mode 2 is the way to go
in mode 2 you can fly with one hand if you need two, their have been times when i really needed to answer the phone (answer not talk, land then talk), hand people stuff, ect, while flying i couldnt do that with mode 1
mode 1 is also much more popular so if you want someone to trim your plane good luck finding a mode 1 pilot.
elevator and alieron on one stick, imo, is far more precise than rudder w/ elevator. your aileron are used the most, so if you are flying at full throttle it would be a little funky to have your fingers streched out that far, or down if you are at idle.

its the most popular for a reason.....it is the best

Seems obvious to me too, but then again we could argue all day : and aside from what real fighter pilots use, mode 2 proponents would be out of arguments.

I just cant make up my mind.

Keep the feedback coming guys. It is really very informative and interesting so far.

At this point I am leaning back towards mode 2,

Respectfully, Salinas Hawk

Salinas- I think you opened up the old "Glow or Electric" debate. I bet you weren't counting on what you're gonna get...First thread eh? I try not to ask these questions..Ya got more guts then I do..BW

You evidently are interested in teaching yourself to fly. That being the case, if you consider Mode 2, just remember to use your left hand when the plane is on the ground (throttle and steering) and your right hand (elevator and aileron) to break from the ground and fly. Very simple logic. After you've mastered this basic you can move on to more advanced flying.

You are really reading too much into this. While you can't really go wrong either way, my recommendation that you stick with mode 2. At the stage that you are, I believe you should think about convenience and ability to get help to become better, faster, and not necessarily think about what would work best if/when you are at the competition stage.

Here's a tip: start with mode 2 and improve to the point that you can compete - this will take you some time. At that point, if you truly feel that mode 2 is a hindrance to your success and advancement, then consider switching. Yes, yes, much more difficult to switch at a later stage, but chances are that you will not feel the need to change, and meanwhile, you would have benefited from all the help your club members can give you.

If you choose mode 2, I'll bet you will not feel the need to change later on. Good luck either way.

Good point. Don't think it to death. Fly and have fun.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt">HI,I started mode 0.5 Control line Ha. Then during high school I started learning
RC mode 2 with the help of the club and a buddy cord. Well, after years of burning up
the sky's with many RC planes, I decided to sell them all and build a ultralight. It was the
KOLB Mark III. I started flying with an instructor and found that this was the very same as
the RC's. The rudder was the only thing I had to move and that was no problem. If you can
fly a RC mode 2, you can fly a GA trainer or ultralight with very little instruction. You will have
your license in the min. 40 hrs. Now the ground school is another story. Get the tapes and start
that now. It will help you in RC very much. Then you can go get your GA ticket super fast,, provided
you have become a Good RC pilot. I flew GA for 350hrs and then got back into RC very heavy.
No problem at all. Mode 2 is my choice if you want a GA ticket fast.

VR
Tim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt"><o></o></span></p>

I actually moved from 3 channel planes to 4 channel with a modified mode one set up on a T-28. I put the ailerons on the left stick with the throttle, and had rudder and elevator on the right stick. It made the transition and learning to use the ailerons easy because I could fly the T-28 ok and get to altitude with just elevator and rudder like I was used to, then I played with the ailerons using the left stick (which I hadn't been used to flying with other than for throttle).
I think my rolls, loops, and inverted flying were easier and more prescise that way, but things like knife edges, flat spins, and stall turns were harder. I don't know why, probably just me.
I also had previously done, and still do, some full scale flying. Mode 2 is more like full scale control than mode one.
I do believe if I had to do it over, I would just go ahead and start with mode 2. Just my opinion

Wingnut, Gas &amp; Glow for power and eletric is for the rec. and servos and ignition....
what can of worms?? Ha Ha,, just funnin

Back to the OP question.

