dirtdr

I learned to fly r/c airplanes about 20 years ago. The fellow who instructed me was very helpful and had many anacdotes and words of wisdom when I started (I was 14 he was ??? (seemed 100 then!).

One thing that has stayed with me from day one, is he told me when the plane is flying towards me to "push" the low wing up to keep it level. I'm sure some of you have heard this too, the wing on the right side is low, so you push the stick to the right.

I find myself saying phrase this to myself even when I am down on the deck 3-ding.

So my question for all you 3d experts here is- Is there a simple way to remember which way to steer with the rudder when you are inverted (harrier or otherwise)????? My method is still to push the stick one way and see which way it goes...... In theory I have a 50/50 chance of going the right way, but it seems in practice, I am not getting those odds...

shleprock

A great pilot in our club once told me, when upright, move the stick (rudder) in the direction you want the nose to move. When inverted, move the stick in the direction you want the tail to move. This tip has helped me to remember when inverted. Hope that helps.

flygilmore

Practice on a plane that will do them well first of all.....for me, I learned them on a Mojo, Burrito and Primo. Inverted harriers become just like anything else when you have mastered them, you don't have to "think" about the inputs, you just do them as it is burned into your soul. I have worn the covering off more than one rudder top from inverted harrier 8's dragging in the grass! Burn lots of fuel, thats how you'll remember!!

bilboa

My trick for remembering which way to move the rudder stick is:

When the plane is upright, the rudder stick controls the end of the plane that's farthest from me.
When the plane is inverted, the rudder stick controls the end of the plane that's closest to me.

So when upright, when the plane is flying away from me I think of the rudder stick as controlling the nose, and when the plane is flying toward me I think of it as controlling the tail.

And when inverted, when the plane is flying away from me I think of the rudder stick as controlling the tail, and when the plane is flying toward me I think of it as controlling the nose.

When doing harrier turns, you usually need to hold aileron input opposite to the rudder input. One tricky thing to get used to is that when upright, this means you move the aileron stick in the opposite direction to the rudder stick, but when inverted you move the aileron stick in the same direction as the rudder stick.

Daniel Z

Also, when you enter the inverted harrier to fly it in a straight line, automaticaly add a bit of left rudder (right when inverted) or you will fly in a circle to the left... why? because when you are inverted right thrust is LEFT thrust making torque worse, think about it, all planes I have flown do the same.

bilboa

This is true, though I have one technical nitpick. It's not torque that's causing the plane to yaw, it's [link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-factor]P-factor[/link]. Torque will cause the plane to roll, and would need to be counteracted with aileron input. P-factor occurs when you're flying at a high angle of attack and causes the plane to yaw. This is what you're counteracting with the rudder when flying a harrier.

Daniel Z

Yep, p-Factor is much more accurate, thanks

jimmyjames213

My Feedback: (2)

i use your logic, push it one way....if thats the right way great if not i push it the other way. just fly around the field inverted (not in a harrier) and get used to the rudder correction, after an hour or so you dont have to guess anymore