Hi - see that the 2.4Ghz remotes say either mode one or mode 2. what does this mean?

Mode 2 is what is typically used in the US, (Elevator and aileron on right stick, throttle and rudder on the left). Not sure what changes with Mode 1.
Curtis

Its the same as any other transmitter, their are four different modes. Mode 2 is the "common" and most popular here in the US. Throttle and rudder on the left stick, elevator and aileron on the right stick. Here is the explanation for mode 1. http://rcsource.hobbypeople.net/faqs/radmode.htm

Mode One: Throttle/Aileron on the right stick, Elevator/Rudder on the left.

see diagram

Ken

Why do people use different modes when mode 2 is the closest to flying the real thing? The ailerons and elevator coupled to the same control lever with the rudder at the feet? I would crash a different mode aircraft in no time, if I could even take off!

There's a school of thought that by separating the aileron and elevator you don't accidently cross control while doing precison manuvers.

Lots of europeans fly that way. I couldn't do it but it's all in what you're used to.

So, what your saying is: Holding a small box in your hands that has small toggles, levers and switches sticking out of it, at various locations, can only be like flying a real airplane if the toggles, levers and switches are arranged in one particular way, then?

I fly Mode One! I fly Mode One, because that's the way the guys who taught me to fly, flew. They flew this way because when they transitioned from reed transmitters to digital proportional transmitters (the current type of radio) this was the easiest configuration for them to fly with. Reed transmitters used toggle switches to control the signal sent to the airplane. The toggle switches were spring loaded left/right or up/down center off switches. If the reed transmitter had eight channels, it could have 4 switches, one for Aileron, one for Elevator, one for Rudder and one for Throttle. The switches produced an all or nothing movement at the airplane. Full up, neutral; or, full down, for the elevator. To get a smooth-gentle turn the thumbs had to blip the switches on and off quickly. So, to be able to use the elevator and ailerons simultaneously, the flyer needed be able blip two switches at the same time, use both thumbs to get the job done. Hence the separation of the Aileron and Elevator in Mode One.

Being a Mode One flyer, I feel that this mode has much to offer. It has fallen out of favor over the last 30 years here in the US Soon all of the last Mode One flyers will be dead! Then there will only be you Mode Two flyers left. Then, you can all go home to your nice little houses made of Ticky Tacky and you’ll all be just the same! (Thanks Pete!) Seriously; however, the current worlds best R/C Pilot flys Mode One, so it is a viable option!

I've never seen a full-scale airplane that is controlled by two tiny sticks.

I guess I should clarify for you. A control stick in the vast majority of real aircraft controls the elevator and ailerons. Mode 2 and 3, one stick controls the elevator and ailerons. Do you see the similarity now?[sm=75_75.gif]

Mike, your right, Mode One, Two, Three, Four and Single Stick are not close to flying the real thing! They are, however, closest to flying R/C airplanes and that is why I use one of them. I've also found the only thing closest to flying the real thing, IS flying the real thing! I only flew one time with a joystick and found it to be very similar to flying a real airplane with a joystick. The rest of the time I flew one with a yoke. I was never in the right seat, so I got used to using the yoke to control aileron and elevator with my left hand and thottle and mixture with my right. What was really unique (and completely unlike R/C airplanes) is that with both the joystick and the yoke, you actually had to control the rudder with your feet! Another interesting aspect that is different then flying R/C, is that in the real airplane, I spent most of my time looking down. However with R//C airplanes I find I spend most of my time looking up!

These are casual observations, of the differences between flying R/C models and real aircraft.

Now, when I fire up my G-3.5 RealFlight Simulator, switch to "cockpit view" and fly my airplanes with the little box with the tiny sticks, I find flying them with a Mode One set-up is exactly like flying a real airplane! I will absolutly garrentee you that if you do the same thing with your Ticky Tacky Mode Two flyin' box, it will be just like flyng a real airplane with a Mode Two set-up!!

Brett65, sorry, I just had too much fun with this tale; or, is that Tail?!?

