RC Planes

The servo cutouts on the bixler don't take in to consideration that flaps will be going the same way when they are led down

If you placed them in the foam grooves as they are on the bixler (the flap servos) they will end up acting like ailerons, so one goes up, one goes down if you use them on the same channel with a y lead)

There are ways around it

Cut a new slot in the foam to then one of the flap servos in the right direction
Or

Open up the servo and resolder the wires in reverse

Or

Use seperate channels (1 for each flap) and reverse one of them

Or

Buy a servo reverser, its basically just a servo lead with a tiny bit of PCB. Very discrete and it reverses the signal

I can then use the y lead and have the flaps on the same channel, with them both going In the same direction

Apparently a minute design flaw on the bixler wing, but easily overcome
 
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DJMK4 said:
Apparently a minute design flaw on the bixler wing, but easily overcome
Click to expand...

when i wired up my bixler 2 with flaps I had each control surface servo on its own channel, and reversed two on the TX.
I then did the flap mixing in the transmitter on a 3 way switch.

Flaps straight
Flaps act as ailerons
Flaps work as flaps. I also mixed in a bit of down elevator with the flap mix as the flaps going down makes the plane gain altitude.

this way you can also setup a crow mix. with flaps down and ailerons up for maximum stopping.

I always end up using the flaps as ailerons as I prefer it and only use the crow for still days

JT
 
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[TW]Taggart;27943655 said:
when i wired up my bixler 2 with flaps I had each flap servo on its own channel, and reversed one on the TX. I have a normal Y for the ailerons.

I then did the flap mixing in the transmitter on a 3 way switch.

Flaps straight
Flaps act as ailerons
Flaps work as flaps. I also mixed in a bit of down elevator with the flap mix as the flaps going down makes the plane gain altitude.

JT
Click to expand...

Yeh was going to do that but for 2quid I though I would save a channel

Cool will see what I can muster up, I'm not sure how the mixing with elevators etc are set up but guess will have to read more.

You not used crow brakes?
 
Someone just sent me a really good PDF on the taranis servo and mode setups going through the radio config. Switch and knob setups and the flap configs


That should keep me busy for a while
 
Thanks going to look at getting it eventually set-up ok


Done some more bits tonight, binded the rx to my taranis, testing the initial electronics, all seemed ok, although I think I may have one duff servo, its making a racket, usually you get some slight noise if one of the servos is being forced in a direction, but this one the servo arm has completely been removed and its making this noise (wait till near end of video)


The servo reverser works fine for my flaps, I have quickly setup channel5 for them, and assigned to a 3 position switch, but without any configuration the switch up sets flap to up, switch middle sets them to no flaps, and switch down sets the flaps down. So will have to configure that properly.

The motor is now spinning in the correct direction (clockwise) after a quick wire swap.

And I wasnt sure which was the best configuration on my one working aileron (to ease me in gently with the throws, use the top hole on the control horn on the aileron, and the 2nd from bottom hole on the servo arm, or to just use the top holes on the horn, and top hole on the servo arm and control the limits on the radio?

what do you think?



Got a replacement servo being sent by hobbyking
 
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What are the recommended throws for it?

I'd move it up 2 holes on the servo arm and down one on the aileron horn.

Edit: you seem to have about an inch of travel either side of neutral, that'll be plenty for it imo. I'd setup, if your a beginner like you say, some dual rates on the radio :)
 
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rhysduck said:
What are the recommended throws for it?

I'd move it up 2 holes on the servo arm and down one on the aileron horn.

Edit: you seem to have about an inch of travel either side of neutral, that'll be plenty for it imo. I'd setup, if your a beginner like you say, some dual rates on the radio :)
Click to expand...

Yeh, was thinking dual rates on a 2 way switch, with one rated at 50% for the controls or about an inch either way

For flaps

I'm going to use a 3 way switch for standard flaps.

