Flight Techniques

Tips to become a better pilot


Fly Upside-Down (it’s always a showstopper!)

Fly Upside-Down (it’s always a showstopper!)

Flying an aircraft upside-down can be challenging. Typically, this is because you need to push on the elevator stick and apply down-elevator to maintain altitude, which may seem odd at first. Depending on the bank angle that is established at the start of the maneuver, rudder input is needed to maintain altitude as higher bank […]
Flying Precision Rolls: The secrets to smooth, well-positioned maneuvers

Flying Precision Rolls: The secrets to smooth, well-positioned maneuvers

Together with loops, rolls are the bedrock upon which aerobatic flying is built. Learning to perform them correctly and efficiently is integral to opening the door to thousands of different maneuvers. There are varying opinions regarding the best approach to teach rolls, and certain methods can promote faster rates of learning and more successful results. […]

Learn to hover – practice makes perfect!

Learn to hover – practice makes perfect!

Learning to hover takes practice, but it’s easier when you know how to practice. Check out this video where Youtuber RC-AIR gives out some good tips – what to do and what not to do (see his crashes!). You’ll be hovering like the pros in no time!
LAND LIKE A PRO

LAND LIKE A PRO

We’ve all heard the old adage: takeoffs are optional; landings are mandatory. Bringing a plane back to the ground safely is a pilot’s top goal. Unfortunately, one of the hardest maneuvers for an RC airplane to perform is the landing, and it is the first one that we pilots must learn to perfect to keep […]

Flying Precision Rolls

Flying Precision Rolls

Together with loops, rolls are the bedrock upon which aerobatic flying is built. Learning to perform them correctly and efficiently is integral to opening the door to thousands of different maneuvers. There are varying opinions regarding the best approach to teach rolls, and certain methods can promote faster rates of learning and more successful results. […]
Master the Basics: Straight & Level Flight

Master the Basics: Straight & Level Flight

You should practice straight and level as much as you do any other maneuver. It is also where new precision aerobatics pilots  should begin. It may seem like the most boring thing to do, but in reality, straight and level flight is one of the most difficult maneuvers to master. Sure, rolling circles, tail slides […]

Winter is coming …

Winter is coming …

Instead of sitting on the couch watching television and waiting for spring to arrive, why not build or buy a set of snow skis, bolt them to your plane, and get out there and do some cold weather flying? Winter flying is great fun, and it restores the RC soul during those long, dreary winter […]
Secrets to Successful Crosswind Landings

Secrets to Successful Crosswind Landings

There are two main schools of thought about the best way to set up a landing in a crosswind. The first is the wing-low “side-slip” approach, in which a pilot attempts to prevent wind drift by keeping the wings banking into the wind while cross-controlling the rudder to keep the fuselage aligned with the runway […]

RC Model Tip – Tame your Tail-Dragger

RC Model Tip – Tame your Tail-Dragger

From sport planes and classic civilian aircraft to warbirds and fighters, the tail-dragger configuration, where the little “steering” wheel is in back behind the main landing gear, remains very popular. Though the tailwheel has very little effect on the model’s flight performance, the landing gear configuration does make takeoffs and landings much different from planes […]
Secrets to Hovering — Master this 3D Move

Secrets to Hovering — Master this 3D Move

Of all 3D maneuvers, it’s possible that none represent 3D flying more than hovering. While learning to hover can be extremely challenging, you can make it easier for yourself by knowing the primary forces involved. Control while hovering is maintained solely by the propeller thrust or “prop-wash” over the tail surfaces and the inboard portions […]
Spice Up Your Loops–Fly the Avalanche

Spice Up Your Loops–Fly the Avalanche

The Avalanche will  cause spectators to gasp, especially when performed close to the ground. The surprise is that both maneuvers date back to a time long before 3D was even an aerobatic style. We enlisted the help of our good friend, aerobatic pilot and designer Mike McConville, to guide you through this maneuver and offer some tips […]
Knife-Edge Spin Explained

Knife-Edge Spin Explained

In my opinion, the knife-edge spin is one of the most impressive extreme aerobatic maneuvers. It’s very demanding for the pilot and the airframe. First, I’ll describe the maneuver. In traditional knife-edge, the aircraft is rolled approximately 90 degrees from upright level flight. Then altitude is sustained by using “top” rudder. When the maneuver is […]
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