Hi, I am just learning to fly my nexstar on the sim. I have not flown the real thing yet but I was wondering when I should be using the rudder. I seem to be able to fly fine without ever using it. What an I missing? thanks, Nate

Nate your doing just fine. A trainer only needs a rudder for a few things. 1) To steer it on the ground. 2) To do cross wind landing. This is assuming of course your trainer has AILE. Some fly with three channels and turn with the rudder. When you start to buddy box you'll get a better feel. The SIM is a great tool, but is really to easy to fly.

Good Luck,
David

Put in a little cross wind and learn to use the rudder.

Try making some turns with rudder and no aileron onthe simulator. it will work, but not the same as with aileron. Practice doing this can help you save the airplane if you lose the ailerons (such as the servo comming unplugged in flight) or if something else makes the ailerons inadequate for control. (such as a mid-air taking part of a wing off.)

Eventually you will want to learn to coordinate use of rudder with ailerons for better aerobatics and smoother constant altitude turns.

When making a turn... you bank and apply elevator with rudder into the turn . (this is a proper "coordinated" turn) some planes need a bit of aileron held... some need no aileron durring theturn some need a bit of opposite aileron.

I understand that the sim will not take the place of an instructor but our field is still too wet to fly so the sim is all that I have right now. our club is going to be training on tuesday nights as soon as the field dries up. I hope that is soon, I cant stand seeing this plane just sitting here anymore!!

I would suggest if you are a total noob that you don't worry about the rudder for a little while. It isn't that important for just normal circuit flying. Some will tell you that it is needed for coordinated turns. While that is true, does it really matter if you dont use it??? Answer is no. If you dont worry about it while learning it will give you one less thing to worry about. The only time I really use rudder is during aerobatics.

I have found the most I use my rudder so far is for when I am on the ground. Doing stall turns, and when landing. It lets me get the plan a lot slower, and I can manuver without stalling. It makes landings much smoother.

I tell my students that the rudder is as important to learn as ailerons, maybe more so. BUT, not until they've learned to control the plane in the air.

I will teach them the proper use of rudder once they've grown more comfortable with the plane.
Dennis-

I'm with Dennis (And others) on this... While the rudder is an important tool, it is about the last thing I teach.

Don't feel that you have to be proficient with the rudder (on the sim) before you start to fly.

I agree, the rudder can wait. Unless you fly in a place with a lot of wind like where I fly. Being that there is almost always wind here that is constantly shifting the rudder is a must. But that would depend on your flying location. Also, I found that setting up the sim with crosswind with varying wind direction helped me to use learn how to use the elevator. Whats great about a trainer and the dihedral in the wings is that you can control the plane with the rudder. A few weeks ago I lost control of my airelon servo. No problem, I just used the rudder. Unfortunately that is only the case if the wing has dihedral.

If you want to greatly improve your learning curve, allowing you to fly the hottest planes, then I strongly advice you to start learning rudder control imput NOW! Flying is much more than simply controlling the plane in the air.
Once you encounter crosswinds, short fields, and heavy wing loaded airplanes you will be suprises at how well this rudder thing is. Remember the old addage, if its worth doing its worth doing well. Learn the rudder and you will be in an elite class of pilots. There won't be anything you can't fly. Good luck.

thanks for all of the input guys, this is a great site. Nate