What percentage of pilots fly Mode 1 in the UK?

[David Davis]

I am currently teaching another ex-pat Englishman, Andy, how to fly. In France something like 85% of pilots fly Mode 1, throttle right, elevator left, so the president of my club suggested that Andy should learn to fly Mode 1 even though I am Mode 2. The idea behind this was so that a French instructor could teach Andy if I were absent.

On our last flight training session Andy asked me what percentage of English pilots flew Mode 1. I replied that it was a good question but guessed 30-40%.

I learned to fly with a little club in North Devon back in the Eighties where everybody flew Mode 2. I then moved back to my native Shropshire and joined SMFC. Initially I would have guessed that nearly half of the membership flew Mode 1 but as the years rolled by more and more Mode 2 pilots joined the club.

I don't suppose there's any way of finding out exactly what the ratios are and it really doesn't matter, good pilots are good pilots whichever mode they fly, but what percentage of your club's members do you think fly Mode 1?

I must get out and do some gardening before it gets too hot!

[Geoff Parkes]

Not certain what the overall picture is nationwide , but in the Midlands I would say that the majority of pilots are mode 1 I fly in the Telford area, learnt to fly in the Bridgnorth area, and been in/at other local midlands clubs all who have members that predominatly fly mode 1 , it seems that when helicopter flying became more popular so did mode 2 .

[J D 8]

We have a mix of mode 1 and 2 flyers in our club. Used to be a pain when a new member with a mode 2 TX would turn up to find the only instructor was on mode 1.

Today this is not a problem as with modern radios you can have any mix you like with the buddy system . EG instructor on mode 1 pupil on mode 2

[Denis Watkins]

25% are Mode 1

75% are Mode 2

And that is a average of 2 surveys, where mode 1 could be nearer 20% nowadays

[paul devereux]

I think Mode 2 is the most "normal" mode where you have the two main flight controls on one stick, with ancillary controls on the left.

Throttle and rudder are much less used than climb or turn.

[JOHN MOSLEY 2]

Yep power flyer wedge the throttle wide open and only use the rudder on take off, Mode 2 was good for Smokers who flew planks on the slope (2 Channel on used) Light a cig with the left hand.

[Nigel R]

"Throttle and rudder are much less used than climb or turn."

Can of worms, but, rudder is a primary control, as in, used as much as aileron and elevator...

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Thought throttle was climb ?

[Mark Agate]

Survey results from 2010: **LINK**

[Jon H]

Posted by JOHN MOSLEY 2 on 04/07/2018 09:58:08:

Yep power flyer wedge the throttle wide open and only use the rudder on take off,

They must be pretty poor pilots then. I agree with Nigel, rudder is a primary control and anyone i teach is fully versed in how to use it. Certainly i couldnt do without it on any of the models i fly

We are all mode 2 at my club.

[Peter Christy]

As only us "oldies" are probably aware of the how's and why's of the mode 1 vs mode 2 split, here's a little history lesson!

Back in the late 50s / early 60s, proportional radios as we know them today didn't exist. The only multi-channel R/C systems were non-proportional, and usually known as "reeds" or "bang-bang".

A typical transmitter looked like this:

and could control aileron, rudder, elevator and throttle plus (usually) an elevator trim. The switches were "click" action, and pushing one over would move the servo to its full deflection! The aerodynamic controls (aileron, elevator and rudder) would self-center when the switch was released. The throttle and elevator trim functions were progressive, and would move in the desired direction as long as the switch was held (or they reached their travel limit).

The servos were deliberately quite slow, so that "blipping" the switches would produce a partial movement of the control surface.

Each transmitter contained two "tone" generators - one controlled by the right side switches and the other by the left. Each switch produced a different frequency tone, and these were separated in the receiver, usually by a "reed bank", not unlike those found in clockwork musical boxes (a sort of pre-historic Walkman!), and a signal sent to the appropriate servo.

The reason for having two tone generators was to enable two controls to be operated at once. You could, for example, apply aileron and elevator at the same time, or rudder and elevator, but NOT aileron and rudder!

To prevent accidental operation of a "forbidden" combination, the switches were arranged so as to make it physically difficult to achieve! Hence, aileron and rudder would be on the right side, and elevator and throttle on the left.

Despite the apparent crudity of the system, it worked well and continued to be popular well after modern proportional systems had appeared because of its superior reliability!

As a consequence, when proportional did start to become accepted, nearly all the experienced flyers had got used to having the elevator under their left thumb, and found it difficult to adapt to a conventional joystick arrangement with aileron and elevator together!

Naturally, when newcomers entered the hobby and sought instruction, the experts of the day taught them in the mode with which they were familiar - nowadays known as "Mode 1".

