21 Habits RC Pilots NEED To Form

[@doubledoot]

I just started flying RC, and this vid contained a whole lot of useful advice. I look forward to seeing your channel grow.

[@userTJ39780]

No pinching. I started with thumbs and I'm really happy with them.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Law of primacy! 👍

[@PeteSampson-qu7qb]

I would like to add one. Set up all control linkages on a new plane with servos centered and trims neutral. Don't just adjust them from the transmitter. If you do it the easy way you might have uneven throws and/or run out of trim authority. Then, after I trim a plane in the air, I physically adjust things so my transmitter is back to neutral. This is especially important with nose gear. Adjusting a nose gear with the rudder trim, or simply holding rudder to track straight, is a good way to snap roll on takeoff! Get it rolling straight before worrying about getting in the air. Cheers!

[@stevendegiorgio3143]

Good advice to fly the plane to the crash site.The same is true for full scale airplanes.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

That’s where we learned it from 👍

[@TheLucas2696]

Never understood pinching. It's definitely more precise if you always fly exclusively in the center portion of the stick. For those of us that use the entire gimbal though, it can be difficult to get a full range of motion without adding unintended inputs since you're balancing force between two fingers.

[@vulduv]

4:08 The mountainbiking community has the exact same saying. Never say "this is my last run" or anything even remotely similar. It puts you into the mindset of needing to make this last run as "cool" or "amazing" as you can. Which leads to taking huge risks that either result in a pile of scrap wood on the ground, or going over the handle bars in mountainbiking. I'm gonna guess that nearly every hobby with a physical risk of injury or property damage has this saying. NEVER SAY IT IS YOUR LAST RUN!

[@trainsplanesandautomobiles2547]

Just wanted to add a few tips and stuff I’ve learned from the hobby. This is my 5th year in the hobby with mostly umx planes and two scratch build flight test planes. First. I just use my thumbs on my controller because I’ve adapted to that from using those umx remotes. It’s more of what you feel more comfortable with. And I’ve adapted to I can fly great 2. Crashing is all apart of the experience. It’s the rebuilding and learning from your mistakes that’s makes the hobby fun. 3. This hobby is for you. The thing about rc planes is there’s a wide range of stuff you can do. Me I love 3d but I love scale and scale landings especially. Maybe float planes or sport planes. This hobby is great cause you can make it to your liking.

[@NeedSpeedRC]

Watching Ramy RC’s 787 crash 1:11 hurts every time! Great tips for pilots of all skill level.

[@stejer211]

Mandatory viewing for beginners.

[@jeffs7915]

Have you ever noticed that most of the complaints of signal loss happen in the corners of the field where the final turns are made.? That's because they're too slow, no rudder is used or ailerons are used at too low an air speed. Also on many videos You'll see people standing behind the plane on a maiden or take off and they claim that they're doing this because they can better control the airplane. I suggest that's true because they haven't developed the skills to use the rudder properly when the frame is coming towards them. It's amazing how defensive they get about these practices that are used to conceal their deficiencies

[@thatparamotorguy]

Engaging, informative, and just the right amount of crass. . . Nicely done!

[@sufysprojects2689]

1000%

[@TestECull]

4:08 I would also say electric pilots should be using the nitro start stands too. Don't power on your ESC unless that airplane is somewhere where it can't go anywhere if it goes rogue. Using those start stands to plug in the battery and arm the ESC means a brown pants moment isn't also a red hand moment.

[@Juniperrrrrr]

About the post flight throttle, another habit to ingrain is setting up a throttle kill switch, and always double checking both throttle is down and throttle cut switch is off when you are not flying the plane. Further, I like to make sure the throttle cut has taken effect by moving the throttle up just a bit and then back down (of course making sure the prop is clear of anything)

[@Juniperrrrrr]

Another thing is to set up a prearm on your quad. It requires a switch be flipped (preferably a momentary switch), followed by the arm switch being flipped on, followed by prearm being released. Basically the idea is, it makes it much harder to accidentally arm the quad

[@JasonHurt-of2kj]

I really can appreciate this video, I’ve spent a lot of time through the years practicing safety and being attentive to everything. Spot on with every tip. Wish I had this information before my first flights, it’s ok I just learned the hard way and still flying and bouncing em off. Well done video, love it!!

