New to r/c flying & forum - help needed

[Nifty 50]

Hi there,

I celebrated my 50th birthday yesterday by standing in a field on a freezing windy day for three hours getting hypothermia......oh and flying a model aircraft for the first time!  It was a Tutor 40 owned by the Midland Flying Training School and it was the best fun I've had in a long time.  I got fed up waiting for the kids to leave home (no matter how hard I try they are still here) and bit the bullet to realise a dream that is nearly 40 years old.

I am a virgin at this so please be gentle with me, I need help on a couple of things:

1.  Not only am I new to flying but I am also new to forums & how to use them, creating threads, ettiquette, posts, attachments,etc.  I have read your articles about using forums but I am not sure about where to post stuff or create new threads.  Have you any basic tips for a complete dunderhead?

2.  I am disabled (paralysed right arm from a motorcycle crash 20 years ago) which has made life interesting.  So I need to chat about the transmitter, swopping modes and adding gizmo's to fly the plane with the left hand.  I am boning up on this at the moment, has anyone got any ideas or experience about single handed flying?  One of the things I am looking at is making/modifying a joystick.

Your comments will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[Tim Mackey]

Hi Nifty, and a warm welcome - come in from the cold

Creating a thread is as simple as choosing the the right topic from the available list, then look for the "button" called "start a new thread" click it, enter a tiltle and headline ... and away you go.

(Dont worry if you put it in the wrong topic section, I will move it for you if necessary )

Ettiquette - using capitals is "SHOUTING" when on forums etc, so avoid. Across the top of your posting window are various icons representing tools such as italics, underlines etc...just select the text concerned, and apply the "tool". We are a child friendly board, so obviously avoid any adult stuff or you will find it deleted

It is also considered good manners to repond to any answers you may get to any thread you start.

Also please dont "cross post" this means putting the same thread /post in two different places n the forum.

In your profile settings page, set up the option to be notified whenever anyone answers your posts - then you get an instant email and link to it in you email box.

"Smilies" are up there too and each one should be self explanatory -this is a smiling smilie!

Click in the text where you want the smilie and then click the smilie face on the toolbar ( red top ) and choose.

Attachments read the tutorials on inserting pictures and if you want to insert a link to a webpage etc, read this

CLICK HERE

and here....

Cant help with your one handed thingy, but would expect that electric flight might be easiest, and use the mode 2 setup ( sometimes called "single stick" ) -should be best as your primary controls are on one stick....you will just have to sort something for a throttle - maybe a foot pedal or summat? There are one handed flyers out there, so heres hoping you get some help! Is your other hand completely unuseable ??

PS happy birthday for yesterday!

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[001]

Hello Nifty, re the transmitter issue, I remember several years ago there was a review of a transmitter, possibly by Futaba with controls as described above in an American Magazine, it was either in Radio Control Modeler (One L! in modeler.) Or Model Aircraft News, it might be worth contacting them through their internet sites to ask if they have details of it, I think that the transmitter was a standard type and that some flyers flew in this manner from choice.

And contact the BMFA to see if they have any information available.

[Nifty 50]

Hi there, many thanks for the warm welcome and the information.  I am properly thawed out now!

Please excuse my bad manners for not responding earlier.

I am looking on the web and have seen some interesting ideas, anyone seen the Heli-Chair?

Dave Phipps of the BMFA gave a talk about the BMFA at my club on Friday night and it never entered my head to ask him.  Doh!

[Tim Mackey]

I have deleted your other thread Nifty, and moved this one ( your original) over to this section - radio gear.

Hopefully someone else will be able to chime in with help for you I am sure , and as suggested the BMFA is a good place to get the info you need.

Best of luck, and keep us "posted"

[001]

I emailed my friend in the USA this morning, this is part of his reply ---        'yes it is a Single Stick transmitter & quite expensive. As you hold the X-mitter facing yourself the control stick is on the right side front, Elev. is up/down, aierons, rt./ left, rudder is at the top of the stick & is a spring loaded Rt./left action. Throttle control is on the right side (side) of the X-mitter as are the trims & some have trims at the top of the case also.I think Futaba still makes them.Usually the Xmtr is cradled in the left arm so that the left hand hand can rest on the side with the trims & Rt. hand controls the stick.I think maybe the radio may sell for $ 5-600.00 new, used ones around $ 300.00, but this is only a guess.'Hope this helps, I assume that a neck strap would be essential. (Also bearing in mind that the frequency used will be illegal here, but you might be able to get one converted to 35 mhz.). I have just looked in eBay U.S. but there is nothing on there at the moment.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Nifty 50]

Hi there, thanks for your tips.

