Ethos ( An intuitive program, my arse!)

[Wayne]

You could also do a custom mix for the elevator change and put the slow command on that one. So your elevator will still be fast, but this compensation mix would be slow. Pretty sure that would work.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I tried to do the same thing (slow elevator compensation to match slow flaps) in OpenTX on my Avanti, but could not do it. I'm using a QX7 with an Archer SR8 Rx.
I have the flaps on a 3-pos switch, which also drives the elevator compensation (10% offset). The flaps obey the 'slow-down' and 'slow-up' setting, but the elevator offset is instantaneous no matter what I select.

 

[Hill Hobbit]

You need to set up your flaps as a flight mode, this gives you the facility to set up the speed in/out.

 

[Hawaii Sloper]

You could also do a custom mix for the elevator change and put the slow command on that one. So your elevator will still be fast, but this compensation mix would be slow. Pretty sure that would work.

That was what I was talking about.

 

[Konrad]

You could also do a custom mix for the elevator change and put the slow command on that one. So your elevator will still be fast, but this compensation mix would be slow. Pretty sure that would work.

I don’t see the speed call out in the mix menu. I’ll look deeper when I get a chance.

 

[Konrad]

You need to set up your flaps as a flight mode, this gives you the facility to set up the speed in/out.

In OpenTX I did that and it worked for the transition between fight modes. But as I want to adjust the flaps (slider) I want the comp to follow. True, if I move the slider slowly everything stays in sync.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

You need to set up your flaps as a flight mode, this gives you the facility to set up the speed in/out.

Arrgh...flight modes... I'm OK with OTX but never learned to do flight modes. Guess I better crack the manual again and learn that.
Thanks for the hint.

 

[Konrad]

Arrgh...flight modes... I'm OK with OTX but never learned to do flight modes. Guess I better crack the manual again and learn that.
Thanks for the hint.

Like I said that only worked (for me) while transitioning to fixed flap points with each point being a flight mode.

 

[doug35]

Like I said that only worked (for me) while transitioning to fixed flap points with each point being a flight mode.

For each mix, there should be a slow up and slow down field.

 

[Konrad]

I see that at the output so this affects the servo globally. I don’t see this in the mixer menu.

 

[Konrad]

@Hill Hobbit, thank you! I think Mr. D might be the ticket.

I’ve yet to do the mixes, but I think I see (grasp ) the concept.

P.S. I think this is what Wayne is also saying.

 

[Hill Hobbit]

Way, way back in the day, Hanno Prettner wanted to slow up his slippery Curare for better spin entries and to help with landing approaches. So he fitted small flaps, and these also featured a section that stuck up to act as air brakes. He also mixed in having the ailerons raised a small amount plus some up elevator trim. This set up at the time was revolutionary, and transformed a bit of a missile into a real pussycat to land. My mate’s model has this set up, and having flown it a lot, I’ve set up my heavier and faster power aerobatic models (none have flaps) to have a ‘landing’ flight mode on a switch. This a small amount of up elev trim and up aileron, with a 2.5 Sec ‘in’ time and 2 Sec ‘out’. This is applied at low throttle on the cross leg of the approach (to avoid any sudden nose up zoom) and believe me, puts the model into a nice level attitude that just requires the odd bit of throttle to keep the model flying, then the smallest amount of back stick to flare for the nicest landings you’ve ever done.
This set up is not recommended for slow flying light models, especially in a breeze!

This is all based around what most pilots misunderstand about the elevator and throttle and their use and effects:
1) On a landing approach, elevator controls the plane’s speed.
2) The throttle controls the plane’s height.

when asked, during two polls at inter-club fly-ins recently, only 38% answered correctly. God help us!

 

[Hill Hobbit]

This set up worked really well on a heavy Stinger with a big 11 blade fan and 2400 hv Bolt packs. It landed like a Blejzyk mode on, landing mode off it really behaved like the brick it was!

 

[Konrad]

Yep, flat land crow.

This Taft Scorpion dramatically show’s this relationship. This is why I think the Scorpion has such a bad reputation. But if one understands the elevator’s true function the Scorpion lands like a butterfly with sore feet.

BTW; this is how I land full size aircraft, elevator controls speed, throttle controls decent rate.

Folks get wrapped around the axle when they think speed produces lift. After all the lift equation states lift goes up by the square of the velocity . And then they associate the throttle with speed. Throttle is power (thrust) to over come the drag. This also key to landing turbine aircraft (full size and models).

 

[Konrad]

First off I‘d like to thank all those that answered my cries for help. It is much appreciated!

Now luck would have that after playing around with the CG a bit. There is no need for any flap to elevator comp on my Taft Scorpion.

I got to run 4 sets of batteries and found that the rebuilt Scorpion lands as I remember. Real nose high (almost like a delta) and ever so softly on the mains. The Scorpion really makes me look good. Can’t say the same for the Venom.