[@scalerc2842]

Dude I died when that glider started pulling 100gs with the earrape playing Lmao

[@pepegac9999]

I mean i could find pinching usefull only when u need that grip preciseness lile close to ground 3D or small gaps with FPV

[@TheAsianlove]

Awesome video! I'm happy to hear the part for more landing. For me on my first 2 (only 2 airplanes so far) during maiden, once its off the air and trimmed all I did was landings for the first 4-6 batteries. Loops and rolls are essentially easy.

[@TestECull]

5:34 Not having a rudder, to me, feels like something isn't right. Part of why I don't fly my Long EZ as often as I like. It doesn't have rudders, so crosswinds are its worst enemy.

[@FarmerFpv]

I put split elevons on my Long EZ so I can get Yaw control for cross-wind landings. You just have to add two more servos, cut the elevons into two pieces so that you have 4, and add a Rudder Elevon mix. Or you can add wing tip rudders with 2.5g flat actuator servos. I always add a rudder or split Elevons to my planes that do have a rudder. I always want yaw control.

[@AtjovGaming]

Nice video. Thanks you for ideas i Will try next when I would go flying.

[@Juniperrrrrr]

Two habits that I have ingrained in myself: 1. Check that all the servos are functional before throttling up on the runway, just one final check that I hooked everything up right. 2. Check that a battery is fresh before putting it in the plane, always, no exceptions. Double check if there is an inkling of doubt. I’ve seen a friend forget this in a beautiful 80 some inch bushmaster, and it didn’t end well.

[@Seacoast68]

I hit 2 deer in the past 10 years of driving. Both were in November just after sunset and less than a mile from my house. I learned my lesson and now drive no faster than the speed limit, high beams on, and and my head on a swivel at dusk and dawn from Oct to Dec.

[@TestECull]

3:21 my Long EZ 46 flies best with the CG about a quarter inch back from where the manual says it should be.

[@mikessi]

Well done once again THP. Your videos are very entertaining and full of useful info. Easily said, but difficult to actually do.

[@maddadbikes]

Had to laugh, I definitely crashed due to ailerons being reversed. Shortest flight I ever had. Good tip though, and now I check control surfaces pretty thoroughly.

[@KetilDuna]

Lots of good advice. A fellow flyer once spotted reversed ailerons for me - listening to others is a good idea. Especially after some time without flying.

[@lw216316]

good advice, may I add - always check your battery level right before you install it into the plane to fly. I have seen many crashes due to a low battery being used. They I hear things like - but I charged it up last night, or I checked it when I first got to the field. Also, always check your flight controls and switch settings right before you take off. Again, I have seen many crashes due to reversed controls and wrong radio switch settings. The pilot thought things were right but something happened or they had a bad memory.

[@sharp68chevyguy]

I fly pusher airplanes, I always land right at my feet.. I definitely don't do this with my puller models though.

[@ToastyMozart]

Regarding prop safety, I'd strongly recommend taking a page from the multirotor/flight controller community and setting up an arming switch. Mix a spare switch to add -100 to the Throttle channel when not toggled, that way unintended throttle inputs/bumps can't spin up the motors unless the arming switch is active.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Yep, throttle cuts are what us fixed wingers use 👍

[@kevinmaxwellwilkin4915]

Nice tips , sometimes some of these KZbin's make the hobby sound so complicated that you wonder if it's fun or work !

[@donvito204]

Gave a thumbs up as soon as I saw Lahey

[@pokerchannel6991]

you said something abou tbaseball. I am going to use that information in my fighting game. I am in a game where it is a war game. I am going use that baseball information to remind me to never take a bad engagement. I want to only engage when the set up is correct. I don't want to injure my troops unnecessraily. So, when I do not have the proper setup, I will keep my spacing and my distance and timing away from harm. Then, when the right window opens, I will pounce and get an overwhelming tactical advantage and kill the enemy dead.

