RE: Rudders
 

I have a Kadet Senior kit. It has no ailerons. the rudder is the most used control over anything.

I wish it had ailerons though. It would still be in one piece.[:@]

RE: Rudders
 

I was taught how to fly (by a Pattern pilot) using rudder to take off, or land in a crosswind, and to coordinate turns, and for aerobatics (like keeping a true course through a loop). I don't fly more than 10 or 20 seconds at a time without some type of rudder correction, and am thankful every time I read a thread like this that I WAS taught that way.
Dennis-

RE: Rudders
 

Thats an easy repair man! My four star has been in worse shape than that about 4 times and still flies!

RE: Rudders
 

What i meant when i said the rudder comment wasnt whether to have a rudder or not, but whether to have one with moveable surfaces.

RE: Rudders
 

Well technically, the moveable part IS the rudder, the rest of it is the vertical stab. ;)
Dennis-

RE: Rudders
 

Now I KNOW I'm an old fart. When I went to school it was called the fin.:D

RE: Rudders
 

Well, technically us old farts may be right, but it just proves that the term "rudder" and even "fin" have all but disappered from the aeromodeller's vocabulary, and have become something of a curiosity to the Wizz Kids! ("wazzat?" I hear them say)

RE: Rudders
 

Man, flying without rudder? Thats like diving witout O2. What would be the point. If you don't use it, you will never be a good pilot. I fly with a lot of guys who don't use the rudder, and they always ask how I do some maneuvers, when I explain it, they back down because they don't want to use the rudder. It limits the possibilities if you can't use it. I use it on all my planes.

RE: Rudders
 

Find some one who flies competitive aerobatics, IMAC or Pattern.

RE: Rudders
 

rudder is for take off, landing, and putting your plane into a flat spin (pray you are at least 5 mistakes high)

RE: Rudders
 

Also for:

slow roll
four point roll
stall turns and hammerheads
rolling circle
knife edge flight
loops (as opposed to corkscrews)
climb out
:D

RE: Rudders
 

Stall turns AND hammerheads? ;)

RE: Rudders
 

Hmm, I must be using it wrong then. I use it for everything! Hmmm, maybe it will wear out. :eek:

RE: Rudders
 

I may be wrong, but as I understand it, a stall turn involves climbing straight up. When the plane comes to a stop it pivots 180 degrees about the yaw axis, and comes down the same line. A hammer head is like a wing over, where there is some lateral displacement.

But then I may be full of it:eek:

RE: Rudders
 

Then again, maybe I'm full of it.

RE: Rudders
 

I do rolling cirlces with elevator and ailerons.

RE: Rudders
 

I can only do a rolling circle when nobody is looking:D:D

RE: Rudders
 

My first several planes had rudder and I never really realized how much I used it until I got a SPAD that didn't have it. I mean, obviously I knew that I was using it when I intended to (aerobatics) but the first time I flew that SPAD I couldn't figure out why I couldn't fly a straight line until I realized that I was flying the rudder stick without having rudder on the plane.

It was at about that point that I really understood how important and overlooked the rudder is in everyday flight.

I guess on the list of the four basic flight controls rudder is fourth on the list when listed in order of importance to SAFE flight. (assuming that he plane equipped with all four) But if you want to make your flying look impressive and skillful rudder is just as importand as the other three.

RE: Rudders
 

Right on!

I was taught by an "old" pattern pilot too, and I fly with both sticks. I can't really see where you could have "complete" control over your airplane if you can't control it on all its axis. I dunno...I'll keep using mine. I'm sure if those that don't use em would start...they would see improvement in there flying right away.