RickP, I think I am also going to try a tray. I still havn't totaly switched to TFF. I am doing all my sim flying with TFF but only 25% of field flying with TFF. I guess 15 years of TO will take a little time to erase. Let me know how the tray works out.
Later David

I fly thumbs. No tray. Thumbs lends itself to people who don't use trays. If I had a tray (or liked trays for that matter) I would try finger and thumb. It is all based on what you are used to. You have to remember, if you lengthen your sticks, you are in a way lengthening the distance you have to move the stick for a given control surface. I fly with thumbs and the sticks adjusted to the shortest length possible. I find that fingers and thumbes causes you to have to move your whole hand along with the stick because you cant get the same range of motion that you can from just thumbs. Moving my whole hand with each stick causes an uncomfortable hovering of the hands above the transmitter. It just makes my arms tired after a while. Also, like a previous fellow said, I need my index fingers for swtiches and the like.

Thumbs all the way!

Baretta92

I like flying both my helis and airplanes with thumb only so I have the rest for the switches and sliders on my JR. I also use a neckstrap for more support and as insurance I dont drop the radio. I tried the other grip a while ago and it felt weird how I had both of my hands positioned above the radio. After a while my arms would get tired. If I am doing a snappy maneouver or jumping in on a torkroll thats about to fall out, I prefer thumb grip because it allows me to respond quicker than the thumb and finger grip. I dont know why, to me it just feels good.

3D-kid330

I take off with fly with my fingers. I switch to thumb mode only when activating switches such as Flaperons or air-brakes or mixes. I usually find myself flying with my thumbs just before final as I am then playing with up to 3 switches. I do find for my self that Finger flying is quite more accurate.
Cheers
Don

THUMBS

When i started i was a TO only person. Not long ago i decided i wanted to learn to fly a heli. I tried it with TO and found that i was jerky and before i knew it i was flying it TFF. It felt much smoother to me and even more precise, as i could make more subtle movements. Since then when i fly my airplanes i am TFF and no matter how hard i try to go TO i cannot seem to. I agree on the tray thing though, it seems having two less fingers to hold the TX and flip switches that i need a tray....i have to think more when i am about to flip a switch as to what finger i will do it with. I just have not gone out and gotten a tray yet, but it is on the list.

Before you get the tray, try this... make your neckstrap as short as you can and still get it over your head. Get the transmitter up around your breastbone. When it's up that high you can rest your hands on the sides and it will be stable. Your ring fingers and pinkies will be free to work switches, you will not need them to stabilize the radio like you do when it's down low. It also helps to make your sticks as long as you can when you do this.

I fly thumbs only and have for years. People tell me I should switch because the "right" way is thumbs and finger. I always pull out my radio and point out the shrarp teeth on the ends of the sticks. That is what they are there for ... thumb flying. I also point out that when some pilots crash, they say they went "dumb thumb". Well, if the "right" way is finger and thumb then where did this very old "dumb thumb" term come from.

Honesty, whatever feels right for YOU is what you should be doing.

Rick

im new to flying..ive always used thumbs only on cars but not too long ago noticed the tumbs and fingers method at my local field, needless to say ive switched already on the realflight sim and i like it a lot more, especially during 3d and with any aerobatic plane

i keep my middle finger on the top side of the Tx right above the sticks, i found it was easier for me to move my index finger more freely this way

by the way wish me luck, between tomorrow (thurs) and this weekend ill be making my first flight!

dan

Neck strap and pinch the sticks. The pinch method is more accurate and results in smoother transitions with better control. Short sticks are quicker. IMO Joe

I was searching for a company where I could get a good TXtray and ran across you using a tray. Where
can you purchase them? I called Tower Hobbies but they discontinue them.

Thanks

Ive been flying thumbs for 15 years so thats what i learned on. I have tried pinch method because i think it would add more control on the sides where you would be holding the transmittersometimes i notice my thumbs binding (like rolling harriers left then right switch) but i cant seem to get comfortable in the pinch method. I end up adding too much stick for precise manuvers and hovering.. I just need more practice in pinch method

I am fingers and neck strap. I see a lot of top pilots with no strap and thumbs.

I'm a pincher! I've tryed flying thumbs but it just feels so hard like my fingers are about to slip off the sticks.

If it seems hard for you to change over, imagine this: I flew Mode 1 for about twenty five years. I always used a tray and have also been a finger/thumb pilot. About two years ago I changed over to Mode 2 and ditched the tray. Had no problems flying fixed wings but helicopters were a different issue. I never got as good as I was in Mode 1. So, finally I gave up helicopters and now fly airplanes only. I don't even think about Mode 1 anymore. But my finger/thumb style remained and that's one thing I am not going to change.

FWIW...

I believe Quique is a TO (thumbs only) flier...It's hard to argue with success but actually it more depends on piloting skills than on which finger is on the trigger...

I almost forgot about this post. I started it a long time ago. Since then I have given up trying to finger and thumb fly. Well almost. If I am flying a plane with fast ailerons I will pinch the right stick for rolling circles. It seems I can keep the roll rate more constant. Other than that I am thumb only with a neck strap.
I still believe the pinch method is more precise. However 90% of my flying is 3D and/or Fun fly type. I just can't move the stick fast enough using the pinch. I have talked to some great flyers about hoew they do it. One of them told me his planes are so sensitive a thumb flyer would have trouble. He only moves his sticks about half way through the travel. This limited movement makes up for some of the speed.

David

Toes