The right arm is completely paralysed from the shoulder down, so I can only use my left hand for all the controls.  Timbo suggested maybe having a foot pedal for throttle.  One thought, do I need the rudder for flight or just on the ground as I can turn in flight with aileron & elevator?

I got a reply from the BMFA  giving me a contact who I will call tomorrow & let you know how I got on.

I had a chuckle thinking about the Heli-chair & how it would fit in the car, now if it folded like a deck chair.....

[001]

If you are willing to stay with a three channel model, that is, throttle, elevator and rudder OR ailerons then you could potentially fly a fair selection of aircraft. The rudder, is used on the ground to steer, on its own if it is a tail dragger , either connected to the tailwheel or not. And in the air of course. Or with a tricycle undercarriage, the nosewheel, usually connected to the rudder servo and acting with it.

Or if the aircraft has ailerons and no rudder,  there is no reason why a wheel steering servo could not be linked by a Y lead to the ailerons for ground steering.

Futaba (SS3) and Hitec (Focus 3SS) sell a very inexpensive three channel 35 mhz set, designed for aircraft, that has one stick for Elevator/direction on the right-front of the case and a slider on the front left for throttle, on the Futaba normally operated by the left thumb. I believe the Hitec slider is on the back. Perhaps you could look at one and see if you could manage one of these sets. They could also be adapted by a competent person so that the slider is physically moved to a position on the case where it can be manipulated by the fingers while using the stick. The Futaba does not have a loop for a neck strap, but one could be fitted.

[Nifty 50]

Hi Richard, I took a cue from your American friend and Googled "single stick 3 axis transmitter" and found loads of good information, many thanks for that.

I also looked up the Futaba & Hitec transmitters and I like them, a little bit of jiggery-pokery & fiddling and the job should be a good'un.

The brain cells are working overtime now, I really must go to bed at night. 

If only I didn't have to work during the day........

[Nifty 50]

Hi there,

I have been working away for a while so have been quiet....... but not idle!  The man who made the special transmitters was World Engines, however he retired several years ago and disposed of all his equipment & materials, though he put me onto another firm and I will find out more this week.

Surfing the web I did find what I am after on a couple of sites - Silvertone Mk 22 single stick transmitter & Jensen Jet Models single stick transmitter (minor problem, one is in Australia & the other is USA) - I am waiting for replies from them, to see if they can be used in the UK.

I just wanted to check, how do I sort the radio frequencies on these transmitters if they are imported?

I am also talking to someone about adapting the Futaba by having the slider moved and a new one fitted where the little finger sits in a ring and that moves up & down.

Holding the transmitter is not a problem, World Engines said his transmitters were mounted on a tray, with a neck strap at the end and two arms that fitted into coat pockets or behind the belt on your jeans (bending over not recommended!)

[Andy Green]

Not sure if this will help, but have you looked at the Multplex range of transmitters, they are designed to be used with a tray, so holding one won't be a problem,

They also have a rage of custom mod's  to increase their appeal. I seem to rember a switch or push button in the tops of the sticks to operate channels, and sliders on the front of the case.

Andy

[Nifty 50]

Hi Andy,

No, I did not know about Multiplex but I do now. Things are getting better & better.  I went on their UK dealer website, saw what they had and sent them an e-mail asking about the additional switches and mods.  The tray looks ideal too.

Thanks for the info

[Nifty 50]

Hi,

The Multiplex dealer replied to my e-mail and I have phoned him.  Turns out that he has modified one of his Cockpit SX transmitters for someone with a similar disability after a stroke.  He is reasonably close to where I live so I am going to go round and have a chat & "play" with his gear to see what can be done.

Is there anyone else interested in single handed controls?  I was thinking about saving what I find out somehow to help others.