Does FMA Co Pilot really work with only 1 aileron servo??

I am starting out in aerial photography using a BTE Flyin King. Being able to keep the aircraft level and whn at higher altitudes would be a great help. For that reason I have been researching the FMA Co Pilot. My Flyin King has one servo per aileron and the FMA Co Pilot only hooks up to one servo for pitch and one for roll axis.

If I install the Co Pilot and plug in say the right aileron then when centering the sticks would give the Co Pilot the control over the right aileron and then left would then be centered. I am thinking that there would be sufficiant control from the one servo to make corrections in flight but not as quickly as if both ailerons where moving...any thoughts about this as I really do not want to waste the cash if it is not going to do what I need it to.

Thanks for your time

Reply to
Mike
Loading thread data ...

Put both servos on a Y connector and plug into the FMA just like you would plug into the receiver in a normal installation !

David

Reply to
David AMA40795 / KC5UH

In article , Mike wrote: | | If I install the Co Pilot and plug in say the right aileron then when | centering the sticks would give the Co Pilot the control over the | right aileron and then left would then be centered. I am thinking that | there would be sufficiant control from the one servo to make | corrections in flight but not as quickly as if both ailerons where | moving...any thoughts about this as I really do not want to waste the | cash if it is not going to do what I need it to.

Yes, it would basically do what you want.

However, if it put an aileron down, it would lift that side of the plane, true, but would also pitch the nose up, which would then cause it to move the elevator to poke the nose back down. I imagine it would work, but not that well -- if the plane twisted to the left, it would lurch back to the right, and as that happened the nose would go up or down and then correct ... under certain conditions I imagine it could cause oscillations where it never recovers and keeps making adjustments to both the aileron and elevator. (But of course, that's a concern with any sort of auto-pilot system.)

A better idea would be to do as the other poster suggested, and put both ailerons on one channel with a Y cable. You might need to adjust the connector on one servo or use a servo reverser if both ailerons go in the same direction when you do that.

If you do need to use flaperons (or spoilers, or air brakes) with this setup, get a mixer to put in your plane, and then you can plug the Co-Pilot into the aileron side, and your flap channel into the other side (and your radio won't be doing the mixing for you anymore.)

Reply to
Doug McLaren

Mike,

I use the exact same set up, a BTE Fly'n King with a FMA co-pilot. I, too, wanted it for a camera platform. The Co-Pilot is a VERY good system, but hook it up to a Y on one channel. I built the Fly'n King with flaps and they provide plenty of slow flight performance. I don't see a need for flaparons. I have had excellent results with an on-board video camera and transmitter, the co-pilot makes the job of flying a steady course for the camera a cinch. The device is worth every penny. Mine is set up with remote switching so that I can fully control the model for loops, etc. with the device off, and switch it on for level flight.

The Fly'n King, a camera, and the Co-Pilot are a perfect match.

Tom

Being

Pilot.

Reply to
Tom Johnson

Thanks for the replies.....going with a y connector it is!

Tom, I sent you an email.

Cheers

Mike

Reply to
Mike

That is how I set mine up and it works just like they claim - terrific - even landed my plane all by itself, deadstick, while out of my site. Not bad for a little gadget hey.

David

David AMA40795 / KC5UH wrote:

Reply to
quietguy

Mike,

Try: taj450(removespam)@comcast.com

Tom

Reply to
Tom Johnson

Tom, for some reason I can't get my email to you...can you email me at snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.ca please?

Thanks

Mike

Reply to
Mike

Mike,

It has been sent.

Tom

Reply to
Tom Johnson

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.