What's the preferred method of holding the transmitter levers? Thumb on top or grasp with the fingers? It seems natural to use the thumbs method but I have heard it's best to grasp the lever in your fingers. Opinions?

which ever is more comfy for you......

there is NO correct way......

Exeter is 100% correct, whichever you prefer. I actually teach both methods to my students and let them decide which they prefer.

Ken

Thanks fellows

just remember if you use just thumbs, stay out on the tip of your thumb. not so far out that you cant move the stick comfortably fore and aft. not so far in that when you relax you give a bit of up elevator. kinda like shooting, trigger goes on the meat of your finger not in the first bend of your finger/
I'm a thumb flyer myself

Most of the top class smooth pattern flyers fly grasping with finger and thumb. If you had aspirations in that area I would advise you to get a transmitter tray [ at least get a neck strap ] adjust your TX sticks to be as long as possible and go with that option. As an instructor I go with whatever my pupil is most comfortable with.

I learned to fly thumbs a looong time ago and did try the tray and holding the stick but I think that as I am a 3D/combat/pylon flyer I must feel that thumbs gives me the ability to go for more rapid stick movements.

go with whatever feel natural to you.there is no set standard

Along with this is location of the transmitter. That photo above is not bad. I like mine to be in a comfortable area and I try and show new guys the same way which to me is around the waist line. I see many pilots that in my opinon could be better flyers by being more relaxed if the tx was anywhere else but up by their chins.

I am a "thumber" on airplanes but "fingertips" for Helis

Thanks Cyclic. I too kind of like the looks of the tray. It might help my flying if I weren't holding the transmitter without so much as a strap and using my thumbs. There have been times when I got nervous and my thumbs were shaking (:-)

Regards

While I think there are more people in pattern using the thumb and finger method than outside of pattern, there are still a lot of successfull pattern pilots using just thumbs.

Im a thumb user myself and feel comfy with it.

I have seen many radios of new models and old models, some radios gimbals have a little needle kinda stick in the center of the gimbal head, some gimbals have round heads. Does it mean that those which have round head are supposed to be used by hand grasping thumb & forefinger and vice versa should be with thumbs?

Mody

The key is to use what ever you feel comfortable with, and feel that you have the best control. I use the pinch method, I can't seem to get the hang of just using my thumbs. I also keep the stick length kind of long at first. Once I get used to a model, I shorten them to half or less of their adjustment. Like a non - computerized exponential.

Hey thats a good size Avatar ya got their, did they increase the size limits here? Anyways, I also been using the tray for years. Much more relaxing posture

what ever feels the best to you! Just remember, when you use a tray & fingers/thumb, it's hard to use body english when you get to flying wild n wooly. When I get carried away a bit, i might find the transmitter upside down, or the antenna stuck into the ground, etc, when i come back to reality! The plane flies lots better when you can get the good body/transmitter english effect!!!![:@]

Bruce

My hands shake so much, I started useing the " grasp " method and seem to do better, now if I can just solo !!