My youngest son would say "an X-Box 360 controller,, dah"

Tim

I am an R/C pilot (28yrs.) and a commercial pilot 2000+hrs. I have flown R/C in mode 1 and 2, full scale in the left seat and right seat, with a yoke and with a stick. I have found that each has its benefits and drawbacks. Personal preference plays the biggest role in what one eventually decides. The transition from one to the other is almost like starting over learning to fly, because while you may know how to fly and you may know what each control does muscle memory takes time and practice. No matter how proficient you are at one it takes a lot of practice to learn the other. knowing this should tell you that no matter what you decide it will not affect your ability to learn to fly full size A/C. Your only decision should be what you want to do in the hobby. Do you want the ability to help others with thier planes, and to teach or are you only interested in flying for yourself. Do you want to fly sport, scale, racing, etc. See what the top flyers in that type of flying are doing and follow suit. The only thing that will matter in the long run is practice. The main thing to remeber is no decision is final, with practice you can always try something else. Pick one learn as much as you can about how an airplane actually works and above all Practice, and you will be succesful.

Robert

If you are planning to get your real pilots licence you will be taught, in most cases, in a plane with a yoke, not a stick. The thottle will be a pull knob and trims will be a wheel... It really doesn't simulate how an RC transmitter is set up so stick with mode 2 for RC. Heli controls are a different story. Regardless, if you plan to fly RC planes and helis stick with mode 2. You will have more fun in the long run.

Timt-
How about "Just thumbs or thumbs and index fingers?" or Strap or no strap? or FHSS or Fasst? or Gas or glow? or Chinese or Japanese or... well you get the point. But I think it's great it shows alot of passion.-BW

Wingnut,, I am glad younoticed that I was just cutting up a little. I am building
an electron powered GP Little Toni right now. It is turning an apc 12x12 at 9800 rpm.
That should get me to 100mph and that will be fast for me. 12x 9800 / 1056 = 111.3636 mph
static prop air speed. Wish me luck in mode 2.
VR
Tim

TimT-Better try it in mode 1 if you plan on pylon racing- Oh Boy...BW

Nice point Bonified Wingnut. I never thought about scratching my nose while flying. hahahahahaha

And thanks everybody for the input. It has given me a lot to think about.

Oh and I never meant to be a smart ass. This site is awesome. Thanks guys.

Thanks Robert
That was the answer I was looking for.

I think I'm gonna do mode 1 and get into pylon racing. That seems really exciting to me.

Not being able to scratch my nose is gonna be a big downside though.. seriously.

Also, another question. Can't I teach someone mode 2 while I'm on mode 1? The JR 9303 says mode 1 to mode 2 buddy box trainer is possible. The old X9 couldn't do it.

I may have my facts wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's right.

G'day Mate,
Here in Australia, our most common mode is mode 1, I have been using it since 1981, & as an Instructor, I find it is easier to teach mode 1 than mode 2, reason being, we can have both people using the TX at the same time, the student starts out using the right stick, throttle & ailerons, or whatever the primary control is, & the instructor has the elevators & the rudder, even if the student gets into trouble, the instructor can still level the wings with rudder, & save the plane, without having to wrestle the TX back from the student, as long as he or she lets go of the stick. Then we swap, & the student uses the elevators. It is a good way to learn & a good way to teach. It is a lot harder with mode 2, as the student has the TX, with all the mistakes he or she will make.
But we also have a course to become an instructor, & guidelines about how to teach, it has worked well here for many years, maybe it should be looked at by your governing body.

One last thing, I have heard for years that mode 2 is more natural, because it is like a "real plane's controls", I have one small problem with that, in a full size aircraft, you are IN the plane, in our case we are standing outside looking up at it, so there is no real reason to use mode 2, other than, having someone able to teach you. If you stick to mode 1 you will be like some of us in the rest of the world.

Salinas whatever you decide to do....just have a blast doing it..This is about fun and fun and did I mention FUN. -BW

I got the Hitec Optic 6 and switched it over to mode 1 (very simple to do).  I think I'm gonna stick with that.  Based on all of your feedback, it seems that there is not much of a link between rc contols and full sized controls / skills. 

