Rudder inputs on belly-side knife edge.
 

Hope this isn't too off topic.

Ok, I've been flying for a long time (1984). But I really want to "fly prettier". Ultimate goal being a very flat slow rolling circle (one rotation per half-circle would be fine), but I won't be too picky.

I'm still (after years) very weak on my belly side rudder inputs/corrections, namely when exiting rolls or violent manuvers (I know contradicting thoughts on a nice smooth flat slow rolling circle). But, I seem to get inputs backwards on occasion, and I'm just not consistent with my corrections. Most of the guys at the field probably don't notice....but I DO.

I can hover and 3D with belly towards me till the tank runs out....but it's just a different animal in forward flight speeds. Yes, I know 3D is much different.

My focus on the plane is usually "leading edge forward"....stick toward low wing. Any other thoughts I can "plug" in my brain to get it to snap in place?
Probably crashed a million bux worth of planes on the simulator....still wiling to crash another million to get it down...

Is there any tips you all might be able to help with? Or have I hit my hand-eye coordination "wall" [&o].

I've been flying the IMAC Votec Extra on AeroFly Pro (which I seem to be most comfortable with. But maybe I have the wrong airframe?
Reduced my elevator throws to 40%..(I'm pretty sure I probably need to go more, and reduce rudder throw as well, hard to get the "stick-banger" out of me).

I've thought about slowing the sim down to 70% to see if that has an impact....

I really am trying to get that "second nature" feel with belly-side rudder flight....I think If I can master this...it's all I need...everything else I feel "natural" with...just this little nagging rudder problem that sneaks up on me.

Anyone else having the same issues (that they actually notice).

I'd love to hear any stories, tips, ideas to help nail this problem down....and thanks for taking the time to read my long winded post.

Oh ya....it seems to happen more when plane is coming at me....I'm usually good once it's flown by....
AND...I'm a "thumbs" flier, I've considered trying to convert myself to "thumb-finger" but don't know if that will help if my "brain-wiring" if jacked up anyway. :D

CrazyHerb
(aka which way is my rudder going?)

RE: Rudder inputs on belly-side knife edge.
 

CrazyHerb,
The way I remember it in knife edge is if I am looking at the belly my rudder stick goes in the direction the nose is pointing. When I'm looking at the top of the plane the rudder stick goes towards the tail. From Inverted rolling to upright the rudder stick goes in the same direction as ailerons and if rolling from upright to inverted the rudder stick goes in the opposite direction. That has helped me alot along with lots of practice on the sim.

RE: Rudder inputs on belly-side knife edge.
 

And then practise.

Go back to when you first learned to fly. What did you do then? Just lots of circuits and figure 8s. Do that but in KE. If you have trouble when coming towards you, do the figure 8's so that the cross over is coming towards you.

RE: Rudder inputs on belly-side knife edge.
 

This is one of my favorite things to work on when I'm on the simulator. I saw Chip do it many years ago in real life and remain impressed to this day.

I have a problem getting my magnitudes down more than direction...some airplanes just seem to do this better than others. I think the trick is to use minimal elevator.

I've got the AeroflyPro also and lately I've enjoyed this most with the Zlin. Give that one a shot. And the lower you fly, the better.

I assume you fly mode 2, Herb. I don't know if that's a handicap or not, but with mode 3 your right stick follows an oval path when slow rolling and I find that easy from the 'muscle memory' standpoint.

Burn fuel, electrons.

-Ron