RC helicopter transmitter modes
The set-ups for rc helicopter transmitter modes echo the ones for rc airplanes in terms of pitch, roll and throttle but rc helicopter transmitters differ from airplane transmitters in that a few extra channels are usually required, with the broad exception of fixed pitch helicopters.
And as with rc airplanes, modes 1 and 2 are commonly used by the majority of radio control helicopter pilots.
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The four different rc helicopter transmitter modes are illustrated below:
Mode 1
Stick controls are:
left stick operates fore/aft cyclic & left/right yaw, right stick operates throttle/collective & left/right cyclic.
Mode 2
Stick controls are:
left stick operates throttle/collective & left/right yaw, right stick operates fore/aft cyclic & left/right cyclic.
Mode 3
Stick controls are:
left stick operates fore/aft cyclic & left/right cyclic, right stick operates throttle/collective & left/right yaw.
Mode 4
Stick controls are:
left stick operates throttle/collective & left/right cyclic, right stick operates fore/aft cyclic & left/right yaw.
As you can see, mode 3 is the opposite to mode 2 and mode 4 is the opposite to mode 1, giving complete right handed/left handed user options.
Pros and Cons of each Mode
No mode is better than another one, and the choice of which transmitter mode you use comes down to either personal preference or which mode you learned to fly with (much more likely!).
There are minor pros and cons to each mode. For example, take Mode 1; the two primary pitch controls are on separate sticks. This is good because if you move each control independently then there is no chance of you inadvertently changing one while moving the other. But Mode 2 has both these primary controls on the same stick, which replicates the cyclic stick of a real helicopter, making the control of your model more true to life and only one thumb having to worry about these main controls.
It is possible to buy an rc transmitter and change the mode yourself, but this involves dismantling the case and changing the position of the small springs connected to the gimbals in order to determine the throttle stick.
I don't recommend you try this unless you are competent with this kind of delicate work, and dismantling a newly purchased transmitter would almost certainly invalidate the manufacturer guarantee.
Once you've learned to fly rc helicopters on a certain transmitter mode, the chances are that you'll stick with that same mode throughout your flying days. Re-learning to fly on a different mode is essentially the same as starting from scratch!
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Related pages
RC airplane transmitter modes - the same info for rc airplanes.
Radio control gear - what it is and how it works, a general overview.
Radio control functions - further info on rc system features.
RC airplane frequencies - the designated frequency channels for rc aircraft.
