Cuban 8 RC airplane aerobatics
This page will show you how to fly the 'Cuban 8' rc airplane aerobatic maneuvers; the Cuban 8, half Cuban 8 and the reverse half Cuban 8.
Cuban 8 based aerobatic maneuvers are a lot of fun, and look smooth when pulled off well. They're not difficult to learn, but an airplane with ailerons is preferable to one without, as all the Cuban 8 maneuvers involve rolling the airplane.
The Cuban 8:
The Cuban 8 is the largest of the 3, and takes up a fair bit of airspace.
How to do it: Fly straight and level into wind and at point 'A', in the picture above, apply power and up elevator to enter a climb, as if starting an inside loop. Let the airplane go into its vertical climb and roll over onto its back at the top of the loop, point 'B'. Continue with the loop, but at point 'C' apply aileron to smoothly roll through 180 degrees, bringing the airplane right side up. Use elevator to maintain the 45 degree dive.
Continue the brief dive and level out at the altitude at which you entered the maneuver. As soon as you've leveled out, point 'D', begin a second loop and repeat the process of letting the airplane roll over onto its back, point 'E', before applying aileron at the start of the dive,, point 'F', to roll it through 180 degrees. Continue the 45 degree dive and start to recover at point 'G', to resume straight and level flying at your original altitude.
To test your accuracy, successive Cuban 8s can be flown while trying to keep the cross-over point in the same place in the sky, and both loops equal size.
Below is the Cuban 8 on video (on the RealFlight G4 rc flight simulator), including close-ups of the tx stick inputs and the airplane's response...
The Half Cuban 8:
How to do it: A half Cuban 8 can be performed by completing the first loop and roll-out of the Cuban 8, but returning to a straight and level course in the opposite direction to your entry-course, instead of going into the second loop.
Below is the Half Cuban 8 on video (on the RealFlight G4 rc flight simulator), including close-ups of the tx stick inputs and the airplane's response...
The Reverse Half Cuban 8:
How to do it: A reverse half Cuban 8 is performed thus... fly straight and level and enter the maneuver by commencing a 45 degree climb, point 'A' in the picture above. After a couple of seconds climbing, smoothly roll through 180 degrees to invert the airplane, point 'B', and use up elevator to perform what is, in effect, the back half of an inside loop, point 'C'.
Fly the airplane out of the loop and return to straight and level (point 'D'), in the opposite direction to that which you entered the maneuver.
Below is the Reverse Half Cuban 8 on video (on the RealFlight G4 rc flight simulator), including close-ups of the tx stick inputs and the airplane's response...
The Half Cuban 8 and Reverse Half Cuban 8 rc airplane aerobatic maneuvers are both ideal end maneuvers, a flashy alternative to just turning the airplane around 180 degrees in a normal turn to fly back the other way.
Related pages
More RC airplane aerobatics - the Immelmann turn, Split-S and spin.
RC airplane games - some flying field fun.
Ground school - lessons that you should know before you start flying rc airplanes.
How to fly airplanes - RC flight school for beginners.
RC flying do's and don'ts - some basic safety tips.
RC flight simulators - perfect those rc airplane aerobatics in safety!
ParkZone Extra 300 - very nice foam scale aerobatic example.
