Auto-pilots

Does anyone have any experience with flight stabilization devices such as the Futaba PA-2 or the CPD4 or FS8 Co-pilots from FMA Direct? If so, how well did they perform for you?

Thanks Tim

Reply to
RC Pilot
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I have used a Futaba PA-1 and PA-2, They worked as advertised. I doubt if a beginner could fly with one unless it was properly set up by an experienced flyer beforehand. Then it could become a crutch. You would need to be disciplined enough to turn down the gain and really learn to get out of trouble yourself.

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news

I'm about to buy one (another one - I'll use this one - I hope). It will help take the load off of me while doing some photography and video shooting from the model.

Ed Cregger

Reply to
Ed Cregger

Dunno about the ones from FMA, but the Futaba PA-2, only works in nea

perfect conditions. It operates on the the priciple of light vs dark. So if the sun is in a funny position, it does not work. If you have a forest on one side, it does not work. If you have mountains on one side it does not work. If you have snow on the ground, it does not work.

I used this device from Futaba in a complete different mode than wha it was intended for. I hooked it up to the horizontal and vertica stabs, on a trainer. The sensor was placed in the wing. Interesting to look at the darn thing doing all kinds of gyrations (i tried to "hang on the prop", but could not do it due to the dihedral) but never really in crash causing mode, with me placing the trannie o a table next to me. Had to hide the plane after I landed, so peopl could not figure out how it was done. Those that asked, were told tha it took a special programming mode .....

-- indoruwe

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indoruwet

I have the Co-pilot - works beautifully - when my plane got away from me once, I cut the engine as it disapeared behind some trees. By itself it landed theplane safely in a paddock. Not a scratch.

David

RC Pilot wrote:

Reply to
quietguy

I've used the FMA quit successfully to train pilots and find i

invalueable. As stated you need to learn not to reley on it an monitor the gain as the pilot advances. My son uses it in A/P to hel stablize the model for both video and stills. Also helps when you flying the model with VR goggles so your getting a pilots eye view

-- starca

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starcad

Tim,

I've used the PA-1, the HAL and the FMA CoPilot. Of the three, I prefer the FMA CoPilot. Most recently, I used it in a unique way. After losing a plane to interference, I decided to go with a PCM system. I set up the Fail Safe mode to switch on the CoPilot in the case of loss of radio link. It worked perfectly.

Don

Reply to
Don Lacey

Thank you all very much for your input.

Tim

Reply to
RC Pilot

Now THAT is a good idea!

Reply to
Six_O'Clock_High

I wonder which state his plane landed in.

Reply to
Poxy

Hehe, I'd hope that it was only a TEMPORARY loss of radio signal

Reply to
Ed Paasch

All he needs now is a Lo-Jack (sp?) to find it when it lands.

Actually that sounds like an excellent usage for such a device.

Ed Cregger

Reply to
newsgroups.bellsouth.net

A couple of years ago (2) a flier at my field had and FMA installed o

his model. He is kind of an older gentelman and is distracted quit easily. While flying he lost sight of his model and when he turne around to find it, it was gone. Everyone landed and we all listene for the sound of the engine. Nothing! Several days later he receive a call from a local full scale pilot. He had heard of the lost mode and had spotted it in the desert about eight miles for our field. The arranged to meet and drive out to the location. The model appeared t have made a perfect landing without any damage what so ever. Releaive and greatfull the modeler extended the reward money to the pilot.

Now try this if you dare.

Hobbyco 40 trainer FMA Co-pilot installed and model trimmed. Set the model up on final in a gentle decent Place transmitter on the ground and walk away Watch the model land itself and then pick the transmitter back uo an taxi to the pits.

Note: Did this when there were only a couple of observers at the fiel and little to no wind conditions

-- starca

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starcad

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