Those who were self taught tended to emulate full-size practice with "Mode 2". Its interesting to note that most of the pockets of Mode 1 are clustered in the areas where, back in the day, the big RC clubs, with plenty of experts, existed!

These days, my preferred transmitter mode is this:

A single stick "cuddle-box", as used by many of the very early proportional systems, and still popular in America today! The stick controls aileron and elevator, with rudder control achieved by twisting the knob on the top. Throttle is on a slider on the right hand side of the case, operated by the left hand, when the transmitter is cradled in the left arm. It feels very natural in practice....!

--

Pete

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Posted by Denis Watkins on 04/07/2018 08:55:06:

25% are Mode 1

75% are Mode 2

And that is a average of 2 surveys, where mode 1 could be nearer 20% nowadays

I agree Denis - if there has been any movement since those surveys then I think there is likely to have been a decline in mode 1 is my feeling. Our survey strongly suggested that this was a region based thing, so flyers learning in the Midlands where much more likely to fly mode 1 - because they were taught mode 1 by flyers who learned in the Midlands! Also of course all the local model shops stocked predominantly mode 1 set-up transmitters. But with modern transmitters this isn't an issue anymore and I think the cycle is breaking - with many you can buddy up, the student can be on one mode and the instructor be on another.

One thing I would add - there is no "right mode" - let's not get into that sterile pointless argument, we have been there too many times in the passed. The "right mode" is the one you feel happiest with, full stop.

BEB

[paul devereux]

Posted by john stones 1 on 04/07/2018 10:29:18:

Thought throttle was climb ?

 

I was taught that too, but after a bit of full size training, throttle and up combined is climb, especially in an emergency. Unless you need a bit of down, in a stall. Whatever.

Edited By paul devereux on 04/07/2018 11:46:52

[Bob Cotsford]

One relevant point for those who started with 2 or 3 channel sets was that these were in essence mode 1, I remember converting when I bought my first true multi set as it was easier than adapting the second-hand mode 2 Horizon transmitter that saw me through the next few years.

I would say that most of my club is Mode 1, which ties in with the Midlands bias, all our instructors being mode 1 pilots.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I joined a primarily Mode 2 club in the mid 70s and had a 2 channel Sanwa transmitter. This had the directional control on the right and the pitch control on the left.

Being smarter than the average purchaser () and realising that this was actually half a Mode 1 configuration, I decided in my wisdom to swap the sticks directions (no doubt invalidating any warranties as I had to modify the stick units) to align with the predominant elevator on the right stick and rudder (no ailerons on my Lumpers trainer) on the left adopted by the experts at the club with their "full house" systems. I proudly presented my handiwork to one of the experienced flyers at the field who reacted in horror and found it extremely awkward to fly. Needless to say, I reverted to the original configuration and within a few months splashed out a month's wages for a proper 6 channel outfit on what seemed (to me) the natural and commonly used at my club, Mode 2 which I had no trouble adapting to and in fact used both transmitters on a regular basis.

I can appreciate the arguments put forward by proponents of Mode 1 but have no desire or need to try (or arguably revert to) any other configuration. As BEB says, there is no right mode and it comes down to personal preference and availability of instructors (even with mixed mode buddying enabling early training it is sometimes very useful to be able to take a transmitter from an early solo pilot who's in trouble).

[Jon H]

Nice history lesson Pete

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[AVC]

I learnt to fly in Spain, and the RC there was imported from the US rather than from Europe, so most people there fly mode 2, and so do I.

Some years ago I tried to train myself to mode 1, using a little self made depron, but I couldn;t get my brain to respond properly, and that was the end of my attempts, and of course of the depron model...

[Stuart Z]

I learned to fly Mode 1 up in East Anglia where it was the norm. I’ve moved south and I think I’m one of only two Mode 1 flyers in the club.

S

[Former Member]

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[AVC]

Percy, you are probably right! I know that mine didn’t es not always respond properly, and not only when I try to fly in Mode 1

[Martyn K]

I learned to fly on a Futaba 2 channel Transmitter (gliders). Rudder (or aileron) on the right stick , elevator left stick. This was effectively Mode 1 on 2 channels.

When I graduated to a Futaba 27MHz M (FM) in about 1980 it seemed sensible to stick with this - in fact the default was Mode 1. Throttle/Aileron right, Rudder/Elevator left.

When I came back to flying after about a 10 year gap - about 10 years ago, I decided to re-learn to fly on Mode 2 as I thought (incorrectly) that I may need instruction (which I didn't) - which in hindsight was a mistake as (apparently) its far easier to roll on Mode 1. Right stick controls the roll rate, left stick can be moved in a triangle (ish) to correctly place the rudder then elevator then rudder to keep the roll nice and axial.

Now, am I too late to undo the error of my ways?

Martyn

[Former Member]

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