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Radio System FAQ
Can you give me some guidelines on how to set up a complex 7-servo aerobatic model with separate flap and aileron servos?
Absolutely! The first thing to note is that there are many different ways to reach the same end result. For example, you could do this through glider 2-flp set up, but then you lose the option to have the snap function. You could use a pmix to set up the 2 aileron servos rather than using flaperon. And so on. This is just one approach to reach the desired end result: a model which has fully functional airbrake, operational flaperons and flaps in a 4-wing servo configuration not using any Y-harnesses.
Let's walk through it now:
A. Basic setup
| ___ | Select a blank model (or do a data reset) |
| ___ | Name it |
| ___ | Select FM or PCM |
| ___ | Select type ACRO |
| ___ | Plug in servos as follows (NOTE: you may use either channel 5 or channel 8 for your second flap servo. There is no advantage to using either, except an additional function such as a bomb drop you might want on channel 5.):
Ch 1 right aileron
Ch 2 elevator
Ch 3 throttle
Ch 4 rudder
Ch 5 blank (or right flap)
Ch 6 left aileron
Ch 7 left flap
Ch 8 right flap (or blank)
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B. Set up Flaperons
| ___ | Press the 2 advance keys (bottom left and center) |
| ___ | Press the up arrow until you get to flaperon |
| ___ | Press the + key to activate flaperon |
| ___ | Set up aileron differential and the amount of desired flaperon action now, if any is desired |
| ___ | Press the up arrow and make sure flap trim is active |
| ___ | Arrow over and press the + key until % says 5%. Now the channel 6 flap knob can be used to trim small amounts of flap up or down across the model as needed.* |
*If you do not want to have any flaperon adjustment, leave this as 0% but it still MUST be on for proper flaperon reaction to the airbrake function. This feature ONLY affects the channel 6/flap dial's performance when changing the percentages.
C. Set up Twin Flap Servos not on a Y-harness on channels 7 and 8 (or channel 5) using a mix (unless you plan to use them as full span ailerons as well as flaps, we recommend using a Y-harness for simplicity)
1. Twin servos:
| ___ | Arrow up until pmix 1 |
| ___ | Press + key to make active |
| ___ | Arrow over (top center) |
| ___ | Press + key until first cell says ch 7 |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key until second cell says ch 8 (or channel 5) |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Turn channel 7 knob fully counter-clockwise |
| ___ | Press + key until +100% flashes in left cell |
| ___ | Turn channel 7 knob fully clockwise |
| ___ | Press + key until +100 flashes in right cell |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave link OFF **IMPORTANT** |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave offset 0% |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave switch setting NULL |
2. Turn off channel 8 (or channel 5) knob with a mix:
| ___ | Arrow up to pmix 2 |
| ___ | Press + to make active |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + until ch 8 (or channel 5) |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + until ch 8 (or channel 5) |
| ___ | Turn ch 8 (or channel 5 switch to "OFF") knob fully clockwise |
| ___ | Press - until -100% on right cell |
| ___ | Turn ch 8 (or channel 5 switch to "ON") knob 100% counterclockwise |
| ___ | Press - key until -100 on left cell |
| ___ | Leave everything else to the default settings (switch null so this is always in effect) |
| ___ | If you do not wish to be able to deploy/retract the pair of flaps with the channel 7 knob, use PMIX 4 to exactly duplicate this mix, but replace channel 8 with channel 7. |
D. Completing basic set up:
| ___ | Confirm proper servo direction, ATVs, dual rates, expos, etc for all 7 servos. Adjust if required. |
E. Set up Full Airbrake function: (ailerons, elevators, and your paired flaps)
1. Set up airbrake:
| ___ | In the advanced menu, arrow up until you get to abrake |
| ___ | Press + to activate it |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Set the desired % of aileron raised (or set - to drop ailerons) |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Set the same desired % of 'flaperon' raised or - to drop to match the aileron setting (sets the second flaperon servo) |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Set the desired % of down elevator to be applied (if unsure start with 10%. this percent is intended solely to keep the plane level and not balloon on flaps/ailerons dropping) |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave delay at 0 unless you need the elevator to drop slightly after the flaperons lower |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | FOR STARTERS, set this to manual and switch c. This way this will drop only when switch C is activated. |
Later, if you're feeling creative and adventurous, change this to linear, put the throttle at full throttle, and press the 2 set keys. Now when switch c is in the full down position, the more throttle you give the more airbrake is applied as well....might make for some interesting complex 3D!