[@TestECull]

8:36 My only aircraft that qualifies is my Long EZ 46, and it qualifies because it doesn't have rudders. On days with no crosswind, that thing is a DREAMBOAT to land. IT floats like a damn glider. Chop it to idle and let it slide in low and slow itt'l butter the toast every time. But throw a crosswind into the mix and...yeeahhh that's when things get hairy with that ship. I can't sideslip it into the wind like I can a full house bird and, as a result, I generally don't fly it in crosswinds. If I do, I tend to bring it down when they've died down. One of these days I'll put drag rudders on it like the full scale Long EZ has. If I can at least get enough yaw authority to cross control into a 5-10mph crosswind with it I'll be able to fly it much more often.

[@ricardopr54]

Thanks for sharing this important tips!👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾Happy New Year 2024 from Ponce, Puerto Rico 🌴 🏊🏾‍♂️ 🍺 🤶 🇵🇷 Like#44

[@Crustychief1]

RCGEEK!!!!!

[@MabrysDad]

What parafoil are you flying in this vid? I’m wanting to branch out.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Check out our video titled, “Para-RC Cloud | Slow Motion Flying”

[@Argosh]

When flying a new plane set your trim! And train your touch and goes.

[@larrylutsky181]

Good tips except for the one about not worrying too much about the CG. I am an aerospace engineer and I've been flying RC for about 40 years. You do need to worry about your CG! Heed the old saying, "a nose heavy plan flies poorly. A tail heavy plan flies once. 😃

[@TailHeavyProductions]

The CG tolerances of RC planes is way wider than people realize before it’ll really bite you. Not only that, the stock suggested CG of most RC planes is conservatively nose heavy. Not everything has to be done to the book. There’s a reason we’re called Tail Heavy Productions. 😁 Fly outside the box! 📦 ✈️

[@12345fowler]

@@TailHeavyProductions Once I launched a performance glider (Kauz) for it's maiden, and totally forgot to balance it. There was no lead at all in the nose. It flew a great amount of distance (straight line in the field) but was completely unflyable in pitch. After realising my mistake, I was suprised it could fly at all. CG was probably so far back that maybe the down elevator was providing pitch up lol.

[@andrewsrcplanesrcfun3765]

Nice video all your suggestions are perfectly valid and it would not hurt new pilots to watch your video highly recommend it your point on touch and goes is quit true I practice for hours every battery just touch and goes now landing is a breeze

[@aGabay]

Great video! Just a little note about CG, in 3:00 that slide notes about aft CG having insufficient elevator. That is not the reason - it's bad because of stability reasons: if you have the CG behind the CP, any perturbation in airspeed/pitch is surely going to start an oscillating reaction, making you look for your trash bags. insufficient elevator is relevant to a too forward CG, limiting your pitch control.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Thanks! Nope, that slide is correct. It references insufficient elevator *nose down force* . This is in relation to not being able to get the nose down to recover from a stall due to the aft CG. This is *not* related to elevator control authority.

[@aGabay]

@@TailHeavyProductions that's a very specific case of flight on the back of the envelope, that depends on your aircraft's basic sizing and design. In flight mechanics the critical point or the "don't go behind" is the point where you lose statcic stability.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

​@@aGabay This slide is right out of the FAA's pilot's handbook of aeronautical knowledge. I use the same info to teach my full-scale students the basics of center of gravity as it relates to aerodynamics and feel in flight. What a pilot needs to know to safely operate an airplane is different than what an engineer or mechanic needs to know to safely work on or design an airplane.

[@aGabay]

@@TailHeavyProductionsyou are absolutely right, from a pilot's perspective - that's what he needs to know, a pilot (except modern fighters) should never take off with the CG aft of the CP. From an aerospace engineer's point of view - it's the one I mentioned.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

@@aGabay Not even that. Center of lift isn't even expected to be understood until you're at the instructor level, and even then, the most you'd be expected to understand is that when you pull the power back abruptly the nose goes forward because the center of lift goes behind the CG. I can't imagine a scenario speaking as a jet operator and GA instructor that I'd be worried about center of lift at any point before any flight. All pilots need to be conscious of is keeping the plane balanced. That's it. Keep it simple to be able to safely operate an airplane. 🙂

[@TestECull]

5:12 Yeeeeeeep. We have 400' of air to use, MINIMUM, with many flying sites(Mine is 500', sometimes 600') so why are we only flying in the first 25 feet of it? I make tons of dumb thumb mistakes but because I'm flying up there around 150-250' AGL I have more than enough space to get it gathered back up. Also means I'm not in the way of touch'n'go joe or the 3D guys. They can do their thing below me. Nobody else seems to fly in that area so that's where I go right up to.

