Simple Soarer almost done. Can't fly it!

[Jtnb]

It turns out I don't understand how to fly without ailerons. I'm no foam ninja, but I can reliably fly my apprentice through coordinated turns, loops, upside down, etc. Land and take off reliably without the electronic assist. So I can fly.

I can't fly the apprentice.

Still working out CG, but it's close. And it's a little nose heavy. I modified the design fairly significantly, but here's the thing:

I threw it half a dozen times in the back yard with the Tx on, It's a nose diver, but with elevator I can control that. What I can't do is turn the thing.

Can anyone give me the two-minute tutorial on flying without ailerons?

If I can't figure this out, I'm installing ailerons on this thing.

 

[earthsciteach]

Is it not responding to your control input? If so, you may need to increase the throw of the rudder. It may be that the rudder simply doesn't have enough time to turn the plane when tossed by hand.

 

[Jtnb]

No, the issue is that I am "all thumbs" when it comes to controlling. I don't know which way to throw what lever to fly without ailerons.

How do I bank the plane to make the turn?

This is a basic misunderstanding of the principles of two-channel flight.

 

[jjstanley]

Most people plug the rudder servo into the aileron channel on the receiver so you just use one stick but that is totally up to you. Use whichever stick movement controls the rudder when it is on the ground.

 

[earthsciteach]

Plug the rudder into the aileron channel. If you fly mode 1, then the right stick will be elevator and rudder.
If you want to go left, move the stick to the left.

 

[pgerts]

.. If you fly mode 1, then the right stick will be elevator and rudder.
..

Uh?

As they say put the rudder servo to the aileron channel on the rx. Check that the rudder goes right when pushing the stick right - or reverse.

The plane banks by itself without any aileron.
When you start the turn with the rudder, the outer wing will travel faster through the air and get more lift than the inner wing. making it bank. You will not feel a lot of difference while turning compared to flying with ailerons.
You can even make a roll with just rudder and elevator - a tunnel roll.

 

[earthsciteach]

I meant to say, "mode 2." I'm getting old and senile.

 

[Jtnb]

Uh?


When you start the turn with the rudder, the outer wing will travel faster through the air and get more lift than the inner wing. making it bank.

THAT's what I needed!

Understanding how it works. And I'm currently plugged into the rudder channel (left stick) so I'll make the switch to the aileron channel.

Thanks!

 

[rcspaceflight]

I got so used to RET (Rudder Elevator Throttle) planes that I thought my 4ch plane wasn't quite right. Turns out it was I that wasn't quite right.

But yeah, just make the rudder output your aileron input. I tried a RET with rudder on the rudder channel and I failed horribly. I kept trying to turn the plane with the ailerons which doesn't do anything.

 

[stay-fun]

But yeah, just make the rudder output your aileron input.

I'm assuming you mean aileron output (TX side) and rudder input (rudder servo in aileron channel of RX)

 

[ruud]

If you want to get fancy, you could program your radio with a mix from aileron channel to rudder channel (or vice versa, depending on how you hooked things up) so you can use both sticks.

 

[rcspaceflight]

I'm assuming you mean aileron output (TX side) and rudder input (rudder servo in aileron channel of RX)

Nah. Input as in what you put into your controls. Output as in what happens.

 

[Dakota_Kid]

Uh?

As they say put the rudder servo to the aileron channel on the rx. Check that the rudder goes right when pushing the stick right - or reverse.

The plane banks by itself without any aileron.
When you start the turn with the rudder, the outer wing will travel faster through the air and get more lift than the inner wing. making it bank. You will not feel a lot of difference while turning compared to flying with ailerons.
You can even make a roll with just rudder and elevator - a tunnel roll.

Like pgerts said, the rudder will turn it as long as there is dihedral in the wing. On a flat wing it might not respond that way.
Your wing has dihedral and polyhedral so it should work just fine. I would recommend about 3/4 to 1 inch of rudder travel each way for a glider, you will need it at slow speeds.