Actually Brett65, after the lengthy explaination I gave you about why there is a Mode One, I have no idea why you felt you needed to clarify anything for me! If you knew about this subject, you would know that the reality is, "the vast majority of REAL AIRCRAFT" do not have control sticks, they have yokes!

Also, flying R/C is not like flying real airplanes, it's only like flying R/C. If you think it will be easier for you to learn, using a Mode Two transmitter, I urge you to follow this quest. If you ARE flying with a Mode Two transmitter, please enjoy how much you think it replicates the controls of a real live airplane (your words, not mine).

Mode 1 = time to build

Mode 2 = time to repair

A yoke is a control stick with two grips, not a r/c control stick, and I never implied there was a 9c mounted in the instrument panel of an aircraft. I was simply referring the the combination of the control surfaces (elevator and aileron) on the control device. Whether I call it a yoke, control stick, joy stick, or stick grip doesn't make my point any more or less valid. I don't care about what mode people fly, I was simply inquiring as to why the others were developed and used originally.

Ok guys, let's back down the conversation a bit. There's no need to get your hackles up over this.

A lot of what determines which mode is used is where you live. In Australia a lot of pilots fly Mode 1, simply because that's what everybody else does. That doesn't make them right and that doesn't make them wrong. It's a lot like the British driving on the other side of the road than we do. It's just the way that they do it. Same thing with radio modes.

Ken

Yep... I fly mode 1 and do so without constant crashes.. so do the other 230 people in the club I'm in so either Aussies have smarter thumbs than americans or it's just as easy to fly either mode, depending on what you're originally taught. I even edited Realflight's .ini file so the little on-screen radio shows up in mode 1.

I know when I was in the US it took me ages to learn to drive on the "wrong" side of the road and even walking across the road was flirting with disaster as I kept looking the wrong way for oncoming traffic, yet millions of americans seem to do it with no more than the usual number of accidents. It was a bit of a culture shock the first time I got in the "driver's" side of an american car though, only to find a glove box instead of a steering wheel there. Doesn't matter how often you see it on TV, it's not real till you see it in real life.

No hackles were up for me, I only thought I was explaining my side of the discussion.

Many years ago when I was working at Marshal Space Flight Center there was an extensive study to determine which were the best controls for the Lunar Module. It was set up essentially in mode 1 or mode 2. Everyone participated in trying it in a small simulator, secretaries, engineers, technicians and engineers and finally the astronauts. After many weeks the came to the conclusion that there was no significant difference in ones agility to control. It was just about 50/50 mode 1 vs mode 2 - even with the astronauts.

I think you will find at a number of US mode 1 fliers started with reeds that were set up the same way. Then it became quite obvious if you were going to help others as a test pilot that you had better learn mode 2. It was a painful few months, but most of us made the transition fairly well.

Then of course, there are us Mode One flyers who never felt a need to change and are comfortable staying with this set-up, as we believe it has benefits that exceed any benefits there might have been from converting to Mode Two. In reality, the only drawback (for me anyway) has been constantly having to explain the story of how Mode One came about, how I came to fly this way and attempt to be tolerant of the people who are absolutly certain that their way is the only right way; or, more like flying real airplanes.

Misread

Wow! You're the first 3 digit AMA member I know of.

Hi I live in australia and most guys fly mode 1 god knows how they do it been a retired full size pilot most of the planes that i flew for work were stick and rudder now I never flew a pawnee with ail and throttle on the same stick and boy would not fly my models that way either stick to mode 2 the way to go

i'm a Mode 1 flyer as well........learned it from the top pattern flyers back in the late 60's. Phil Kraft spent a whole day at our club and i was fortunate enough to have him teach me quite a bit.
Mode 1 does offer some advantages over the brain/finger thinking though as like someone said, you have Elevator in one hand and the Aileron in the other leaving you some precision in aerobatics, and less confusion for the beginner pilot.

the other option to Mode 1 that i like, is that no one bugs you to let them fly your planes

So from what I read here, mode 1's great for precision and ease of learning, and mode 2's great for people who already fly full scale... fair enough.

ok. So the answer is simple. It's practically the same, just used whatever you feel comfortable with. It's that simple