This article is an introduction to aerobatics, providing you with the names and techniques of various simple manoeuvers. We'll cover beginner-intermediate aerobatics but not full-on 3D stuff in this particular article. However, you could use these foundations to move onto 3D in the future. If you've begun to chuck your plane about the sky and want to know more about the finer points of aerobatics, you've come to the right place. Let's go!
Helpful Tips to Start
Here is some key advice to have success with aerobatics.
- Use a simulator first (if you crash, you can press reset!)
- Buddy box with a more experienced pilot if you can
- Don't try all of this stuff if you're a completely new pilot
- Use a trainer aircraft at first (as it's easy to recover)
If you haven't seen this video from a few years ago, make sure you check it out alongside this article!
Wing Over
This is a really easy way to gently get into aerobatic moves. If you're a new pilot, you'll want to get used to the way your plane behaves in the air. Ask yourself: what are the airplane's stall characteristics? How stable is it in a tight turn? How fast is it? One way to establish this is with an easy wing over. This is where the plane turns by pitching up high into the sky, almost stalls as the airspeed bleeds away and is kicked over by a generous input on the rudder. This is a great way to switch directions a full 180 degrees. For a wing over, therefore, you'll clearly need a rudder on your plane.
If you're just getting into aerobatics, this one is a great first move. Sometimes is a good one to try before attempting a loop as you can judge how much speed you'll need to get all the way around it. Remember, first try this, and all your aerobatics, at a good altitude of two to three mistakes high.
Loop
Speaking of loops, this manoeuvre is the one most people will want to try straight out of the gate. You can use a plane as simple as a 3-channel trainer for this. All you need is airspeed, some altitude and determination! If your plane is not particularly powerful, it may struggle to get the airspeed in level flight for a loop. Instead, pitch down, dive for a few moments and then pull up and hold the stick so you carry the loop all the way around.
Cuban 8
A Cuban 8 is a little like a half loop where you roll out at the top, dive down and then do another half loop. Essentially you're doing a figure 8. If you simply do half of this, pitching upwards and rolling out at the top, it's called an Immelman. If you inverse an Immelman by starting at the top, rolling and looping downwards, it's called a Split-S. This move was often used by fighter pilots to evade a trailing enemy plane.
Remember, when trying new manoeuvres, there's always a chance you could put the plane in the drink.
Inverted Flying
Flying inverted is another one of those aerobatic moves that looks awesome but is difficult to master. Concisely, the way you enter inverted flight is through a loop or a roll. Rolling into one is my personal favourite way to start flying inverted as it's also the best way to get out.
Using a little back pressure on the stick usually helps to keep the nose in the correct attitude to sustain level flight. If your plane starts heading groundwards, roll out before it's too late. Start practising this in straight lines. Remember that, as soon as you start making turns, your controls will be reversed which is another factor to think about. This is why flying RC upside down is hard!
So there you go, now you can go out and try each one of these moves next time you go out to fly. Most of our planes here at Flite Test are capable of aerobatics in some form, so make sure you check out our FT Store if you want to pick up a new plane to learn these skills.
Happy Flying!
Article by James Whomsley
Editor of FliteTest.com
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