View Full Version : Having a blast!! thumb or 2 finger flying!!
bladelearnin
04-09-2008, 07:25 PM
I find that hovreing in the wind is very tricky but really teaches stick control and also found that using thumb and finger apposed to thumbs only allows more control. just shootin the breeze
Thumbs vs pinch is worse then talking about which religion is right !!! Iam a thumber btw.
JOMAZQ
04-09-2008, 08:24 PM
All thumbs, too!
scolex
04-09-2008, 08:31 PM
Well since he started it.... I pinch.. Makes me feel like I have more control that way. It's just in my head <- well the voices anyway.
HeliMix
04-09-2008, 08:52 PM
Pinch (w/ neckstrap too, makes it easier)
.
Signed, Newbie who knows no better yet.
LockMD
04-09-2008, 09:29 PM
Well since he started it.... I pinch.. Makes me feel like I have more control that way. It's just in my head <- well the voices anyway.
MORE beer will help quiet them voices :YeaBaby:
I am a thumber too......will try pinch eventually (maybe) for now I just want to stay in the air.
bladelearnin
04-09-2008, 11:18 PM
I did start with thumbs ( 10 batteries ago) and went to the lhs and talked to couple advanced fliers and got persueded to try pinch and fell I have more control actually stay in the air for a full batt now felt strange at first and was scary but the control is so much better just my .02 cents
skigolfmike
04-10-2008, 07:52 AM
The question was posed to Curtis Youngblood on his website. His answer (highly paraphrased here) was that both thumb and pinch fliers fly well. There are many example of top pilots either way. The advantage of thumb fliers is they can generally move the sticks faster, the pinch fliers are usually more precise around center. Thumb fliers usually fly with a little more expo to help around center.
I fly thumbs. I did try thumb and finger once but I liked thumbs better. I generally fly with a little expo. I have 20% on AIL & ELE on the B400. When I flew pattern (2 finals in Masters at the Nats) I used just enough expo to get a linear feel on the sticks. Also I like the sticks short and I turn up the spring tension. I'll probably get stiffer springs of my DX7 and do the ball bearing stick conversion too.
YMMV.
bladelearnin
04-10-2008, 08:50 AM
cool very interesting reply but I'm newbe and just trying to keep in the air now lol and feel more control w/ the pinch
skigolfmike
04-10-2008, 09:11 AM
If you like it keep doing it.:thumbup:
derelict
04-10-2008, 09:31 AM
well... i started with pinch..... then suddenly i realized that doing the thumb thing makes me feel more connected to the bird.
then i realized increasing the spring tension makes me even more connected.... and now... i'm thinking about converting back to the pinch method because i know (from personal experience) i can fly my bird more precisely..... BUUUUUT.... flying the pinch method scares the hell out of me.... because i don't feel connected at all.
help me please... am i lost ???? :smokin::confused::arggg: :YeaBaby::YeaBaby::YeaBaby:
HeliMix
04-10-2008, 09:35 AM
... do the ball bearing stick conversion too.
Tell us more.
terrybeb
04-10-2008, 09:44 AM
I do both I thumb with my left and pinch with my right for more control of the cyclic. I also use a tray that just came on the market. I took the left hand rest off so I can thumb but keep the right hand rest on for pinching the cyclic.
For anyone who is interested this is a extremely solidly built tray. I'm very pleased with it.
http://www.thunderboltrc.com/
skigolfmike
04-10-2008, 09:55 AM
Tell us more.
Ready Heli 4x7x2 DX7 Bearing Upgrade
(http://www.readyheli.com/Ready_Heli_4x7x2_DX7_Bearing_Upgrade_p/bb4x7x2.htm)
ericm7030
04-10-2008, 12:33 PM
This is an interesting conversation. I started thumbing when I was flying my CX2.
Now I pinch the sticks. It's funny, because now that I pinch the sticks, I feel akward using my thumbs. I can see points for both ways, but in the end it comes down to preference.
Something I might try to make on my lathe are some of the larger gimble handles.
Maybe 3/8" or 1/2" in diameter.
I would like to hear from somebody who has tried these. I know you can buy them for about $15 a pair.
https://www.readyheli.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RC%5FSTYX&CartID=1
HeliMix
04-10-2008, 12:47 PM
Well, while on the sim at lunch today I thought about this thread and I was sort of wrong on my method (I don't use a true pinch). I have my thumbs on the top of the sticks and my index fingers on the forward side/front of the sticks. Kind of pinching them from the top and front. So if I'm out of control, I can move my index fingers away from the sticks, then I am controlling the sticks with my thumbs resulting in a quicker and greater range of motion so I can quickly recover.
skigolfmike
04-10-2008, 01:31 PM
The other thing with regard to TX setup is spring tension. If you want more spring tension on the sticks, you need stiffer springs. You can get them at Radio South (http://www.radiosouthrc.com/tx_spring.htm).
I have removed the screws on my tension posts, which makes the tension as loose as i can get they without mucking about with the springs.
shutout31
04-10-2008, 06:22 PM
I met and flew with a guy last weekend and he had agreat idea for his TX. He used rubber bumpers for a raptor 90 and put them on his TX levers. they fit perfectly, and really gave a solid, connected grip on the sticks. The bumpers feel kind of tacky and looked and worked awesome. Came home and ordered some that day. should see them tomorrow. I'll let you know how they work out. Oh Yeah, I pinch....
x RayoVac x
04-10-2008, 08:56 PM
I have removed the screws on my tension posts, which makes the tension as loose as i can get they without mucking about with the springs.
I have a X9303 and am a thumber... I am o.k. with the right stick, but my left stick was a bit "sticky", meaning it was not real stiff, but seemed to be difficult to make real small incremental moves without it kind of sticking. I am not sure if the spring was to tight or what, but I took it apart, I put a bit more grease on it and loosened the screw as far as I felt I could without it falling out. It seems a lot better now.
LEADWORKS
04-10-2008, 10:07 PM
... (I don't use a true pinch). I have my thumbs on the top of the sticks and my index fingers on the forward side/front of the sticks. Kind of pinching them from the top and front. So if I'm out of control, I can move my index fingers away from the sticks, then I am controlling the sticks with my thumbs resulting in a quicker and greater range of motion so I can quickly recover.
Me too! Thumbs on top, and fingers on front side of sticks. That's how I always used to fly fixed wing aircraft. I'm a noob at helis, but I'm doing really well with hovering and slow forward flight.