Just getting started andI really feel more comfortable using my thumb and finger on the sticks. Instructors (happen to have 2 available to me) say its to hard to find neutral this way. Whats the verdict, do any good fliers use the finger and thumb method or am I just different?

Ronnie

Ronnie,

I fly both ways. I started out using just my thumbs but found that I could be more precise with the thumb and finger method

As an instructor, I have been asked that question and I always tell students, let's try both and whatever is more comfortable for you is what I want you to do, so I'll tell you the exact same thing, do whatever feels best for you

My instructor uses thumb and first finger on both sticks. He wants me to do the same (says it gives better control) but I can't get used to it. I prefer just the thumb myself.

I naturally started out with thumbs only, and the someone told me all the advanced pilots use the thumb and forefinger, so of course I switched to that. At first it was really akward feeling, but now I can't go back to thumbs.

Instructors usually teach the same way that they fly. But they should let you fly with what you feel comfortable with. I myself use the thumbs only, but I have had 2 students that preferred 2 fingers so I let them fly that way. Just ask them to let you fly with what you feel comfortable with. But..... (isn't there always a but????) only as long as it doesn't interfer with your training. If you are having trouble finding neutral, or any other problems, let them train you their way. If it's not causing problems with your flying then use 2 fingers

Hope this helps

Ken

Funny,I just walked in from flying and me and my buddy were having this discussion while putting the planes away.He flys with his thumb and index finger on the stick.He is a pretty good pilot and has no trouble with it.I use thumbs only.I guess its however you feel the most comfortable with.

Speaking as someone that switches methods I found that since I started out with thumbs only it was hard to switch to the "pinch" method. I found out by switching that I had more precise control but it took a while. For competition I fly pinch and for everyday sport flying I use my thumbs. I do use a tray when I fly pinch so I do not have to hold the TX and can rest my wrists on the sides of the tray.

And not to start an argument, not all the top pilots fly the pinch method, Chip Hyde uses his thumbs as does QQ, Bill Hempel, Jason Shulman switches and quite a few others fly thumbs. I've spoken to all of them at different times on this subject and they all agree to fly the way you feel comfortable.

I also have found that teaching someone who flies the pinch method does take a bit longer as they usually have a harder time finding a good position for their wrists until I give them a spare transmitter tray I have then it becomes a bit easier since they are not holding onto the radio any longer. Most end up buying/making a tray and for me using a tray while flying thumbs is next to impossible

I tend to over research everything & wanted to know what all the pro pilots are using & it seems to be pretty evenly mixed between thumbs & pinching. I think there was even a poll thread here on RCU about it.

I pretty much fly 3D with the sticks going crazy & for me I found that I could be a little more precise around center by pinching the sticks but it was more difficult to quickly go from one full extreme of the sticks to the other and it always felt awkward to me. Probably from my years of wasted time playing video games using thumbs just seemed more natural. I am from the nintendo generation you know.

Whenever I see a very good pilot I still tend to look to see if they're using thumbs only & I have seen extremely good & precise pilots fly both, so it's probably more of a comfort thing & with enough practice you can get just as good either way.

good luck

I crashed a plane trying to learn to fly thumbs.

G'day Mate, I fly thumbs, others in our club fly pinch, as long as they have at least a neck strap on so they don't have to hold the TX, all is well, use whatever method suits YOU.
I do find that when I'm trying to fly precision aerobatics, a neck strap takes away the fear of dropping the TX, & a lot of my students have had great success using a neck strap, In Australia we mostly fly mode 1.
Good flyin Mate.
Allan.

The instructors at my club seem to encourage using the pinch method, and use these two arguments: One, you're less likely to have your finger slip off the control, and two, some of those sticks have ends that can really beat up your thumbs over time. Personally, thumbs feels more natural for me, but I've been trying to use pinch. Course, I often find myself using thumbs too .