[@kevinmaxwellwilkin4915]

Nice video , any flight sim you would recommend?

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Can’t beat Real Flight!

[@iPhone3GS_68]

Love the trailer park boys clip

[@DaninVA]

Great video and all important tips!

[@KILLA-J]

I enjoy your videos very much. Videos like this one take time - very well done!!! Before I retired I made hundreds of videos (for my job) so, maybe I appreciate good videos because I understand what goes into making them. I began flying rc airplanes when I was 18 years old - that was 1976. I think your collection of videos - especially videos like this one - do more to help promote a successful entry into RC airplanes than any other videos I've seen. Thank you very much and please publish more! :)

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Thank you, Brad! Great to hear you're enjoying them. We make new videos weekly so stay tuned! 👍

[@palbi]

Fantastic!

[@Negativity808]

You remind me of my fl8ght instructor. I was expecting you to say use more right rudder. Ha

[@davidbennett1585]

I took my heli up two mistakes high and paid the price. GREAT advice….had I been three mistakes high I would be out there today enjoying our beautiful weather instead of ordering parts.

[@bluecharizardz1512]

I always do multiple landings on one flight

[@ajaxmk69]

Thx bro ima buy a p51 mustang

[@bob_mallan]

I have a rc plane that has it own webiste in form were i bougth it there is every part of the plane on the website for servos screws wings and fuselage so im lucky about my rc plane

[@ronaldonogueira74]

Excellent, congrats

[@simonetaormina7080]

Range check and fail safe don’t mean swat. I’ve seen guys go through all that still go home with a garbage bag, and CG is without a doubt the most important thing on a plane.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Nothing is perfect, and nope, we've never had issues flying our planes with the CG much further aft than what the manual says. Everything out there is incredibly conservatively nose heavy by default. 👍

[@hellfire08]

“Rona virus sends B29 into crowd“ 😂😂😂😂

[@flightsimguy69]

so with the landing i kinda cant go around or do a smooth approach because its either trees or power lines lol

[@davestrain9529]

Take to the Experts, and Their Guidence...at the Field. Nice ZAPPA SHIRT!! at 5:47...Yah..ill listen to HIM!!!! Rip all that is FRANK!

[@tylerbrunkhorst]

This is great!

[@TestECull]

3:37 I will literally go rip a branch off one of the trees and use that before I even think of sticking my fingers in a prop of an engine that's 'live'. IE, an engine with a glow driver attached, an engine with the CDI system powered on.

[@RECK_Adventures]

As a decently skilled thumber, I only marginally agree with the pinch vs thumb argument. I think in theory pinching should be better. I have never been able to do it personally though and I've seen many examples of top level skill using thumbs. In the drone racing world for example there are both thumbers and pinchers at the top. Neon FPV is a great example of a top pilot that uses thumbs only. He is able to do some things that only the top few percent of pilots will ever be able to do. I guess there will always be someone that is better than you, even when that person is doing it the wrong way. lol so don't worry about doing it the wrong way just get better at doing it the way that's most comfortable for you.

[@acetheguardian7706]

I started rc flying last year but I can't do touch and goes because I fly powered gliders

[@TailHeavyProductions]

We thought the same thing and then had a fun challenge one day to do “skis and gos” with our powered gliders. 😁 It worked! Fly outside the box 📦 ✈️

[@aheis1313]

Unfortunately this is how my Easter weekend went lost an f22 and an f16. Heart broken but not defeated.

[@kalelammers]

lol i did a paper on lipo batteries. THEY ARE DANGEROUS IF MISUSED

[@TailHeavyProductions]

You’ll love a video we’re coming out with in a couple weeks then 😁

[@sufysprojects2689]

awesome video man!

