Corrections and one more video:
I have a wheel and pedals, but rarely use them because of the hassle of
clamping on the wheel. So usually I use twin joysticks, left stick forward is
throttle, left stick back is brake, right stick left right is steer. Lots of
buttons.
Here's an old pic showing NFS4 - High Stakes on the screen (Merecedes getting
big air at the end of a Hometown run, a NFS4 online tradition).
http://jeffareid.net/game/setup.jpg
This is similar to a rc transmitter, so I'm used to this setup.
http://jeffareid.net/rc/futaba.jpg
Here's a link describing 2 channel and 4 channel transmitters:
http://www.rc-airplane-world.com/radio-control-functions.html
When 2 channel / 2 stick transmitters are used for cars, it's the same as my
twin stick setup, although most rc cars use a wheel / trigger setup now.
I use the USA "mode 2" convention. The other modes like mode 1 and mode 3 for
those dyslexic Europeans that also like to drive on the wrong side of the
road. Actually the real reason is a combination of history and trying to
teach old Europeans new tricks. I explain this below for the maybe 2 people
here that are actually interested.
Some rc glider videos:
slope: http://jeffareid.net/rc/jr126.wmv
Note wing span on the model in the next video is 122", not 126"; 126 is the
name of the slope model in prevoius video and I confused the two numbers.
thermal: http://jeffareid.net/rc/jrartms.wmv
rc heli stunts by an expert: http://jeffareid.net/rc/rcheli.wmv
rc trasmitter modes and history:
The first model planes were free flight with no control, they were set to fly
in big circles. The models were setup to be stable without requiring any
control inputs (see below).
The first transmitters only had one channel, and this was used for the rudder,
which was really the roll control, as the models were setup to bank or roll in
response to rudder inputs. In addition, a lot of rudder input would slow a
model down, stalling it and causing the model to then do a loop depending on
the pitch stability setup. So stunts were possible with just one control.
The next transmitters had two channels. Pitch control (elevator) was added.
Since it was complicated to have two channels controlled by one stick, they
used a second stick, and since most pilots use their right hand for the old
single channel setups, they used the left stick for elevator.
As models got More complicated, they used ailerons instead of rudder for roll
control, and for these models, the roll control stick moves the ailerons.
When they figured out how to get two channels on a single stick, then
they combined roll and pitch control onto a single stick using the convention
of a real aircraft. Most modern single stick trasmitters have a 3rd channel
slider control, which is used for throttle. However, those old Europeans
didn't want to adapt to a new setup; so when 4 channel / 2 stick transmitters
came out, the Europeans kept the pitch control on the left stick, which is
mode 1, In the USA, they just adapted to having pitch and roll control on the
right stick, like a real aircraft, which is mode 2. They put throttle and yaw
axis control on the left stick, with the obvious convention of left-right
motion for yaw control, and forwards / backwards for speed control. Yaw
control is only used for models that have ailerons and rudder (or for rc
helicopters).
Since the roll control for models without ailerons moved the rudder to induce
a bank or roll, some idiot created decided that the right stick shoud remain
as the rudder control, even though it's function with an aileron model is to
control the yaw axis instead of the roll axis. This is mode 3.
Stability:
Yaw stability results when there is enough vertical surface at the tail end
of an aircraft to keep the aircraft pointed in the direction it is moving,
like a windmill, or weathervane.
Pitch stability results when the center of mass is in front of the center of
lift, and the elevator is trimmed a bit upwards to generate a compensating
downforce at a specific air speed. Too slow and the mode pitches down, gains
speed, increases elevator downforce, leveling out the model. Too fast and the
model pitches up, slowing it down, reducing elevator downforce and leveling
out the model.
Roll stability results when the wings and fuselage create a self correcting
roll response if the aircraft experiences a crosswind due to "sliding"
sideways if the aircraft's wings aren't level. Roll stability has to be
balanced with yaw stability. Too much yaw stability results in a downwards
spiral (not good). Too little yaw stability and the wings oscillate. Most
models use dihedral, angling both wings upwards a bit so that a crosswind
component flows under one wing pushing it up, and over the other wing,
pushing it down. On a high wing model, a large enough (vertically) fuselage
will block the crosswing flow, adding to the dihedral effect. Sweeping
the wings backwards also creates a dihedral effect. On some figher aircraft,
like the Harrier, the wings are angled downwards to reduce excessive
dihedral effects from the swept back wings.