On a current thread there is debate about whether it is a good idea for a beginner to turn his shoulders towards the direction of the plane if they are having trouble keeping oriention correct (control reversal) . I thought it would be interesting to take a poll of what the majority of the RCU members think.

Please elaborate on your choice.



Thanks,


Wings

We are all different, and what might work for one person may not work for another. Basic rule of thumb: Anything that works is good.

I teach students several methods and let them pick what works for them.

I agree... You can try a lot of things.. Sometimes you never know
what will pull someone through their troubled times...
So if it works for you, what ever that may be..... GO FOR IT!!

Agree with what's been said. I really don't see that it would lead to bad habits; after all, you might use it for a while. but eventually you won't need it and you'll just stop doing it.

It's like telling someone to put the aileron stick "under the low wing to support it" when the plane is coming towards you. It's just a crutch to help until the mind/thumb connection comes together, and I doubt anyone that uses it will have a problem forgetting it once they don't need it.
Dennis-

I think the ideal is to actually imagine yourself in the cockpit. I have forced myself to do this during deadsticks and other emergencies and it is what has worked best for me.

The more I think about shifting your body to make orientation easy, the more I think it would be bad to rely on, especially if you had an emergency.

Hey, what every mental or physical tricks work for the pilot is fine by me. However, at some point I would expect plane control to come naturally, i.e. the pilot after practice will stop depending upon tricks like "turn in direction of plane travel." The only bad habit I can see forming here is if the pilot continues to use this trick when performing aerobatics (i.e. pilot does a few backflips and and dances around).

For the life of me, I can not imagine myself in the cockpit. My brain just doesn't work that way (some days I think I'm lucky it works at all!). The only way that I can imagine myself "In the cockpit" is to turn in the direction of the plane. That is how I was taught way back when, and THAT is what still works best for me (In the rare times when I need it).


You said yourself that you have had to FORCE yourself to use your method. In an emergency, what is better, forcing yourself to think, or turning your body?

As I said before, this is exactly why no method is bad. Imagining yourself in the cockpit works for YOU, therefore it is the best method for YOU. Telling someone that another method is wrong is like telling a left-handed person that throwing a ball with their right hand is a better way of doing it because that's how most people throw.

So I repeat - NO method that works is bad.

I tend not to let my students turn their body unless they have to. It doesn't take long to get them to fly it without doing it, and once they start doing it, it is hard to stop. I find it tends to not build a very good pilot when he is doing that.

Our company developed a flight training program for aspiring aerial target pilots. The intent of the program was to instill situational awarness. By this I mean, no matter in which direction the target was approaching the pilot we could safely control the airvehicle. We instructed the pilot to face the inbound aircraft. This attitude forced the pilot to place himself in the cockpit and fly through the manuvers. After repeated practise sessions the pilot remained in a stationary position with only slight neck movement to keep the target in visual contact.
This training sceranio came about only because a question arose from some of our customers. The pilots we hired were all experienced R/C pilots but no two had the same body language when flying. There body language triggered the question, which was, why do some of your pilots move about when others don't. We almost but not completely solved this situation bt adapting our training program.
The bottom line is, it should not matter how much you move about when flying your model but how safely you flly.

I did that when I was learning. I don't see a thing wrong with it. I'm surprised to see that this is such a debate. I thought everyone learning did this. I don't believe it teaches bad habits. I think I turned toward the plane for a week and after that, flying was more natural and I didn't have to do that. I would encourage anyone just learning to do what ever they think is safe and will save their plane. Looking cool is secondary.

I am teaching my father how to fly right now and it rocks. He says its the first thing I have ever taught him but I disagree. Anyway I am having him turn with the plane and have noticed that the better he gets the less he turns. I think as a pilot get used to flying and less things make them nervous they turn less and less. My roommate is now flying on his own and only turns with the plane when he is have some problems otherwise he doesn't turn. I think the turning of the shoulders isn't good or bad if it gets a pilot confident in there flying. As they get better they will find it to much work and will give it up on there own.

I just think that sometime you're going to have to learn to understand the plane. Turning with the plane is kind of cheating. I think it's easiest to just imagine you're in the plane.

I would suggest getting even a cheap simulator (FMA, RC Simulator, or fly MS Flight Sim from outside the plane using a game pad with joysticks) and practice there until it is no longer an issue.

Turning is free.....

Do these same "body turners" also fly with their tongue sticking out? How about breathing with their mouth open, all slack-jawed and full of wonder? "Yee-haw, Cletus, it's one o' them there aeroplanes. Look at her go!"

Lachlan

Yup, and then those famous words, "Hey bubba, check this out..."

I'd say, whatever works for you. Personally, the only time I look in the direction of the airplane is when do my preflight control wiggle (Stand behind the airplane and wiggle the sticks to make sure the control surfaces move in the right direction.)

I don't know, but I always turn away from the plane just after it hits the ground. ....Seriously though, when I was learning, I used the "place the stick under the low wing method. Eventually, I just didn't think about it and my thumbs were doing the right thing. Anyway you can learn is ok by me.

Somebody jump in here but 3 people said they did it when they started but now they don't. Doesn't that sort of blow the bad habit theory out of the water?

Never known anyone that did this, but it seems like a very bad idea. If the plane is coming at you, you would then turn to face the same direction the plane is heading???? You have just turned your back on the plane and cannot see it without straining to turn your head 180 degrees like an owl...OUCH!

Don't think I want to try it.

Sure would if it weren't for the fact that I've seen people who has long ago completed their "training", but were still doing it. I would not consider "3 people" to be proof that the bad habit does not develop.

I'm not sure some of you guys totally understand the concept here. We're not talking about doing a total 90 degree turn around on ever pass like a robot. Just now and then when your learning and get confuses to slightly turn in the direction of the plane untill you get you orientation correct.

From the Poll at this point it looks like its about split, a few more people recommend against it.

This kinda comment demonstrates pure ignorants in my opinion. This methed my not be for everyone but there is nothing wrong with it.

It if was funny I'd give you credit, but its not even funny, rather stupid comment. I do live in Kentucky and rather enjoy redneck jokes. But seriously man, that was lame.

I've been a member of my club about a year. I've never seen any experience pilots turning towards the plane.


Thanks for everyones inputs!


Wings

And with that...

Say goodnight Gracie