Thrust Angle by FliteTest

Thrust angle is a very important and very overlooked element of RC flight. Chad and Josh go over some of the more common thrust angle setups and show what to look for when adjusting thrust angle.

With the E-flite Taylorcraft 450 ARF as an example, there is a slight right and slight downward thrust angle on the prop.

This right thrust angle will compensate for the motors torque and because the thrust line is below the tail and the wing this rc airplane. The downward thrust angle will compensate for the planes upward pull.

Seafury Funfighter has an extreme right thrust and this is to compensate for the small size of the plane and the torque of the motor.

The Bixler 2 features a thrust angle which is angled up.  Because this is a a pusher plane and the motor is mounted above the the center line of the airplane, the thrust angle is upward. 

Also, because the motor is mounted close to the airplanes CG it will cause the thrust angle to be more dramatic as well.

Our Fowl Flyer was a good example of not having the thrust angle correct for a pusher plane. At full throttle the plane would pull up and when Josh would let off the throttle, the scratch built turkey plane would glide straight and smooth.

Chad's experimental custom designed "Arrow to the Knee" slow stick pusher plane is setup with heavy-duty armature wire that allows to adjust thrust angle and test out the best setup. This is a great idea for scratch builds and custom designs.

But don't let thrust angle overwhelm you, it's always the safest to start with a neutral thrust angle. All of our swappable fuselage planes feature neutral thrust angle and there's an episode on mixing if you'd like to adjust your plane without worry of adjusting thrust angle. 

For more information on the airplanes and articles mentioned in this Fast Tip:

E-flite Taylorcraft 450 ARF
The Bixler 2
Seafury Funfighter
Fowl Flyer - Turkey Plane
Scratch Built - Swappable fuselage Series
Throttle Mixing