[@michaelhannah5376]

The wrecked eurofighter was nothing to do with limitations. The plane was set up with the canards and the elevators were set up incorrectly

[@metalwizard23]

Remember a nose heavy plane flies poorly A tail heavy plane flies once..

[@TailHeavyProductions]

We’ve found this to not be true. 😁

[@TestECull]

6:58 I'm gonna have to disagree with that flight plan. You're basically condensing the first 4-5 flights into one and that is a recipe for disaster. Flight 1: Get it off the ground, trim it out. Most extreme thing done? Maybe a loop or a roll. If it has retracts/flaps, fly it 'clean'. When coming in to land, do a low pass to verify that the retracts are back down again if so equipped, and also to suss out how it behaves in that sort of flight regime. The goal here is to get it up there, lazy circuit the pattern for 4-5 minutes, then land it again. It's rare I don't discover something up there that needs some actual wrenching to remedy, and usually I'll have some hardware rattling loose as well, so no point trying to fly it like I stole it this early on. Plus, if I used a new engine in the build, the engine's probably only got 10-15 minutes of runtime on it and it's not broken in yet. Beating on it now will mean it fails in short order. Those things are expensive! Not a concern you electro guys have, but as someone who flies exclusively fuel, engine break-in is critical. Flight 2: After making adjustments and tightening hardware that rattled loose on flight 1, start pushing the envelope a bit. Pour the coals to it, do some stunts, etc. Fly it '75 percent' or so. Mostly just to familiarize. Also, this is when I usually take a page from Touch 'n Go Joe's playbook, to more closely familiarize myself with how it performs on landing. Flight 3: Probably still making minor tweaks here, but this will be the first time I even think about pushing the envelope. Since I only fly ICE, if I used a brand new engine on the build, I'll still be taking it easy on the loud switch as that engine needs a few flights on it to properly break in before I can hammer on it, but at this point I'm more erring towards normal flight. Flight 4: Everything should be settled in now. More of the same from 3, more flight time on the engine now. Starting to feel out a longer timer here as well. If the engine was used before being put on the aircraft, then this is when I'm basically flying it normally. Flight 5: An ABC two stroke glow engine should be nicely bedded in at this point, and a ringed engine should be sufficiently bedded in to beat on it a bit, so this is generally the first 'normal' flight one of my builds will get.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Nice plan! Do what works best for you. Some folk's confidence and/or experience levels are higher and waiting until the third or fourth flight to try pushing the envelope isn't necessary for them. 👍

[@TestECull]

@@TailHeavyProductions It's a bit different in fuel land. We have engine break-in and intense vibration to contend with. I maidened a Phoenix Models 15cc Waco with a Saito 125GK and damn near lost the engine because in just a couple minutes it rattled out 3 of the 4 bolts holding it to the firewall and 2 of the 4 holding it to the mounts! Didn't get any of that on the Nexa 1600mm A6M5 Zero I maidened in a 15 gusting 20 crosswind, but there's definitely not something right with that bird either because I had to max out my aileron trim to get it to stop rolling. Maybe it was the insane winds I flew it in...Momma didn't raise no punk!...but maybe I had somethign pinched under the wing saddle on one side or built the wing warped or something iono. That Nexa Zero is a dreamboat, though. It handled those winds like a champ. For me it's less about confidence and skill, more about making sure I don't push a plane until the plane is ready to be pushed, that I make sure all the hardware is nice and tight before I do anything crazy with it. I fly nitro, so my stuff shakes like crazy. Stuff rattles loose.

[@saskafrass1985]

As a new guy, I don't understand why there would be a stigma with simulators. My simulator cost less than any of my planes. I crashed the simulator so many times it's almost discouraging. On the other hand, the simulator let's me try something different and crash say a p51. Now I want one. And not a cheap pos.

