RC Aerobatics

TURNAROUND MANEUVERS

By Justin Wells | justinwells@mac.com

I HAVE DISCUSSED a lot of maneuvers and how to execute them, but not necessarily the placement of the maneuvers. I would like to take some time to discuss and demonstrate a few common turnaround maneuvers. For the sake of simplicity in my sessions, I’m showing you maneuvers on center versus a turnaround.

Turnaround maneuvers are executed at the edge of the aerobatic box to set you up for the next centered maneuver. Some of these turnaround maneuvers can be used to adjust your location in or out or to wind-correct before approaching center for your next maneuver. Because these maneuvers are executed at the edge of the box (not outside of the box), they are a bit skewed, and I think they can be some of the more difficult maneuvers to get geometrically correct. On the flip side, they are difficult to judge as well. Most of these are simple maneuvers with minimal elements. The challenge is in the placement and getting the geometry correct—or to at least appear correct!

I’m going to break down some standard turnaround maneuvers that you might find in any sequence, regardless of skill level. Make sure that you study the illustrations to get the visuals as you go through the steps. Work these into your bag of skills.

The Top Hat

The Top Hat is offered in options so that you can adjust the line and reposition your airplane if needed. It can be flown two ways (as long as the option is offered):

1. Pull into a vertical upline. Hesitate.
2. Perform a 1/4 roll. Hesitate.
3. Pull to an inverted horizontal line. Hesitate.
4. Pull to a vertical downline. Hesitate.
5. Perform a 1/4 roll. Hesitate.
6. Pull to a horizontal line, straight and level.

Make sure that your radii match. All should be 1/4 loops.

If you have a good distance set or the wind is calm and no adjustments are needed and you don’t want mess things up, you can choose to do the inline option:

1. Pull into a vertical upline. Hesitate.
2. Perform a 1/2 roll. Hesitate.
3. Pull to an inverted horizontal line. Hesitate.
4. Pull to a vertical downline. Hesitate.
5. Pull to a horizontal line, straight and level.

Matching radii.

Half Square Loop on Corner

The square loop on corner is used as a center maneuver, with various elements prescribed on each leg. The half square is common for turnarounds, which also sets you up for a higher altitude maneuver such as a spin. You will see various elements added; depending on what the next centered maneuver is, you might exit upright or inverted. For this exercise, I will focus on exiting upright.

1. Pull into a 45° upline. Hesitate.
2. Pull to a 45° line. Hesitate (yes, again).
3. Perform a 1/2 roll. Hesitate.
4. Push to straight-and-level flight (the airplane should be upright).

You can also do the roll element on the first leg:

1. Pull into a 45° upline. Hesitate.
2. Perform a 1/2 roll. Hesitate.
3. Push to a 45° line. Hesitate.
4. Push to straight-and-level flight.

The Humpty Bump

The Humpty Bump—or Humpty for short—is another maneuver that, if prescribed with options, can be used to adjust your airplane in or out. I will look at both options for you to try.

1. Pull into a vertical upline. Hesitate.
2. Perform a 1/4 roll. Hesitate.
3. Pull through a 1/2 loop to a vertical downline. Hesitate.
4. Perform a 1/4 roll. Hesitate.
5. Pull to a horizontal line, straight and level.

An inline version is available, if prescribed, that can either push or pull in the half loop.

1. Pull into a vertical upline. Hesitate.
2. Perform a 1/2 roll. Hesitate.
3. Pull or push through a half loop to a vertical downline. Hesitate.
4. Pull to a horizontal line, straight and level.

A few other maneuvers that I have stepped out in previous articles can also be used: the stall turn, Half Cuban 8, and Half-Reverse Cuban 8. These are also typical turnarounds that you will find in any RC Aerobatics sequence.

Take some time and practice just your turnaround maneuvers and have another pilot friend watch you. If you practice with a box, view the airplane carefully to make

The half square loop on corner appears relatively easy, but getting the matching radii and geometry correct at the end of the box can be the real challenge.

sure that you are not losing points getting out of the box or representing errors in your geometry.

Upcoming Events

This is a busy year for RC Aerobatics. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) F3A World Championship for Aerobatic Model Aircraft will happen at AMA’s International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) on August 9-16.

This is a rare event to catch, with the top pilots from all over the world gathering to reign a new champion. For more details, visit the F3A World Championship website page. The link is listed in “Sources.”

Following the World Championship will be the RC Aerobatics Nats made up of National Society of Radio Controlled Aerobatics (NSRCA) districts from across the US. The dates are August 18-22 at AMA’s IAC.

More details can be found on the RC Aerobatics Nats page on the AMA website.

Until next time!

SOURCES:

NSRCA
www.nsrca.us

2025 FAI F3A World Championship for Aerobatic Model Aircraft
https://2025wc.usaf3a.org

2025 AMA RC Aerobatics Nats
https://nats.modelaircraft.org/discipline/radio-control-aerobatics/