elevator when the canopy is toward you, and down when it is away from you.

If you have a sim, practice there first. it will save you time and money perhaps. Good luck with the rolling circle.

esc

Thanks for your help everyone.

Ryan: I will definitely be ordering a copy of the book, and the web sites are most interesting I have not seen either of them before.

Aeronaut: A most complete and clear explanation for which I am grateful. I have flown for quite a few years, but took a break (20 years) and am now back at it. In particular I want to master the art of 3D flying and can do a number of the specialised manoeuvres. The rolling circle (a more standard aeorbatic move) was defeating me, probably through a lack of brain-hand-eye co-ordination - and my age

I have RealFlight G3. I practice about an hour a day. It must have saved me thousands of $/£'s

Cheers!

Dave

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

Here is the best way.

First learn slow rolls. Learn RUDDER!!!!
Without rudder, you will never be able to do proper rolling circles.

Once you get the hang of slow rolls, then start bending them into 180 degree turns.
Now bend them into one roll rolling circles to the outside.

From left to right forward flight, Start feeding in left rudder and right aileron. The plane will start to turn, as it gets to knife-edge, a little down elevator to get it to come around, then transition to right rudder on the backside, as it comes into knife-edge again, a little up elevator, and transition to a touch of left rudder as it completes the circle. Keep a constant roll rate. DONT let off the ailerons...keep it rolling.

Once you can do one roll rolling circles, then just speed up the roll rate. Eventually you will get the hang of the rudder/elevator stick movements.

You can also practice rolling across the field. Just start a decent roll rate, and keep it straight and level all the way across the field. You should be able to start rolling at one end of the field and still be rolling at the far end without gaining or losing altitude.

Dont try to rush into rolling circles first. Learn to roll the aircraft first, then start learning rolling circles.

jcflysrc

My Feedback: (50)

Good advice too. Hang in there buddy. Your age has squat to do with it. You just gotta "see" what it is you are trying to "do". Practice the rolls, use the rudder, and practice some more. You will begin to get it, and pretty soon it will just "click"! And then it's just like riding a bike...you never forget.

WhtBronco

Good advice above. All I will add is practice, practice and more practice. It's a tough thing to learn and mine still look sloppy most of the time.

pizza

My Feedback: (24)

you can practice for the rest of your life and go nowhere or you can become an expert in 2 weeks - 90% of time we are moving the sticks then release or hold then release, look at airplane move a stick then release and start over - rolling harriers/circles and many other 3d manuvers require a continuous fluid movement of sticks in a set sequence that can be learned easily. each night for the next 2 weeks sit on your bed or at desk with your radio in hand turned off - think about what is necessary for a rolling circle to the left mode 2 - you will need rudder on knifedge reverse thru inverted add some down elevator reverse this as you transition to opposite rudder - hold in some left aileron steady and keep throttle at 1/2 - you are constantly moving the left stick (rudder) back and forth thru center while moving right stick (elev) up and down thru center simultaneos smooth and constant - do this with the lights off - if you look at sticks you will stop moving because your brain gets in the way. it is a bad idea to practice this with an airplane in the air - when you look at plane you will stop your smooth/constant stick movement or bail out when the airplane is flying toward you. the key is to teach your thumbs or fingers how to fly and keep your brain out of the way. your eyes/brain/reflexes cannot possibly proccess and keep up with all the stick angles that are required for a rolling harrier so stop using these for 3d. there are many times I become disoriented while rolling - I simply look away and my thumbs continue to move in a set sequence for a few rotations untill I can hook back up. when you teach your thumbs the routine movement you can focus on throttle and more or less elevator input at different angles to bend or stear the airplane around the field while rolling. every 3d crash I have seen involving pilot error is because they stopped moving the sticks and gave up. remember trust is a must - teach your thumbs to move continuously in a set pattern first then apply this to your flying. good luck ray

richardb9333

esc, your getting great advice im trying to master this rolling circle business with out any success,now im sitting in the dark at night with my transmitter in me hands if anyone was to see me i,d be locked up.I guess it comes down to practice mind over matter whatever.I have smashed several shockys and still am no further on, bought a simulator all in the name off rolling circle! im not giving up

richardb9333

ESC,hows it coming on,i have cracked it,the circles are wide and sometimes uneven but with plenty of practise i hope to be doing them indoors in a few weeks.thanks for the thread hope you got as much out of it as i have.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Try this:

richardb9333

cool diagram,did you sleep last night or spend you time in the inn drawing this ,thanks man every thing helps

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

hey ESC, check out the instructional recordings in G3 for the rolling circle. That'll help you a lot. It has the stick movements and Frank Noll describing the maneuver as he flys it.


50%

bluemagic98

Flight simulation and muscle memory I actually find it helpfull to set the throttle to a key assignment rather than the stick so when im moving the rudder im not messing up the throttle I practice it that way and when i get it down i reinstall the throttle control and keep practicing. I also find setting up the end points on my alierons to slow the roll rate some very helpfull I myself need to work a lot harder on these as im no good at them myself but these ideas have helped me out and my confidance in a down on the deck maneuver has improved greatly now all i need to do is keep the engine running lol