Ok...

for those of you that "Thumb" the sticks...
what spring tension do you run.... tight or soft?

I'm trying to smooh out my flying, So I am trying increasing my spring tension..
It would make sense that it would be harder to "wiggle" the sticks instead of fluidly moving them...

When I did this, it was really weird... it made me a bit choppy (On the sim anyways) do I need to get used to this, or am I going in the wrong direction?!

I have even tried to re-learn using the thumb and finger pinch method, but that set me back at least a year.... THAT IS HARD if you have been on thumbs for years!

So what do you guys do?

I'm a thumb flyer. The stock springs on the 14 don't go tight enough for me and I'll be ordering even stiffer ones soon. No reason to try and switch the way you fly.

I replace all my spring to HD springs and go from there. When I first changed over years ago, I flew all winter before I got use to it, but it has helped me. Soft stick tension gives me a tendency to pull the on the Ail without even knowing it until I see the plane start to roll. When people grab my TX that is the first thing they notice, but I don't even feel it, but I notice it in my flying.

My vote is for tight springs and I use thumbs. I say tighten them up and stick with it, it will become natural after a bit of time. Just don't think about it as you trasition over.

My 2 cents.

By the way, Steve. What is a Flipper ????

Tight springs pinch the sticks.

By the way, Steve. What is a Flipper ????

Well in technical terms the flippers are the thingies that wiggle around and make your plane adjust flight attitude. I think.

Originally Posted by SleepyC

flippers are the thingies that wiggle around and make your plane adjust flight attitude.

If those flipper thingies were tighter, the plane you are trying to fly won't change altittude so much.

Thumb flyer here- I had the same experience as Joe. I got heavy duty springs from Radio South.

When I fly some guys planes it is difficult to fly well because their stick are sooo loose.

Dave

Hi Sleepy,

Thumbs do not have the same touch as your index finger does which may explain why the heavy springs feel better. I fly like I write with thumb and forefinger and like my sticks light. Get ya a couple of triple coil valve springs off a small block chevy and have at it!

I'm the opposite. I have my springs set very very soft. I do go into the servo test mode to make sure that the center with the same precision though. Tight sticks make me fee like I'm fighting to get the plane where I want it.

I have heard that the full scale edge/extra/caps have very little stick pressure at center due to adequate mass and air balancing of the surfaces. (at lease ailerons) Some article about and Edge said that you know the stick is centered only because your helmet isn't hitting the canopy! haha

I fly with thumbs and also use the Radio South springs, makes it alot easier to pull elevator without adding aileron.

Hmmmmm it sounds like I need to try some BIG BAD ASS springs!!

Papa JOE... how hard are they to install in a 12Z?

Steve,

It is not hard, but can be alittle tricky if you never changed springs before. Futaba changed the gimbal design on the 12 and 14's. If you want to get together, I can do it for you if you want when you get the springs.

i fly thumbs, and i decided to fly thumb and finger for basic moves like knife edge's and rolls, then go to thumbs for 3d

Radio South HD springs... with thumbs on the flippy things.