The Venom needs to be flown flat to the ground without a flair if one is to avoid the dreaded bouncing landing. Set up level over the runway with full flaps and just kill the power and wait for her to sink for a 3 point landing.

 

[Konrad]

Well, here’s a real world indication of how much I’m liking this new radio and its new OS. I purchased another X18, after only programing 3 models! This time I got a X18S mainly because Aloft was out of stock of the X18 se ( the red ones). I’ve really only dealt with the basic aircraft set up and simple file management. I haven’t added model photos, really done any of the safety checks (other than fail safe), or any telemetry stuff other than RF strength.

On 2.4 gHz (X9D and DX9) I often flew into the RF warning. With the Tandem system I’ve yet to get an RF warning other than in range check mode. True I’ve yet to fly a 3 meter plus thermal ship on Tandem, but I have been flying these jets low (10 meter) and out to about 750 meters with the only limitation being my eye sight.

With Ethos you can still use real world logic statements when writing your programs ( just like you did with the Multiplex Profi mc and OpenTX). An added benefit is that Ethos also has a great start up wizard and prearranged mixes. This almost makes setting up simple models (most foam ARFs) to easy!

So the short of it, I love Ethos and the Tandem radio. Now between the X18 se and the X18S I can‘t see a nickels difference. Ok, my X18 se is red. It is looking like the X18 is the better value radio. I hope to be able to use the added memory of the X18S. As it is now my X9D is running out of memory. So I have high hopes that I’ll need the 512 mB of memory. I have to admit I see no use for the TX gyros. Maybe at a later date I can find a use for them. But as of now they are a feature I can’t foresee using.

As to the main interface with the TX, the gimbals, I can’t feel any difference between the two radios. In a blind test the only way I could tell which radio I had in my hands was that X18 has a gloss finish and the X18S indigo blue was a mat finish. My non-calloused engineering fingers can feel the surface finish difference.

In summary;
Tandem is great. All new radios should be dual band!
Ethos is the easiest transmitter OS yet, and one of the most powerful ones at that!
The X18 is the better value (I’ve yet to learn to use the X18S gyros).

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I have been flying these jets low (10 meter) and out to about 750 meters with the only limitation being my eye sight.

You can see that little Scorpion 750 meters away??? Without binoculars? I can see my 2.5 m Prelude glider at 1000 ft (about 1/3 the distance), but not very well.

 

[Konrad]

The Scorpion is the bigger of the two, but it isn’t as stable as the Venom. It was the smaller Venom that I was more comfortable flying low , fast and that far away (testing the radio and my eye sight). At that distance I’m really just flying the dot. But I can see the planform in the turn. The head on view I’d better not blink!

P.S.
I have a very good optometrist I told her that I want distance vision, for tracking an object with 500 square inches at 1/4 mile and traveling at 100 mph. The tree line (just over over the car roof line) is at around 750 meter.

P.S.S.
Google maps tells me the tree line is just shy of 700 meter from where I was standing. Seeing the shadow on the trees would indicate I was a bit short of 700 meter. I assume the shadow was my plane and not a turkey vulture’s.

 

[Wayne]

Good assessment on the 2 radios, and why I personally picked the X18 in red for myself.

We had a great time flying slope yesterday and and did something I had never tried before, I had some prototype flying wings and was not happy with some yaw I was seeing at near stall speeds when giving large roll inputs. I modified the mix to allow me to adjust the aileron differential via rudder trim as it is super easy to do in Ethos. Flew around and slowly adjusted the differential, but as I added differential the issue got worse, ok, lets try reversing the differential. That cured the issue. Upon landing it now appear that the mechanical throws are pretty much even. But without the differential I had a little mechanical differential built into the plane, enough to cause the yaw input.

I have done this same thing on conventional planes, but never tried it with a flying wing. I'm here to say you all should give it a try, the results speak for themselves. The plane now flies much nicer when pushed to the limits.

 

[Konrad]

Good assessment on the 2 radios, and why I personally picked the X18 in red for myself.

We had a great time flying slope yesterday and and did something I had never tried before, I had some prototype flying wings and was not happy with some yaw I was seeing at near stall speeds when giving large roll inputs. I modified the mix to allow me to adjust the aileron differential via rudder trim as it is super easy to do in Ethos. Flew around and slowly adjusted the differential, but as I added differential the issue got worse, ok, lets try reversing the differential. That cured the issue. Upon landing it now appear that the mechanical throws are pretty much even. But without the differential I had a little mechanical differential built into the plane, enough to cause the yaw input.

I have done this same thing on conventional planes, but never tried it with a flying wing. I'm here to say you all should give it a try, the results speak for themselves. The plane now flies much nicer when pushed to the limits.

This was on a 2 surface wing? So with positive differential you were effectively adding up? This would slowed the plane making the vertical fin less effective and bringing one wing closer to the stall. Getting neutral differential maintained the elevator setting (kept the speed up). I think there was more than just radio differential programing going on. It really is nice (fun) to be able to experiment on the fly, so to speak.