Also, pylon racing seems very exciting.  I want to get into that, and mode 1 seems to be the preferred choice there.

If I end up regretting my choice, I'll swap my Optic Six back and re-learn to fly. 

But I gotta say that you mode 2 guys pointed out a lot of things I hadn't thought of.  Thank you very much.  I'll keep those points in mind if mode 1 starts to seem like it was a bad choice.

Thanks again,
Salinas Hawk

As my name should inform, I am a Mode One flyer, been so for 34 years. I also had my pilot's license. Attempting to link flying R/C and full scale airplane to one Mode or the other just doesn't hold water. The brain makes the adjustment automatically without a thought about it; or, single slip or stutter! After flying Mode One for 6 years, I soloed a Cessna 152 in 9 hours and was a quick study as my understanding of R/C flight was a real asset to me!

As far as skill and one Mode in comparison to the other, there are great R/C pilots using all the modes, I, II, III and IV, so this doesn't hold water, either! Probably the best R/C flier today is Quique Somenzeni and he flies Mode One. In the past a fellow named Hanno Prettner was the best and he flew Mode One.

It boils down to how you learned to fly, only!! The only drawback to not flying Mode II in the U.S., is the vast majority of R/Cers fly Mode II, so getting; or, giving help will be limited!

The rest is an endless and valueless argument that goes on adnausium about why one Mode is better than another and is simply based on peoples closed minded, narrow perceptions!

If you are close by, I offer my service to anyone interested in learning to fly Mode One.

Oh, and although I have no real interest in flying R/C helicopters, when I do fly one in my Real Flight G-3.5 simulator, I fly them Mode One! My Mode One instincts tell me pitch is controlled with my left thumb, so this is correct and natural to me. I have talked to other people who fly fixed wing, Mode One and helicopters Mode Two. I also know people who can fly fixed wing airplanes either mode, so anything is possible and it truly is only about what you've learned!

My guesses to these questions:

What are the odds that this newb is ever going to make it to solo? 65% What are the odds he will ever fly a competition? 20% of the 65% What are the odds he will ever place in a national competition? 2% of the 20% of the 65%

What are the odds he will need/seek help? 100% What are the odds that the local instructor will fly mode 2? 95% what are the odds that he will share a plane with a friend once flying mode 1 and friend is mode 2? 0%

When in Rome, do what the Romans do!! The answer lies in your location, do what the locals do...

Kind of a Beta vs. VHS argument... myself, I fly full size and RC planes, & RC Helis... I think the mode 2 is a natural extension...

I will just bet you're not going to teach yourself to fly full size planes... I think you are rather foolish to fly RC without training. At least learn the rules so you can fly with others.

Dont know if its any "mode", but when I fly my smaller 3 channel planes the right stick is either rudder or aileron...3 channels being (usually) throttle,rudder,elevator,....sometimes throttle,aileron,elevator....just keeps the right thumb on the turning control stick...Rog

Mode - 2 is right, mode - 1 is not

Back in the day I lived in New Zealand. You go into the LHS and buy a radio. 99.9% of what is in stock radio wise was Mode 1.
I learned to fly Mode 1 and have been flying Mode 1 for greater than 20 years.
10 years ago I moved to the good old US of A. here 98% of radio's I see at the LHS is Mode 2. The last radio I got was from Tower and I specifically searched for Mode 1. There definatly was a lot less available in Mode 1 than Mode 2.
At the local club here I am the only one flying Mode 1. In fact, a couple of the people out there had never heard of mode 1 versus mode 2. LOL
Am I going to change what I have been doing for the last 20 years? No.
Pros - I will not get asked to test fly anyone's plane and make sure it is trimmed for them.
Nobody will ask to fly my planes!
Cons - I have to test fly my own planes (this I do anyway but...)

I guess what I'm saying is get a radio that feels right to you (Be it Mode 1 or mode 2), Learn the controls on your chosen mode and stick with it and don't let anyone try to talk you into changing in order to 'conform' with everyone else.
And above all, HAVE FUN!!