Help! How to do a coordinated turn?
- Thread starter RossFPV
- Start date
Intashu
Elite member
doing a little googling to find a more well written answer I found this: A coordinated turn means you are keeping the tail lined up with the nose in the airstream. If you are uncoordinated, you are flying sideways in the airstream to some degree or another; the side of the fuselage is being presented to the airflow.
If you use too much rudder, the nose of the plane will be pointing inwards from the turn (like a drift car, cept it's a plane drifting through the air) this is called skidding.
if you use no rudder or too little rudder the opposite happens. It's called "slipping" and the nose of the plane will be pointing outwards from the direction of the turn.
So you're using a little rudder input to turn the plane while also using ailerons and elevator all together. The input doesn't need to be very much normally, and it helps the plane turn a bit smoother. If you were inside the plane, during the turn the only force you'd be feeling is straight down, instead of left or right through the turn like you do in a car!
(Image is from here and they're MUCH easier to read)
https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-skidding-turn-and-slipping-turn-in-an-aircraft-What-causes-it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_flight
If you use too much rudder, the nose of the plane will be pointing inwards from the turn (like a drift car, cept it's a plane drifting through the air) this is called skidding.
if you use no rudder or too little rudder the opposite happens. It's called "slipping" and the nose of the plane will be pointing outwards from the direction of the turn.
So you're using a little rudder input to turn the plane while also using ailerons and elevator all together. The input doesn't need to be very much normally, and it helps the plane turn a bit smoother. If you were inside the plane, during the turn the only force you'd be feeling is straight down, instead of left or right through the turn like you do in a car!
(Image is from here and they're MUCH easier to read)
https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-skidding-turn-and-slipping-turn-in-an-aircraft-What-causes-it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_flight
SlingShot
Maneuvering With Purpose
If you Google coordinated flight you'll learn all you ever wanted to know about adverse yaw. For our purposes it means adding a little rudder to your turns.
quorneng
Master member
Squashymoon125
In a full size plane you have a simple instrument, its a sort of spirit level, that tells you if you are skidding or slipping, whether or not you are in a turn. With practise you get to know when and how much rudder to apply to keep the 'ball in the middle' at all times.
With RC the problem is you are on the ground some distance away from the plane so its takes even more skill to visually detect any skidding or sliding tendency.
It is for this reason that most RC planes are designed to be more tolerant of an uncoordinated turn than full size but learning to spot that a turn is poorly coordinated, and what to do about it, can keep you out of trouble.
In a full size plane you have a simple instrument, its a sort of spirit level, that tells you if you are skidding or slipping, whether or not you are in a turn. With practise you get to know when and how much rudder to apply to keep the 'ball in the middle' at all times.
With RC the problem is you are on the ground some distance away from the plane so its takes even more skill to visually detect any skidding or sliding tendency.
It is for this reason that most RC planes are designed to be more tolerant of an uncoordinated turn than full size but learning to spot that a turn is poorly coordinated, and what to do about it, can keep you out of trouble.
Aslansmonkey
Well-known member
Most of the planes I've flown have shown little effect from NOT coordinating turns (they fly fine), though I am sure there is SOME effect. A few though, like the Tutor, seem to really want coordinated turns and in some cases I've added a mix to do this automatically. I'll note, I've done that because I'm lazy, not because it's recommended. Other planes I've just been learning to use the rudder.
If you're worried about learning this in conjunction with other aspects of RC flying I'd say don't worry about it. It's generally something you can pick up later with most planes (or not bother with at all) as most planes do not have noticeable slip or skid. If you notice your plane slipping (more likely) or skidding (less likely) you can add a mix in your radio to automatically apply some rudder in a turn. This won't prevent you from using your rudder like normal, but may make doing trick flying more difficult.
If you're worried about learning this in conjunction with other aspects of RC flying I'd say don't worry about it. It's generally something you can pick up later with most planes (or not bother with at all) as most planes do not have noticeable slip or skid. If you notice your plane slipping (more likely) or skidding (less likely) you can add a mix in your radio to automatically apply some rudder in a turn. This won't prevent you from using your rudder like normal, but may make doing trick flying more difficult.
RossFPV
Well-known member
It is but in the tighter turns i noticed it really dips the inside wing tip
Aslansmonkey
Well-known member
My tutor would slip in left hand turns. I removed the flaperon mixes that I wasn't using anyway and added a rudder mix. It flew much better.
It's slated to be retired though. I'm building a SE5a based on the Scout and the Tutor is donating its electronics.
While technically a trainer, the explorer, tiny trainer or even the bushwacker all do that job better. Oh...add the Tenet to that list.
It's slated to be retired though. I'm building a SE5a based on the Scout and the Tutor is donating its electronics.
While technically a trainer, the explorer, tiny trainer or even the bushwacker all do that job better. Oh...add the Tenet to that list.
Flying Monkey fab
Elite member
Okay, small slips and skids just don't matter in RC so if you don't see something obvious don't worry about it.
Most of what causes uncoordinated turns is differential drag from your ailerons so there is a simple trick I have borrowed from manned flight. Just set up your ailerons so that the up aileron goes up more than how far the down aileron goes down. This is simple from most modern Xmiters.
Most of what causes uncoordinated turns is differential drag from your ailerons so there is a simple trick I have borrowed from manned flight. Just set up your ailerons so that the up aileron goes up more than how far the down aileron goes down. This is simple from most modern Xmiters.
L Edge
Master member
Glad you are interested in learning how to use the rudder. It opens the door to increase your ability in flying in windy and gusty conditions as well as learning acrobatics. Wonder why not too many pilots fly bipes, fly figure 8's inverted or knife edges.
Here is an extreme example of using rudder and throttle. Notice the pilot tells you that he's got it and performs a knife edge landing!!!
Wait until you have a nice expensive plane(main wheel falls off in air) and why a rudder can save it all. Then you will thank yourself for learning how throttle and rudder saves your butt.
Here is an extreme example of using rudder and throttle. Notice the pilot tells you that he's got it and performs a knife edge landing!!!
Wait until you have a nice expensive plane(main wheel falls off in air) and why a rudder can save it all. Then you will thank yourself for learning how throttle and rudder saves your butt.
RossFPV
Well-known member
I started on a 3ch plane so i do use lots of rudder but im also starting to use more aileron with every flight.