[@gamingwithflight6179]

You missed always do a preflight control check I didn’t took of and immediately crashed my dad was recording and we saw that the right aileron was all the way down :edit oh you did um sorry

[@Flybrei]

👍👍👍

[@jeffgrain1417]

I have enjoyed your videos.. and for the most part agree with everything you have promoted.. how ever.. in this video you say that pinching gives better control and that it is a better way to fly.. You are SO WRONG ON THIS.. with anyone new that I take out for a first flight.. my first question is.. WHERE IS YOUR COMFORT ZONE.. and we talk about how to hold the transmitter.. I point out the different ways to control the airplane.. pinch vers thumb.. and I let them decide THE COMFORT ZONE.. first rule of flying must be YOUR COMFORT ZONE.. if you are more comfortable pinching .. then that is what you do.. if you prefer thumbing.. and are comfortable... then that is the way you go.. NEVER TELL SOMEONE OR FORCE THEM TO DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE..

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Quote from this video regarding pinching vs thumbs: “ *Take or leave this one* - but we hope you’ll see the benefits [of pinching].” We never have once forced anyone into doing anything. In videos like this one, it’s all techniques and suggestions based on our own experience. Regarding comfort zones. Having folks try new things outside their comfort zone is a great way to get someone to improve as a pilot. As an example - having someone who has learned how to hover up high push themselves to bring it down to the deck. Staying in your comfort zone means never trying new things which means never expanding on your flying. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Happy landings!

[@chandikawarnakulasooriya1923]

Sometimes people crash their planes on the lakes and the plane will lost forever because sometimes crocodiles will wait you to jump to the lake

[@TailHeavyProductions]

☠️

[@boss2234]

🇺🇸🇺🇸👍🏼

[@cooperthompson4850]

I almost became Jerry Garcia yesterday.

[@caradog1081]

Why did this show up in my recommended, i dont even have an RC plane

[@catsinspaceyt9184]

oh thanks i almost forgot actors arent real people

[@kspplayerheffele]

do you pinch or use your thumbs ?🤣

[@l.n.b.9230]

Deutsche Musik 😂

[@F-14D_Tomcat]

dafuq you mean "last" is an accursed word ONLY in the RC sphere? I broke both my wrists after saying it was my "last" go it hurt both times

[@NoahJohnson7452]

A chicken stick is called that because you are too chicken to use your finger

[@SmoochyRoo]

Christ your videos sound so much more cheerful now than this one, what happened?

[@TailHeavyProductions]

I learned how to talk into a mic with inflection? LOL -Zach

[@dkkids]

F the AMA... (looks over at mandatory RFID for ALL acft over 9oz.)

[@PeterGottschalk63]

i have found most books CG is just about 10mm WRONG! so you will crash do your own CG screw the book!

[@willl84]

Dear Lord stop using clips from that donkey whistlin diesel

[@bramrc1246]

I have a great airplane🙂-👍 😂

[@Realitygetreal]

most of this is good but FUCK THE AMA..

[@gerardjones7881]

excessive editing is annoying to try and watch.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

😢

[@ItAintMeBabe99]

Please drop the video “cur-ins” as a poor attempt at humor. Then you’ll have a good video.

[@simonetaormina7080]

Bottom line, foamy’s electric, and drones have destroyed this hobby. You are definitely with horizon or motion or both. How bout stay away from Spectrum watch all your problems disappear, especially BROWN OUTS. Oh wait you might actually have to fly your self. All the sponsored guys fly Horizon, easy to talk with a trailer full of replacement airplanes behind you.

[@TailHeavyProductions]

Haha nope, we do not work for any of those companies.

[@PeteSampson-qu7qb]

Hi, THP. Hope you catch this reply. I'll leave similar ones.I've been flying RC planes since 1971 just stumbled on your channel and I love it, especially advice for beginners. May I suggest some mention, in the future, of: 1. Trimming a plane mechanically so it flies straight with the transmitter trims centered? And the servo arms 90 degrees to the servo. 2. Trimming a plane, taildragger or trike, so it tracks straight with the rudder trimmed for flight. 3. When flying a plane with flaps and/or retracts for the first time? Learn to fly it comfortably before even using them. Dad used to say... "If it won't fly with the flaps up and the wheels down? Hang it from the ceiling because it's too heavy to fly". Cheers! Keep up the great work!