Hello,

Been seeing plenty of great rc pilots especially in competitions fly using thumb and index finger. Is there an advantage for using thumb and index finger as appose to just thumb to control the sticks? Thank you for you input.

you have better control, more precise movements on the sticks

this will lead to fights ;-)
There are great pilots in both camps... thumbs and thumbs with fingers... it is what you are most comfortable with.. if you are just starting out... try to use both fingers... if you are long long into it like me.. I just fly thumbs... tried to convert but just never felt comfortable.

When I was instructing, in another venue,,, using standard RC transmitters, that was a common question. I always told my students to try both ways and use what they are most comfortable with. Some were 'thumbs' some were 'pinchers' and a couple were hybrids, thumbing one hand and pinching with the other.

This always reminds me of the argument of holding drum sticks with the standard or traditional grip. It's just another pointless argument.

I've read NASA studies that were done decades ago about this subject that also included separating functions between two hands. Their conclusions were that the more you could separate functions between our two hands and use multiple fingers for fine inputs, the easier it was to produce fine inputs to the function ..... in this case flying an RC airplane.

In the real world though, its really what works for the individual. I guess I'm one of those hybrid users ...... and complicate things even further by flying airplanes mode 1 and helis mode 2! I'm amazed at the current holding style of some of the new, young flyers who hold their transmitter down low nearly between their knees and who knows whether they pinch or thumb but whatever, it seems to work for them!

Originally Posted by JoeAirPort

This always reminds me of the argument of holding drum sticks with the standard or traditional grip. It's just another pointless argument.

10-4. ;-)

Originally Posted by Truckracer

I'm amazed at the current holding style of some of the new, young flyers who hold their transmitter down low nearly between their knees and who knows whether they pinch or thumb but whatever, it seems to work for them!

Thats because they are gamers, xbox, playstation, ect. Kinda weird to watch but a lot of them can really fly....

What ever works for you.

pinchers vs thumbers...

I'm a finger/thumb and my wife flies with just her thumbs.

For Pete's sake. Just go fly. What others do to be comfortable isn't important. Try it if you like. If the shoe fits, wear it.

I'm a hybrid flyer.... When I'm attempting to fly precision and during landing I'm a pincher and when I'm attempting to 3D I'm mostly a thumber because it's easier to move them faster by themselves. I would say fly however feels the best to you..

I seem to use both to a degree. Thumb on top of the stick and pad of pointer finger resting against the front. If I do a maneuver with big stick movement I tend to have to get my finger out of the way and just use my thumb. I definitely have more precise stick movement when I have both on the stick though. This is what I came into naturally as I was learning basic 3D stuff, just found I wasn't getting precise control with just my thumb.

I used thumbs until I started flying 3d,it was weird at first but after a month or so I didn't see how I flew with thumbs before,that's just my experience