I have made a few posts on this site with good results. Here goes another. How can one PRACTICE
using rudder? It seems that whenever I try to use rudder on my trainer (tower 40) I have to make corrections
QUICK ! The plane seems to want to roll over and I need to apply ailerons to correct. My instructor says
that I should use more rudder when landing to turn the plane (line-up) with runway but I can't seem to make
the plane "behave" except with mostly ailerons. Is there some in flight rudder "practice" I could try. The
practice I have tried only involded using rudder and compensating with ailerons. I thought that the rudder
turns the plane on only one axis but my plane likes to roll over with rudder. I know i'm missing something
here, and I think I could land better if I could master this rudder question. What do YOU think?

Your rudder linkages may be set up too sensitive... Try moving the clevice to a hole further from the hinge, or moving the connection at the servo closer to the output arm retaining screw.

Trainers have "roll-yaw coupling." When you give rudder input, they will roll in the direction of the rudder input, almost as if you used the ailerons. (sometimes quicker than the ailerons...) This is primarlly due to the dihedral of the wing.

The only way to get used to using the rudder is to fly and purposefully make turns avoiding use of the ailerons.

Its a good thing to practice, as you may find that the aileron servo accidentally comes unplugged in flight smoe day. Knowing how to fly using the rudder can save the plane. I've seen a plane landed safely with both ailerons just flapping freely (both clevices popped free... Note: reduce power to make the ailerons quit fluttering if this happens.) I've landed a plane after a mid-air collision which ripped an aileron loose (clipped 6 inches off the wing too...) and disabled the other aileron.

Try to keep in the habit of using rudder too. It's hard to break bad flying habits once you've got them.

Mike

As FHHuber explained, Rudder input provides roll control in any airplane with much dihedral effect. Regardless which control surface is used, a proper turn always involves banking the airplane. Use of ailerons to bank the airplane is the right way to make a turn whenever it is in flight, even when landing. For small corrections use a slight bank. If an aircraft has ailerons, the only need for rudder control is in aerobatic flight involving sideslips and for taxi. (For the purest, "slight" use of rudder when ailerons are applied to counteract adverse yaw is theoretically required, but since there is no way to feel the yaw from the ground, most simply ignore it).

Yes, rudder can be used in an emergency to fly the airplane. Many airplanes are designed to fly with rudder as the only roll control and they can do a remarkable range of aerobatic maneuvers even without ailerons. But if ailerons are installed, controling the plane with rudder only dosen't make much sense.

I'm really glad you are interested in using rudder control in your flying. It shows you are interested in the details of aviation - I predict you will become an excellent pilot. Flying while ignoring rudder (I used it for taxi, take-off and roll-out only) is really restricting you to three out of four controls to flight - a reduction of 25% of your flight capablilities.

I learned to fly predominantly with aileron - bad mistake. I was having problems with landings by inducing stalls at low altitude and dinged up many a wingtip on short final. Finally I got disgusted and vowed to change my habits and made a concerted effort one summer to do it through practice and concentration. It became a "challenge" to learn something new about model flying.

First I studied the principles of flight to learn what each of the control surfaces do and how they affect flight. Basic knowledge goes a long way. Aviation flight manuals will help here. I learned a lot through full scale flying lessons.

Then I made it a conscious effort to use rudder on every turn trying to make it as realistic of full scale flight as possible. I'd practice applying a little rudder with aileron at a safe altitude and with time I began to "see" when there was adverse yaw and when the turn was controlled. It took practice but with time and persistence it became natural. I viewed it as a challenge on each flight - a flight mission so as to speak.

Also I practiced at safe altitude slips and cross controlling. My J-3 Cub was great for this. On a clalm day I'd throttle back, feed in some rudder and a little opposite aileron and keep the airspeed up with a little forward elevator (to avoid a stall/spin). If the plane got into a bad attitude, I'd neutralize everything and trottle up, come around and try again. The plane would be descending at a slow speed and flying at a crab and when it got too low, I'd recover and go around. By doing it a little at a time, it became comfortable. Eventually I was able to do this all the way to landing - called a slip to landing. Eventually on a steady cross wind day, I'd do the same thing (rudder with the wind and aileron into the wind) and learned to to cross wind landings.

Aslo with landing I found that using rudder with aileron on final made for co-ordinated flight and a lot less botched landings. I'd just concentrate on rudder (left hand) on final, but not ignoring ailerons, elevator and trottle.

All in all, it made for a challenging and fun filled summer where I was learning something new, had a goal and became a better pilot.

Good Luck

Roodester