polyhedron_12

I find it much easier to control the heli with my thumbs directly on top of the sticks. Is this the best way to hold the controller, or should I be training myself otherwise... and why

Appreciate it.

grittykitty

I'm not going to tell you to not fly like that, because I used to, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND retraining yourself to fly with thumb/finger. It is a real pain at first, but it is worth learning. The control on the sticks is definitely more "accurate", so to speak, eapecially with helis. The biggest area you will notice the difference in is your "in close" maneuvering (hovering, pirouettes, etc.)

Jim C.

to each thier own.. thats how i fly, and i can be very persice. also use a neckstrap... i never did untill i started flying helis.. and ill never fly without one ever again. once you get acustomed to flying a certain way, its not wise to try to change it. goes with thumbs, or thumbs and fingers, or mode 1, or mode 2... just too much to relearn. unless you got the cash to toss around.. then do as you please. but i do not so ill stick to the way i taught myself!

ChopperMike

I fly with the thumbs too. I know I shouldn't but I've tried to do it the other way and I just can't . I've been flying R/C for 25 years and it's just to late to switch. I do highly recommend a neck strap or even a tray and possibly with a tray I might be able to fly with thumb and finger. I just feel like I don't have a good grip on the TX that way. And it's also hard to flip switches when you fly with thumb and finger which is why I think the tray might be a good idea.

P.S. I saw quite a few pilots at the IRCHA Jamboree this summer flying with their thumbs.

Regards,
Mike

Hotshot Charlie

I too learned to fly airplanes with just my thumbs. Never used a neckstrap either, but I am going to add the neckstrap now that I am learning to fly heli's. I don't think I could ever teach myself to fly thumb and finger though, too many years have passed.

SAS902

I am mainly an airplane driver that flew helis a little a decade ago or so (I'd love to get back into helicopters, but those fixed wing things and instructing take up all my time). However, I always used to tell everyone to use thumb/finger and always flew like that myself for 20+ years.

Then I had a revelation when I one day came across a suggestion to test whether thumb or thumb/finger worked better for me. You simply close your eyes while holding your transmitter and move the sticks a little while using both methods. See if you feel a difference in how precise your movements are. To my astonishment it felt much better using the thumbs only. I fired up RealFlight G2 and discovered it was the same in there too, although it felt very awkward. My precision in all maneuvers requiring small stick movements improved noticeably. I have since that done my best to convert to flying with the thumbs only. It is difficult, but I am beginning to get used to it now.

After this, I no longer believe there is one generally superior way of holding the sticks. I think it might vary from one individual to another. Depending on a lot of factors such as what your radio looks like, whether you are using a tray or not, etc. and probably also how your own "hardware" - your fingers, hands, muscles, and so on - happen to have been "configured". The only advice I give nowadays is, try both methods and see which one you think works better for you.

wisdom-seeker

Actually, I use a hybrid method. I fly with my thumbs on top of the sticks, and my index fingers about halfway down the sticks holding the sticks against my thumbs. The reason that I do this is that in the past I've had bad things happen when my thumb slipped off of the stick. Now this cannot happen, and never has. Yes, it is also easier to fly this way using a neck strap.

polyhedron_12

Thanks,

I think im going to thumb it then. I can't fly half as good using two fingers on each stick, I also feel like my range of motion is limited using two fingers. I can do pirouettes and hover rock solid (on the sim) with my thumbs, but cant even hover very well using two fingers. I only have two weeks of driving radio control anything, so it's not like using my thumb is ingrained in my mind either, so I believe thumb is for me.

EkRr

My Feedback: (51)

I use thumb/finger when flying helis and just thumbs when flying airplanes - go figure!

xxguitarist

i'm in the same cat. as erick... thumbs only for plane and some cars that i have stick tx's for, thumb and pointer for helis.. noone ever told me to, it just sort of happened when i got a heli, doesnt make sense to me either.