EXAMPLES OF FLIGHT MODE APPLICATIONS
Acro: Airplane pilots can take advantage of flight modes to manage different phases of the
flight, instead of having to operate different switches. For example, a scale airplane might
have a flight mode for take-off with a few degrees of flaps, no elevator compensation,
landing gear down, and low rates. Another flight mode can be used for a cruise mode that
includes landing gear and flaps up, high rates, and the nose wheel steering servo disabled
so it does not move with rudder input. A third flight mode for landing might include flaps
fully deployed, landing gear down, elevator compensation, and low rates.
Helicopter: Helicopter pilots commonly use flight modes to manage the advanced curves
common for helis. Flight modes might include a head speed setting for the governor, a gain
setting for the tail gyro, a throttle and pitch curve, rates and expo. Using all of these features
on one switch, a helicopter pilot can have flight mode 1 set up for low head speed and low
rates, flight mode 2 set up for medium head speed and medium rates, and flight mode
3 set up for high rates. Instead of requiring a different switch to define each function, the
flight modes link the multiple functions to a single switch. In the heli scenario, the throttle
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