2. Mix the two flap servos into the airbrake feature by using a pmix to mix flaperon to flaps:
| ___ | Arrow up to pmix 3 |
| ___ | Press + key to make active |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key so cell says OFS (this is an offset mix which moves the servo a set amount) |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key so cell says ch 7 |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Set desired % of flap movement during airbrake function |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + to turn link ON |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave offset at 0 |
| ___ | Press - key until left cell says switch C |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press - key until right cell says DWN |
F. Use elevator to flaperon mixing on switch C "UP" position:
| ___ | Arrow up until you get to ele-flap |
| ___ | Press + key to activate |
| ___ | Arrow over and adjust % as desired |
G. Create proper knife edge performance with rudder-to-elevator and rudder-to-aileron mixing:
1. Rudder-to-elevator mixing (most aircraft pitch to the belly when rudder is applied. This mix corrects for that. Fly the model and determine the amount of elevator stick held to just maintain knife edge at full throttle—unsure how much you need? start low, 5%, and increase gradually to resolve the issue.)
| ___ | Arrow up until you get to pmix 4 |
| ___ | Press + to activate |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key until RUD appears in left cell |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key until ELE appears in right cell |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Hold left rudder and press + key to set a desired positive percent to minimize the aircraft "pushing" toward its belly when rudder is given. If model climbs or pulls to the canopy when rudder is given, use a negative percent. |
| ___ | Hold right rudder and press the + key to again set the desired percent. |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave link off |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave trim off |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Leave offset off |
| ___ | Arrow over |
IF UNSURE about using this mix, set it to a switch for now—how about your trainer switch? switch F. Otherwise, leave the mix on all the time by ignore the switch choice (switch C is default is fine), arrow over and setting position to NULL.
2. Rudder-to-aileron mix
| ___ | Some models also roll on rudder input. If your model exhibits this behavior, set up a rudder to aileron mix just like the rudder to elevator mix was just set up. Remember, if the model rolls the same way as you gave rudder, you need a negative mix; if it rolls the opposite direction, then you need a positive mix. |
H. Fail-safe, battery fail-safe, Safe engine shut downs and Easier Spin Entries/Take offs/Landings with idle down and throttle kill.
1. Assuming you are using a PCM receiver for this high performance aircraft, choose how you wish to set your PCM fail-safe settings now. If you're unsure how to set your settings, we recommend setting all channels to normal (continues to do the last inputs received) except throttle, which goes to a high idle, and, if your model has a kill switch, the kill switch is closed to shut the engine off.
| ___ | Press the basic menu keys |
| ___ | Arrow up to F/S for fail-safe. |
| ___ | Norm means the control remains doing the last thing you set it up to do. |
| ___ | If you wish to give a specific aileron input, press the - key , hold the aileron stick in the desired position, and press the 2 set keys |
| ___ | Arrow over and set elevator |
| ___ | Arrow over and set throttle. We recommend pressing your minus key here, moving throttle to a high idle position (just enough to keep the model flying) then press the 2 set keys (top and bottom left) together. |
| ___ | Arrow over and set each other servo. |
NOTE that your battery fail-safe warning will go to the same throttle servo position.
2. Set idle down to switch E down position
| ___ | Press the 2 basic menu keys (top left and top center) |
| ___ | Arrow up until you reach idle down |
| ___ | Press + to make active |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Set the desired % you want your engine to decrease when idled down. Adjust this with the motor running so you get the lowest idle you are comfortable with for taxi and landing. |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key so says sw E down |
3. Set throttle cut to switch F up position
| ___ | Arrow up to throttle cut (th cut) |
| ___ | Press + key to make active |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Set the desired % to close your throttle properly without binding |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press - key to Sw F |
| ___ | Arrow over |
| ___ | Press + key until reads DOWN |
SO WHERE ARE WE? What controls do we now have?
With switches in normal positions (switch C's "off" position is center not up):
Throttle - normal
Rudder - application elevator and aileron are automatically given to correct for coupling in flight. REMEMBER THIS when you take off so don't give hard rudder to correct for poor take off procedure!
Aileron - both ailerons operate normally
Elevator - elevator input moves elevator alone
Ch 6 knob - trims flaperons
Ch 7 knob - raises or drops the 2 flap servos together
Ch 8 (or channel 5) knob - inactive
Switch C up position: elevator stick input moves elevators and flaps
Switch C center position: normal operation
Switch C down position: airbrake function with up flaperons, down flaps, down elevator
Switch E down position: throttle to low idle for spin entries, taxiing, landing
Switch F down position: throttle to cut off position
Turn off TX. What happens? If set as we recommended, throttle comes to high idle, all other servos maintain your last input.
Other things you might try:
Trainer function
Snap function
Timer function
To have the inboard flaps also act as full span ailerons:
| ___ | Mix aileron to channel 7 +100% |
| ___ | Mix aileron to channel 8 -100% |
| ___ | If you want this on a switch, choose the switch to assign these 2 mixes. |
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