Use whatever you like, thumbs, fingers, whole fist. It doesn't matter. Heard all the arguments of one over the other... all are total bunk. Similar to the radio tray or no tray argument. It is totally personal preference. Tell Chip Hyde he's not an advanced pilot (he flys thumbs.) Many others at that caliber also fly thumbs... then again, many also fly pinch. You will find a lot of strong personal preferences from pilot to pilot, and reasons why they fly a certain way or a reason why they switched. In the end, it all comes back to what you like, no need to justify it any more than that.

I surmise this is more than likely a troll, but nevertheless;

Whilst it's most common for the majority of people to fly more than competently using thumbs only, and which is certainly the more natural whilst simultaneously supporting the transmitter with the hands, that's plainly just a nonsense which belongs in the same bin as the "can't fly mode 2 without inducing PIOs or inducing cross control interference" and other mindlessly repropogated mythology. Find a good instructor. How the stud wants to learn to manipulate the control inputs is up to him. Whilst the two conventionally accepted methods are thumbs or fingers and thumbs, he, or she, could use his toes for all I care as long as he could demonsttrate to me that he could do so (a) safely and (b) competently.

I use my elbows. It's a little tricky to get used to, but it makes it easy to cover your eyes when you're landing.

ROFLMAO MINN!!

I use both... And I think instructors should allow you to use what makes you feel
more comfortable..... That said... MinnFlyer... Great idea....

I most the time use the pinch down low..... And we all know what happens at times
when we're "low and slow".... Till now I never had a way to hide my eyes after one
of those.... But thanks to Minn.... I can switch to the elbow method, and tell all,
"I'm just working out what I did wrong, I'll get back to Ya"

I watched a very good pilot fly one day & noticed that he was using the pinch method so I asked him if that was for more control & if I should be doing that too. He told me it was just what felt natural to him when he first started learning how to fly so he stuck with it. I tried it but thumbs only feel more natural to me, so that was the end of it. I never gave it another thought. I do think your Instructor should let you do what feels more comfortable to you. I think if I were forced to learn using the pinch method I would have had a really hard time learning to fly(yes even harder than it allready was for me) So I agree with Ken, unless it is causing a specific problem with your training, I say use whatever feels right for you. Good luck.

You mean you have yours open for take-off?!!!!! [sm=spinnyeyes.gif][sm=eek.gif]

Not to confuse anyone, but I have always flown with thumbs. When I started flying helis, I found it was better to pinch than thumb the sticks (I used a neckstrap). To this day, when I fly helis, I pinch. When I fly planes, I thumb. And when I cover my eyes, I use my hands.

Hmmmm don't you just use your left hand to cover your eyes? After throttling up for takeoff you don't need to use that left stick for anything do you?

Mr. Sigrun, You surmise wrong ol' buddy!

To rest of you fellas, I went out today any flew better than I have on any of my 5-6 previous lessons because I tried the pinch method. I just don't feel in control with thumbs only. The instructor said if that was the way I liked it, to go ahead and do it that way, but he preferred thumbs only. So I think I'll get me a neck strap if thats what ya call it for my radio.


By the way Mr. Sigrun, I own a Komatsu excavator and I only use my thumb and a coupla fingers to run it also.


Ronnie-The Toolman
Lake of The Ozarks
Warsaw, Missouri

Member of the Warsaw RC Club

You should see me when fly with my feet!![X(]

How did you fly today with the pinch method if you dont already have a neck strap?...Rog

This is Ford Vs Chevy...

I use both methods. For stick bangin' I use thumbs, I feel it's easier and faster to go from one side of the stick travel to the other side and it's easier to precissely stop a fast rolling motion.

On the other hand, for precision (like when landing) I use the "pinch" since I can't really make small stick movements with thumbs, most of the time because of the shakes

Actually I didn't know I did such a thing, a friend brought it to my attention when he asked "why do you keep switching fingers?" or something like that, that's when I started noticing how and when I used each method.

I learned using thumbs only tho...

Joseph

I am a thumber on planes and fingertips on Helicopters. The best of both worlds I guess