Flight Techniques Archives - Model Airplane News

Rudder: Use it to Fly Better!

Pilots should begin their flying careers by using rudder from the very beginning. One of the ways we used to help beginner pilots is by programming in an aileron/rudder mix from the very start. This improves the plane’s performance by eliminating adverse yaw, which is the opposite yaw or skid inherent with aileron deflections on […]

SECRETS TO PERFECT LANDINGS – The correct approach speed is key!

There are a handful of mistakes that nearly all recreational RC pilots make that stem from not having a plan before flying. This article is aimed at addressing the two bad habits that probably lead to more damage during landings than any others. Indeed, most pilots will immediately experience improved landings if they can correct […]

Conquer the Wind!

Check out this video from our good friends at Tail Heavy Productions, where they take us through the do’s and don’ts of flying in wind. It’s a must-watch–especially with fall’s windy conditions upon us.

Master the Avalanche

Let’s discuss a maneuver called the “avalanche.” You can learn from the fundamentals in this exciting move. For example, I’m sure a lot of you have performed a basic loop. In fact, the loop is the first aerobatic maneuver that many people perform. The avalanche is a basic loop, but has one addition to it. At […]

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!

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

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

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

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 …

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

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

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 […]