Radio Control: SPORT/AEROBATICS
Ron Van Putte
Flight School — Inside Loops
All maneuvers require a straight, level entry. Fliers usually don't have difficulty setting up for Inside Loops, but some tend to have the airplane climbing slightly. Try to get a good, flat entry with respect to the horizon. If one wing is lower than the other, the airplane will pull off in the direction of the low wing and the loops will corkscrew. Get the wings level at maneuver entry to avoid correcting a corkscrewing airplane.
Assuming the entry is set up properly, pull back on the stick to initiate the loop. The loop size depends on how far you pull back and how sensitive the airplane is to elevator input. I try to set up my airplane so I use almost the full elevator stick movement in a loop; this usually provides sufficient elevator control for most maneuvers.
- Use a dual-rate elevator switch: normal elevator throw in Low-rate and reserve High-rate for maneuvers that require extra authority (e.g., Three-Turn Spin). Master-class fliers may use High-rate on maneuvers such as the Square, Horizontal Eight, Top Hat, Triangular Rolling Loop, and Figure M, but that is beyond Novice/Sportsman-level discussion.
- Don't set up more control than needed — too much elevator makes loops jumpy. Smoothness is essential; controls tuned to give just what's required help produce smoother maneuvers.
Many beginners think looping is simply pulling back on the stick and holding it. That yields a loop-like flight but not a round loop. Gravity acts in one direction and distorts the shape; variations in aircraft speed and wind also change the shape.
The airplane is fastest at the bottom of a loop and slowest at the top. Because of gravity and speed variation, the aircraft pitches harder at the bottom and easier at the top. Holding constant elevator throughout produces a pointy top. To round the loop, relax elevator pressure approaching the top and increase it approaching the bottom. The required elevator variation depends on loop size: small loops involve less speed variation and need smaller control changes; large loops look better for patterns but require more precise variation.
For beginners, hold a fairly constant elevator until confident. Once you can comfortably do three loops, practice varying elevator input to achieve round loops.
Wind Effects
Headwind:
- Loops executed into a headwind will be displaced downwind.
- Counter by easing elevator a little sooner on the upward path and reducing elevator a little sooner on the downward path. Increase the timing change in stronger headwinds.
Crosswind:
- Some fliers hold a small amount of aileron while upright to use lift to counter sideward motion, but this is hard to dose and any noticeable bank during judged loops will be penalized.
- A better method is rudder: use small rudder inputs to cancel crosswind drift. Some fliers use a steady rudder for the full loop; others use brief rudder inputs when upright. Usually very little rudder is needed.
Aileron Use and Trimming
For a properly trimmed airplane the wings will stay level during loops and no aileron input should be necessary. However:
- A heavy wing or a warped wing will cause the airplane to twist away from the desired vertical plane.
- Novices often delay aileron correction until the bottom of the loop; with practice you should be able to make aileron corrections anywhere in the loop.
- A common trick is to use low-rate aileron for inside loops so larger stick movements still produce smooth response.
Recovery
Let go of elevator stick input as the airplane passes through horizontal to recover to level flight. Judging this timing may be difficult at first but becomes easier with practice.
Reverse Outside Loops
Much of the Inside Loop technique applies to Reverse Outside Loops, but the entry and exit are more demanding. Timing is critical and requires practice.
Entry:
- The half-roll to inverted flight should be started early. The airplane should be inverted for about one second before the elevator push into the loop.
- A half-roll plus inverted flight consumes more distance than many expect. If your pattern airplane rolls three times in 5–6 seconds, a half-roll takes about one second. Initiate the maneuver roughly two seconds before the airplane passes in front of you (about 300 feet at ~100 mph).
- Many airplanes require a touch of down elevator following the half-roll to maintain level inverted flight. Some fliers start the down input just before the half-roll finishes; others wait until fully inverted. Find what works for your airplane.
Execution:
- Reverse Outside Loops are performed like Inside Loops but with down elevator instead of up elevator.
- Rudder corrections feel reversed and can be confusing. A useful mental trick is to imagine you're hanging from straps inside the airplane and use the rudder naturally from that perspective. Expect some difficulty learning rudder direction—it's normal.
- Aileron corrections are typically straightforward because the airplane's roll response is familiar.
Exit:
- The exit is the toughest part. Release the correct amount of down elevator as the airplane passes through horizontal to return to level flight. Waiting too long or not releasing enough down elevator causes the airplane to balloon.
- After the airplane is horizontal for about a second, roll it upright. Depending on the airplane, you may release the small down elevator at the start of the roll, during the roll, or as the wings level.
Practice and Final Points
The Inside Loop(s) and Reverse Outside Loop(s) are learned by repetition. Practice is the only reliable path to doing them well. If you don't practice you won't get good — practice a lot, and start with Inside Loops before attempting Outside Loops.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
