Hitec Flash 5SX set-up for a full house TD sailplane

[aeajr]

A friend is planning to move up to a 3M full house sailplane. Most likely there will be 6 servos. R/E/2A/2F

He is using a Hitec Flash 5SX transmitter and is asking for help with the set-up. A new transmitter is not in the budget at this time.

Anyone have a set-up they would like to suggest?

[daveosoar]

Sadly,I cant see it, unless its back to basics with Ail on ch1 with Y leads and mechanical offsets and flaps on ch5 with a similar set up.

[infopimp]

I agree - not to discourage you too much, bu note that you can get an Eclipse used for roughly $100 (or less) that will do everything you need.

[aeajr]

Thanks guys.

I know he can get started with the Flash and upgrade later. I just wanted to see how other people might be making the best use of this transmitter in this situation.

[regis]

see next :)

[regis]

We use to do Y leads but what a pain. Not a good idea and you will still spend 10 to 20 $ for the Y leads and have no trim control - poor investment. Here are some links for what you need - all under $100 - and you can make an offer. I do not know much about negative shift systems (Futaba & Hitec) so hopefully others with direct knowledge can critic these for suitability. You want at least seven channels and computer (assignable channel functions). (Six maybe doable with a sophisticated computer radio but a pain.) I see JR 347s ( a fine computer radio but positive shift) offered for around $50. So keep looking.

Futaba FP-T7UAP Super 7 Transmitter
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=249381

Futaba 7UAF Transmitter
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=249442

7CH PCM 1024 transmitter by Futaba - this may not be a computer radio
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=250317


also check http://www.rcgroups.com/aircraft-general-radio-equipment-fs-w-215/

Regis

[soholingo]

If he MUST use the flash, then I would NOT use the flaps. And just use ailerons 1,5, elevator 2, rudder 3 or 4. I would fly it that way to learn the plane, and start saving money for the better radio.

Jay

[John Walter]

I have a Futaba 8UAFS (super version) for sale that will do just about anything one could want on a full house sailplane.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=618781&highlight=futaba+8UAfS

The Don Edberg book will make setting up the program a snap. The 8U has better programming than a 7C and one can change channels with a module (unlike the 7C).

If he is really pressed for cash, I'll drop $10 if he doesn't want the spare battery.

[Andy W]

If he MUST use the flash, then I would NOT use the flaps. And just use ailerons 1,5, elevator 2, rudder 3 or 4.

If that is possible with the flash, then you can put the flap on ch3 (if the rudder is on 4) - just don't know if you can mix in elevator compensation for it.

[soholingo]

If that is possible with the flash, then you can put the flap on ch3 (if the rudder is on 4) - just don't know if you can mix in elevator compensation for it.

I wasn't sure if the programing could handle the flap and or if there was a motor involved. I had a flash 5 (good beginner radio), and it was handy. I could do spoilerons (either on a switch or on the throttle stick), but I don't remember if that functionality would translate to flaps. I guess it should...

[tigroot]

I agree - not to discourage you too much, bu note that you can get an Eclipse used for roughly $100 (or less) that will do everything you need.

Good suggestion but keep in mind that E7 will not do camber/reflex of entire trailing edge.
Bob

[rdwoebke]

Wow, been a long time since I looked at the Flast 5. Disclaimer, I have never owned this radio. I looked into it in 1996 when I was a University student but instead saved a bit more and bought a JR 783.

My suggestion:

1.) I'd run the ailerons in flaperon mode. I seem to remember Flash 5 had this option.

2.) I'd see if Flash 5 has flap to elevator compensation. If it does not, then that above might be real tricky. As you are aware, flap deployment tends to make the nose of a plane balloon up, so elevator compensation is neccesary.

3.) I'd run the flaps on the throttle channel. I suspect that when running Flash 5 on throttle actuation for flaperons that the throttle output still functions. Note! This will require either a servo reverser circuit or the person building the 6 servo plane installs the servos in the same direction (this is not typical). Else your servos on a Y will work like ailerons!

