Up the wow factor with slipping show passes and landing setups. The ability to slip an airplane has long been a skill that many RC pilots have wished to learn, and yet despite all that has been written about slips over the years, very few pilots can perform a slip or would even dare to try! The reason is that previous articles have mainly described what comprises a slip, but other than instructions to “adjust the controls as needed,” none has given specific instructions on how to actually train you to do it—until now.
TYPES OF SLIPS
There are two types of slips. The first is the wing-low “side slip” used to prevent wind drift, typically during a crosswind landing. This entails banking the wings slightly into the wind while inputting opposite rudder (cross-controlling) to keep the fuselage aligned with the runway centerline. Akin to balancing a marble on a bowling ball, probably fewer than 1 percent of RC pilots are able to pull off this maneuver. The second type is a “forward slip” in which rudder is applied to purposely put the airplane into a skid. At the same time, opposite aileron is applied to bank the wings in the opposite direction of the skid, along with some up-elevator to offset the turning effect of the rudder and, thereby, keep the plane tracking in a straight line (see Figure 1).
MODEL AIRPLANE NEWS PREMIUM members can access this article and many others highlighting amazing techniques, RC airplane builds and projects. When you become a member, you’ll get instant online access to our back-issue archives, the latest Model Airplane News Digital Editions, all of our newsstand-only special issues, and much more.
Membership includes exclusive access to our enormous collection of RC information.
- 7+ years of digital editions of Model Airplane News
- Flight Journal and Model Airplane News special issue digital editions, previously only available on newsstands
- Free access to our magazine app through the iTunes Store – get Model Airplane News on your mobile or tablet device
- Contests & giveaways only for members
- 30 years of Model Airplane News archives
- 10 years of Electric Flight archives
- 5% off ALL Air Age Store purchases every time you shop
