Hi folks:
Quick question about coupling rudder and ailerons with a "y" harness. I was watching an instructional video just now, and the instructor suggested doing this to help prevent yaw. Has anyone done this, and how does it affect take-offs. This particular instructor said the effect on take-offs was negligible. Is this correct? Thanks in advance for all your input.
Norm

I have it on my planes. But!! I have a computer radio and I mix in 25% rudder. Keeps the old tail from dragging. I am not good with the rudder so I cheat a little. I can't tell any difference on take offs because I probably am not using ailerons unless there is a cross-wind.

I have never hard of this being done via a "Y" harness, but technically I suppose you could, but it is much more common and more flexible to mix these surfaces via the transmiter. The problem with using the "Y" is that yopu would not have rudder control anymore on the transmitter since you are basically plugging the rudder into your aileron channel. I'd strongly suggest running this mix via the transmitter. I assume by "prevent yaw" you saw ont he tape they said "prevent ADVERSE yaw?" Adverse yaw is the tendency for ailerons to cause a yaw in the opposite direction of the roll, which causes the plane to slip thru turns.

I have done this, it really doesn't effect takeoffs unless the mix has a large volume, and if anything, it improves the aileron only charasteristcs of the plane when set correctly. You can also of course just fly coordinated, i.e., put rudder in when you need it.

I’ve heard of that before, the thing is that doing so will eliminate the possibility of giving rudder in the opposite direction of ailerons which is very useful when landing in cross winds conditions and a must for a knife edge (just to name some examples). As smartly have been said before by other posters, you would want to use a computer radio and program the mix, use it when needed (Turn on and off as you want).
Good luck!!

Hummm I can't do a knifedge with my rubber powered plane.

If you have a computer radio then use a mix and put it on a switch.

BUT if you don't then use the Y lead. I taught soemone who had only one working arm to fly and although he had a three axis stick he found reacting to takeoff wobbles a problem with the know on the end of the stick. As his tranny was non computer I set up a Y lead to link rudder to aileron. CHECK VERY CAREFULLY THAT BOTH GIVE THE SAME TURN INPUT. I.E. BOTH GO LEFT. Set the rudder linkage to give a small amount of rudder and the nosewheel steer to normal.

As an aside my ex pupil with one working arm is currently building a 4 engined B 17 from scratch. Anyone want to try one handed fuselage planking?

Many of us just do not appreciate what we have as we are "standards". When I hear something like that I just think on how many brains are in wrong bodies.

I've got to ask.....since this is the beginners forum...what are you flying that you need to mix rudder with aileron?.....If it is a simple matter of making better turns then practice flying with your thumbs.....if you are a beginner you will be a better pilot in the long run for not using a mix like this...another good practice for rudder and aileron is a flat turn..start with rudder then use opposite aileron to keep the wings level

Don't use a "Y", use your thumb. The "Y" causes more problems than it cures.

The big problem with the "Y" harness is that it will cause too much rudder deflection. You really don't need much to coordinate turns on most aircraft.

jetmech05
I am flying a Nexstar trainer, I am a beginner, thus the forum choice, and the video I am referring to is a beginners video called "one week to solo" from 1st u.s. r/c flight school out of Wisconsin by Dave Scott. In that video, he mentions coupling ailerons with rudder in his trainer airplane. That is the reason I put this question forth in this particular forum. Have a pleasant day.
Norm

Rudder is used in turns most often with airplanes whose layout causes adverse yaw from aileron deflection. Not all planes do it, and the ones that do don't all do it a lot. There are two best solutions for it.

Best of all is to learn to fly each airplane with whatever stick(s) input it takes to make the airplane do what you want. In your case, learn to move the rudder however much helps cancel out the adverse yaw. The beauty of learning to do that is that it will teach you how to steer with the rudder, something that is VERY useful when near the ground, like during landings and takeoffs.

Second best of all is to rig your ailerons on the airplane to deflect with differential. That gets rid of the adverse yaw. Full scale airplanes have aileron differential quite often.

You actually couple rudder to ailerons when you have an adverse yaw problem. And you do that with the radio. Or with a radio that can do mixing.

Find another instructor. [sm=72_72.gif]

no need to couple rudder and ailerons on a Nexstar...I've taught more than 1 student on that airplane....I've never met anyone that went to that school with no flight time and learned to fly...I did see a guy go to a school, perhaps that one, but he had been flying for a while..he came back and solo'd....
the biggest thing you are learning right now is muscle memory..how much throw equals this much aircraft movement....and teaching your eyes to see the aircraft (everyone has a point in the pattern that can disorentate them)....
hang in there I'm sure you're learning at the proper rate..after all you ask this question....
if you don't couple rudder and aileron you will be a better pilot because you're using your thumbs.....
Hang in there..easier isn't always better...nothing worthwhile is ever easy...
Good Flyin

Hi!
Don't do it! I have been teaching newcomers
for more than 30 years and can assure you that never ever couple rudder to aileron!! Use just aileron and elevator! Simple as that!

It is better to learn to fly both sticks BUT the workload for beginners is high esp. on take off coupling rudder and ailerons to allow the novice to use the same stick to stear and correct a low wing is OK IMHO.

use your sticks to control the plane coupling rudder with the ailerons is unnecessary,as for the Nextar rudder for take off roll and ailerons for 90% of the flying its a easy flyer and doesn't need that sort of coupling.
learn how to fly first.

I have seen the coupling info on the 1st u.s. r/c flight school web site.

I have neurological issues that make it virtually impossible for me to use the rudder. Because of this, for safety reasons, I will always be flying on the end of a trainer cord.

My 'buddy box' is a 6 channel computer radio. Since it can do aileron/rudder mixing I decided to experiment with it. I set the mix at 100% to replicate the 'Y' situation.

My modified PT-60 (tail dragger, no dihedral) flew almost the same with or without the mix. It actually did better rolls with the mix. If I held aileron too long, or banked too steeply, getting into a turn it would push the nose down. My Big Stik and Uproar do not like the 100% mix. The Stik makes coordinated turns with 5 or 10% and the Uproar does fine with zero.

My transmitter doesn't have the ability to put the mix on a switch. It's always on or always off. The mix works against you when flying inverted. Maybe inverted flight is not something beginners are doing the first day or two, but we all try it sooner or later.

I disabled the mix after a few flying sessions. It is fun, and OK, to try different things.

Perhaps, perhaps not. In designs from long ago, there was a type of model known as "Class II" which was controlled by rudder, elevator and throttle. On these type of airplanes, right rudder would make the airplane turn to the right even when inverted (with the rudder hanging to the left side). This was due to the effects of the rudder yawing the airplane to the left, but the dihedral effect rolling it to the right.

I will admit that I did not try the mix on every model ever designed. I tried it on three planes and drew a conclusion based on the fact that all of them acted the same, so, my blanket statement is flawed.

Aileron/rudder mixing MAY work against you while flying inverted.

I prefer to keep the rudder independent. A mix that's correct for low speed flight is wrong for high speed and really wrong for inverted. Also, when I make a coordinated turn, the ailerons and rudder don't always get used at the same time. I tend to use ailerons alone to establish a bank and then fly through the turn using rudder and elevator with ailerons neutral and then use ailerons to roll level after the end of the turn. Also, a steep banking turn (nearly 90 degrees) needs almost no rudder while a scale like 30 degree banking turn needs lots of rudder to look right.

Here's a new concept! [sm=drowning.gif]