mode 1 or mode 2?

[John Eves]

Ok we are having a problem trying to work which is best mode 1 or mode 2, i fly mode 2 and i think its best, the old boys are trying to convert me to mode 1 can you help. Mind you i'm not changing now

[Rusty C]

Mode 2 Is most popular up my way and I guess most places, But theres no such thing as better here.

Go your own way as fleetwood say!

rusty

[Allan Bowker]

There isn't a best way John, all modes are personal preference. I've flown years on both, switching from Mode 1 to Mode 2 when I got into flying heli's.

I'd personally recommend Mode 2 if you are going to fly heli's as well as fixed wing.

Edited By Allan Bowker on 24/05/2012 17:30:10

[Alan Cantwell]

depends on how youre taught, if you are a proificent flyer, then why change? but you can always add another string to your bow, and learn both, thats what i did

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Only for Your info John , 80 % rc flyers in USA and EU (mostly righthands) used mode 2.....If You can test both ....You find Your mode...

Cheers

Jo

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

There is no "best" as folks have said. We've done a couple of surveys on here and I even looked at geographic distribution once. Mode 2 is more common overall, but in the West Midlands and slightly north of there mode 1 is more common locally.

It doesn't really make any difference to your flying ability - I find folks that don'y fly very well mode 1 probably wouldn't fly very well mode2! There is something to be said for being on the mode that is common at your club. Useful - but by no means essential.

BEB

[Dave Bran]

There IS a best, it's the one you are comfortable with..................

[Sandy Colquhoun]

I was hit by this when I joined my club in France, they naturally assumed that I would use Mode 1, which seems to be the norm there, and had difficulty in understanding that 90% of the outside world uses Mode 2. Dave Bran`s response above is a marvellous precis of Nietsche - you have your way, I have my way etc.

I was lucky enough to be taught to glide & later fly in the Air Cadets in the 50`s and early 60`s. it was all stick and pedals then, right hand on the stick, left was for the tow release/ throttle, so when proportional radio came within my financial reach, I naturally wanted to control elevator and aileron with the right hand. John`s right in not being prepared to change, theres no reason to do so, and plenty of reasons not to

[i12fly]

I think mode 1 is more comfortable if you're left handed. The (mainly) split workload comes a bit more naturally. I couldn't get on with mode 2 at all but mode 1 was like fish to water. Try both and then decide sounds good to me. Maybe if I'd tried mode 4??

[Alan Cantwell]

dont agree, its how you are taught that makes the way you are taught seem the best way, if i had been taught mode 2, then i would be saying that this is the best, but i was taught mode 1, i am most at home with this mode, and i am right handed

[moorer]

I fly mode 1 but thats how most trannys were laid out back in the day,most reed sets were the same aswell.But as already said,its what best suits you.

[fly boy3]

There is no best way., only different. If you are just interested who uses what, we did a poll regarding this very subject. Perhaps one kind mod. may put it back on for us, as I failed to find it again. Cheers

[TheFlyingCrust]

Back in the days of 2 channel radio's (27MHz, remember them?) they were all mode 1. Hobsons choice. So I suppose if you were brought up on the old 2 channel stuff you were taught mode 1.

Like Sandy I flew the real thing whilst in the air cadets so got used to "mode 2" so when I went RC thats the system I took to.

Its what you're used to.

Ian

[Richard Harris]

John,

I am born and bread Mode 1, but being right handed and hand launching my own model can be a little awkward sometimes.

At the end of the day its your choice, there is no right or wrong way. As long as you are safe and above all else you enjoy it that's all the matters in my book

Rich

[Craig Carr]

There was a survey on here a few year back about this very subject that, as i recall, seemed to conclude mode 2 was more common.

Personally speaking I felt the survey was flawed by not factoring in flyers being left or right handed (even then there are loads of other variables to consider)......thus (speaking as an ex statistician) rendered the whole survey meaningless.

Which leaves me to conclude the only right way is that which you are happy with

Edited By Craig Carr on 25/05/2012 01:16:16

[David Hodgson]

Posted by Rentman on 24/05/2012 23:46:48:

Back in the days of 2 channel radio's (27MHz, remember them?) they were all mode 1. Hobsons choice. So I suppose if you were brought up on the old 2 channel stuff you were taught mode 1.

Horizon made a 2 channel 27mhz single stick set. It was my first radio (1971) before moving on to 4 channel (or full house as it was known then) Swan set

I went mode 2 as was flying full size gliders at the time. Learnt to fly mode 1 as well and also primary controls on left stick but still prefer mode 2.

Mode 1 was very popular back when Hanno P dominated the model flying world and many copied him with mode 1.

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

I think Dave Brans pithy response is the right one.........personally I've always flown Mode 2....full size aeroplanes have ailerons & elevator on one stick so I do the same...

A commited mode 1'er explained that having the ailerons & elevator on different sticks allowed for finer control as you were only moving the stick in one plane. I can see the logic in that argument but it doesn't make me want to change....

[Major]

I've used mode 1 once. To me that doesn't work at all - finer control I can achieve only by using right hand...

[John Eves]

Thanks for the input mode 2 it is then, it seems the only advantage is maybe a smoother action when landing with mode 1 due to ailerons and elevator split, as i want to have a go at Heli at some point. as is then

With hand launch with your right hand mode 2 has got to win every time and hmm safely is a the good word in my book, also sim flying seems to like mode 2 thanks again. john

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Steve Hargreaves - Moderator on 25/05/2012 09:04:31:

A commited mode 1'er explained that having the ailerons & elevator on different sticks allowed for finer control as you were only moving the stick in one plane. I can see the logic in that argument

That argument seems to assume that you're not using rudder in the course of normal flying...

But I'm really pleased to see that the concensus on this thread seems to be just go with what you know / are comfortable with. It seems to me that those who evangelise a particular mode are really trying to justify their choice by making those around conform.

[Simon Chaddock]

Just to complete the picture I am left handed (the hand I write with).

Learnt to fly full size right handed so mode 2 is more natural to me.

Being left handed does make hand launching rather easier!

[chris basson]

No, No, No!
Mode 1 is just Wrong,
Mode 2 is the only way to fly! In fact it should be made illegal to fly any other way as it just goes against all that is held to be right!
C Basson Inflamatory Remarks Dept.

[Alan Cantwell]

i see the i fly full size mode 2, so thats how i fly models, PLEASE, flying a model is nothing like flying full size, if that where so, then full size flyers would make great model flyers, and that, is deffo not the case!!!! why dont you all learn to fly both, like i did, like i taught my lad too, its not that hard

[Flanker .]

Interesting debate. Cleasrly there is no best. Fashion and "out of the box" is what starts one out on One or Two. What I find interesting is that on mode One I often find my self moving the throttle slightly as I use the ailerons. Many in my old (Northern) club said that they liked M1 because on mode 2 they would get unwanted elevator movement. The club aerobatacits swore by this. As many champions fly mode 1 it is clearly not a problem !

Helis though. I learned to fly a Heli on mode two. The Trannie was rubbish soI re crystaled it onto my FF9 - mode 1 . I would say that a Heli is nicer on mode 2 having tried both. Really there is not much differnce. Oh and Full Size ? We fly with our left hand in the left seat, leaving the R/H free to operate throttles, switches, drink, smoke, take drugs etc ! - So my instructor taught me anyway !

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

Strange you would see it that way Alan. Agree the experience of flying a model is nothing like full size but the mechanics are similar.......to turn a full size you add a bit of left stick & a bit of back stick....just like a mode 2 flyer.....

I still think Dave Bran has the right idea.....