Ryan

[pocket rocket]

a few years ago I used a Flash-5X to fly a K2 (4 servo wing and V-tail) but it wasn't an ideal set-up, much better to get a good Multiplex radio (IMO).

what I did was :-

flap and aileron on right wing on y-connector to aileron on Rx ch-1

flap and aileron on left wing on y-conector, with a servo reverser so that flap servo moved in correct direction, to aileron on Rx ch-5

ailerons set up with the usual mechanical differential

flaps set up with mechanical differential so they went up as little as possible and down to about 90 degrees

rudder and elevator on usual Rx channels

remaining receiver channel operated by a Tx switch to move a servo with a microswitch to cut off signal (or power, forget which) to both flap servos

I can't remember if I had launch camber on a Tx switch but I think it was there

After launch I would activate the 5th channel servo to stop the flap servos moving and they remained at a neutral setting

Fly as usual on rudder/elevator/ailerons

On landing approach de-activate the 5th channel to allow flap servos to operate, pull back the left stick and the flaps went down and the ailerons up for crow with elevator compensation mixed in ( of course if you used a lot of aileron stick the flaps would move (one up and one down) which wasn't too good !!)

and then I got a Mutiplex Profi 3030 and life was easy again but I did get a second place in a CASL club contest with that K2 and Flash-5X

Philip

[Freakflyin]

Hey Ed,
What Ryan said... just "y" the flaps on throttle...The 5X has some basic sailplane mixes but, that's all you have with this radio.

Good luck!

Mike

[aeajr]

Thanks guys. All of your suggestions will be valuable.

I hope I can get him into a new radio but if not, at least you suggestions will help.

[rdwoebke]

You know, another thought as well. I have always thought ground support equipment to be a better investment than planes. Planes can come and go, and can be gone in a bad decision or bad luck. But ground support equipment tends to be something that stays around. I don't know if this fellow pilot already has a plane, or has a plane on order, or is getting a used plane, but it might be a wiser choice to pick something more within his radio's capabilities for the time being.

There are a lot of good 3 meter polyhedral planes. If it is contests or peformance this person is after, without some crafty mechanical setup, a poorly setup flat wing bird might fly worse than a well setup Rudder/elevator plane....

More 2 cents.

Ryan

[aeajr]

Good thoughts Ryan

[regis]

You can buy a Y connector that will reverse one side. MPI (other sources too) MIRACLE Y ™ MK-II with buffer http://www.maxxprod.com/mpi/mpi-5.html#Miracle%20Y But as I have said - poor investment. Regis

[aeajr]

Final decision is he ia going with a full house plane but will start it with the Flash 5SX and upgrade when the budget allows.

Any other ideas are welcome.

[rdwoebke]

Is he installing the gear in the full house plane or is he getting one with gear already in it? Flaps on a Y you would either need one of those Y reversers, to reverse a servo internally, or install the two flap servos in the same direction. That would be some planning to consider.

Ryan

[aeajr]

Thanks for the tips Ryan. Not sure if it has servos or not, but I will bring this up.

When I built my Thermal Dancer I set the servos so they could be run on a Y cable as my back-up radio can't address them on individual channels. Works fine!

Love that TD! On of the club members just ordered one.

[aeajr]

Just wanted to let you know my friend bought a Compulsion in really fine shape with all the electroncis installed.

Set it up on his Flash 5SX with a reversing Y cable. Works fine.

The plane flies beautifully. While he does not all the mixes one would want, he has it flying.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

[soholingo]

good stuff!!

[aeajr]

Just goes to remind us that you don't need an expensive radio system with all the mixes in the world to fly full house sailplanes.

He has the ailerons split, flaps on a reversing Y cable controlled on a two position swithch for 45 and 90 degrees with no elevator comp. He has been using the 45 degree and using the elevator manually to compensate. He is doing pretty good with it.


Now, here is a question.

He has camber and reflex set up on the ailerons/flaperons, but it is just the ailerons. I would imagine that would work OK. Not as effective as full span but it shouldprovide some benefit.

Any opinions on this?

[rdwoebke]

Just goes to remind us that you don't need an expensive radio system with all the mixes in the world to fly full house sailplanes.

I still say in the long run most folks would be better off working with a decent RES ship instead of doing something like this (assuming the radio limitations). But that is just me and if he is having a good time more power too him. :) The lack of elevator compensation thing would worry me the most.



He has camber and reflex set up on the ailerons/flaperons, but it is just the ailerons. I would imagine that would work OK. Not as effective as full span but it shouldprovide some benefit.

Any opinions on this?

Keep in mind that adding camber to the ailerons without adding camber to the flaps could be a nice recipie for a tip stall... Reflex would be OK, but I can't comment on how effective it would be (or that matter much on reflex at all as I'm pretty new to it).

Either way, good luck to him with his continued enjoyment of the ship.


Ryan

[O.L. Adcock]

"Just goes to remind us that you don't need an expensive radio system with all the mixes in the world to fly full house sailplanes"......

Everything thing our computer radios do today was being done mechanically 15 years ago in Dodgson Designs....Reflex, crow, elevator comp...everything.....Not as easy as pushing a couple of buttons but it worked very well and no reason it wouldn't today.......O.L.

[aeajr]

Not about to get into slide trays and the like. But yes, you can fly a full house plane on a simple 4 channel radio.