Thumbs, sticks and a strange habit??

[Former Member]

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[Dwain Dibley.]

I do that Dave, it's not weird if I do it.........is it ?

I put this down to the fact that we have well trimmed models, that we can trust to fly on their own a bit....a sign of a good aero modeller Matey.....Take a pat on the back..

D.D.

[Denis Watkins]

That is just your Thumb/ Brain reset switch Dave

Seems normal to me

[Bill_B]

Sounds more like an arthritis related rest to me.

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Hi David , nothing strange..... all the rest of RC fliers have some '' tics'' but we are not even aware of it . Important is to continuously follow the model in flight and to react immediately to model behavior.

Cheers

Jos

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Might be an age thing ? you having a nap

[Keith Berriman]

Hi David. Strange you should mention that I do the same thing in a flight just to make sure the model is tracking as it should. I try to get any students to get into the habit soon after takeoff when they have brought the model round again into wind check all trimmed out

[Former Member]

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[Don Fry]

This sounds like a variation of a well known and regarded bit of sports psychology. In any precision sport, the coach seeks to keep the participant up to scratch. In shooting the mantra is, "the nut behind the butt is as good as the NEXT shot, not the LAST shot." In a more continuous sport, the coach seeks to split the performance, so the nut can win the next segment. This is the area in football called Furgietime, when the ex Manchester coach used to deliberately coach the side to seek to win the period at the end of the match, with famous results.

So you are resetting your performance clock.

I used to do it with my junior 60, except my reset was to put the tranni down and roll a fag.

[Colin Carpenter]

Me too ! I've noticed that. Thought I was checking model tracking but I don't do physco babble !😂😂 colin

[Former Member]

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[Chris Walby]

Interesting as yesterday in the clubhouse there was a discussion about stick tension (apparently there was phase when floppy sticks were in vogue!), perhaps not such a good idea then!

Don't know how often I do it, but if have a spell of intense flying (stick bashing or just trying to crack that scale pass) I might just check the balance by easing off the sticks (normally nice & high and into wind), plan the next phase and fly on.

I think that's where very new pilots may find 8 minutes of absolute and continuous concentration rather tiring!

I wonder what the comp guys do?

[OZ e flyer]

Interesting. I was recently (gently) chastised by my club trainer for taking my thumb off the throttle stick. I was flying straight and level with about 50% throttle and I was very comfortable with everything exactly as my thumbs left it. I was however reminded that whilst my thumbs were not on the sticks I was not in control. Fair call I thought.

I do however believe in the philosophy that if it ain't broke, don't fix it, so resisting the temptation to fiddle by taking my thumbs off was my intent. Now I'm just confused. Lol.

TP

[Former Member]

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[Don Fry]

Quote from Chris Walby, "I think that's where very new pilots may find 8 minutes of absolute and continuous concentration rather tiring!"

Grand Prix drivers have a rest several times a lap, and then reset for the next couple of corners. People can't concentrate for long periods. The training is to get little periods of good concentration to look like one continuous performance. We all have a habit. I take a breath in through my nose, and let it out through my mouth.

Edited By Donald Fry on 17/03/2017 16:00:42

[gangster]

Tipsy Pilot. I like the gently chastised bit. When I was learning my tutor said to me. " if you twang the sticks like that I will smack you round the ear ". A bit later he kept his promise. Wow what a wack he hit hard

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

While there's nothing wrong with taking the thumbs off the stick for a short period, I suspect that your instructor was more interested in reinforcing the habit of using the rudder appropriately with the ailerons - many (mode 2) flyers seem to concentrate on the right thumb and become very lazy with the left.

[OZ e flyer]

Made me laugh gangster. Must have been quite a surprise. Lol.

Martin, I think you're right on the money. Being a newbie at this model flying gig I'm certain he was just reinforcing good practice.

On the topic of stick control, I read recently that some model pilots fly with stick(s) pinched between thumb and forefinger. Myself, I have never seen it and I fly with my thumbs on top of the sticks. Which suits me but I do wish the sticks were not so pointy on top. I notice after extended periods my thumbs get a little tender.

Out of curiosity, How do others hold their control sticks?

TP

[Chris Walby]

Six of one and half a dozen of the other...just depend what you feel comfortable with...like mode 2 or mode 1.

Some say with a tray you can rest you hands an pinch the stick others lift the tray to get the fingers around the TX.

I think the heli guys tend to pinch the sticks....

You could file them down or stick some rubber/foam in top... just don't make them too low friction!

[OZ e flyer]

Thought about filing the points but not keen on it. Saw one person glued little beads in the top of the stick. Not a bad idea.

[Broken Prop]

I have just gone over to a tray type transmitter from a 'thumbs on top' type. At first it felt very strange and I found that I overcorrected the stick movements until I stopped thinking about what the sticks were doing and concentrated on what the plane was doing!

I noticed that I instinctively rested my hands on the TX, using just the thumb, index finger and second finger to move the sticks. Supporting the hands also gave me reference points by which to gauge the amount of stick movement and also to steady my fingers. With the hands unsupported stick movements tended to be a bit random!

The downside of the tray type TX is that I find it difficult to adjust the trims as I do not have spare digits in the right place. I will get used to it in the end but you know what they say about teaching old dogs......

[Former Member]

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[Peter Jenkins]

I agree that using a tray, if you started with thumbs, takes a bit of time. In my case it was around 3 months. In answer to an earlier post about how competition pilots hold sticks from my observation it varies even with the top guys. Some use trays, some hold their tranny's with their arms hanging fully down, some are thumbs and some are finger and thumbs. I prefer to fly with a tray these days although I can still fly holding a tranny with thumbs only. The main benefit to me was that it made long inverted runs easier to control.

As to resting between manoeuvres, I had not realised till a friend watching me fly said that I released the sticks quite a few times. I fly, or try to fly, competition aerobatics and there are, as someone commented on, a few moments when exiting one manoeuvre and before entering the next that you can draw breath - it may be that it was during those periods that my "grip" was loosened. The interesting point is that I was unaware of the fact!

There is a trend with some competition pilots to trim the model so it needs the same amount of up pressure as down pressure to fly straight and level. That would preclude the moments of rest that I am unconsciously taking. I've not tried this but I guess it would cure any tendency to relax between manoeuvres, at least on the elevator stick!

[Former Member]

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[Bob Cotsford]

perhaps he thought he'd get a better signal that way, or he was using it as a sunshade? I've seen that done at my club where we often have to take off or land with the sun in our faces.