Switch up no flaps
Switch mid half flaps
Switch down full flaps

Use one of the knobs as a variable rate for the flaps to fine tune

Then try and figure out best way to set up mixes and crow etc

Need to get some crossweave tape. But won't be doing the crossweave down the belly and wings until I'm done.

Still got quite a bit to do yet
 
rhysduck said:
Flaps sound good :)

What you covering the crossweave tape with? Does it come with stickers / covering etc?
Click to expand...

Covering with? Apparently makes the wings less flexy. Has a protective element to it. Is if you put it down the underbelly it protects on landings, some people put on leading edges etc
 
DJMK4 said:
Covering with? Apparently makes the wings less flexy. Has a protective element to it. Is if you put it down the underbelly it protects on landings, some people put on leading edges etc
Click to expand...

Yeah it's used a lot on my EPP gliders for strengthening leading edges, nose etc

But it goes crumbly after UV exposure (takes a while mind you) so was wondering if you were covering it with anything :) Or just rip it off in a few years and replace it.
 
rhysduck said:
Yeah it's used a lot on my EPP gliders for strengthening leading edges, nose etc

But it goes crumbly after UV exposure (takes a while mind you) so was wondering if you were covering it with anything :) Or just rip it off in a few years and replace it.
Click to expand...


Not sure, I dont know much about covering models etc I dont think, probably just rip off and re apply some new tape on the bits where I need to, why do people cover these properly? how, what with, benfits and is it a pain?
 
The Bixler is a basic an cheap model that is usually thrown together in an evening, and generally is a very safe flyer, and is unlikely to be crashed in all honesty. I have left my leading edges as they came out of the box, and only applied some tape on the underside of the fuse for landings.

In terms of your control surface throws, less is more for new pilots, but in reality, you are blessed with proportional control, so your fingers can easily adjust the throw by just being smooth and not making too many big movements. That way you should have the control required. You could also use the expo on your TX to keep things nicely in control, but still leave larger throws at the extremes of the TX movement.

Strengthening the wing is a good idea, I did it by beefing up the main spar, after I was unhappy with the wing flex in faster direction changes. I just used gorilla glue down the inside of the main spar, and slid a smaller diameter carbon fibre dowel (cut to length) inside. This removed almost all wing-flex
 
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Malt_Vinegar said:
The Bixler is a basic model that is usually thrown together in an evening, and generally is a very safe flyer, and is unlikely to be crashed in all honesty. I have left my leading edges as they came out of the box, and only applied some tape on the underside of the fuse for landings.

Strengthening the wing is a good idea, I did it by beefing up the main spar, after I was unhappy with the wing flex in faster direction changes. I just used gorilla glue down the inside of the main spar, and slid a smaller diameter carbon fibre dowel (cut to length) inside. This removed almost all wing-flex
Click to expand...


Ta,

Will look at this if I am strenghtening more, so the rod that came with the model, you didnt use this but used a smaller diameter rod inside?
 
DJMK4 said:
Ta,

Will look at this if I am strenghtening more, so the rod that came with the model, you didnt use this but used a smaller diameter rod inside?
Click to expand...

---------------------------------------- Original Spar
----------------------------------------
====================== Smaller Spar



----------------------------------------
====================== Smaller spar inside Original spar.
----------------------------------------


So you are sliding the new smaller spar inside the original, after applying the glue down the inside. I used Gorilla glue, as it expands into gaps (which is why i like using it for foam models) and this changed the stiffness considerably. That way you dont have to make any adjustments to the foam parts of the model, and it can be fitted/refitted as per original instructions.
 
Ah so your essentially putting glue inside the original spar and sliding a smaller rod down it.

Good idea.

Will see what I can pick up once I measure
 
Phoenix 5 up and running now so I have some sim practice :)

Tomorrow going to possibly order some crossweave tape, more glue, and a 4mm carbon rod for wing spa
 
Is around £4.50 + £4 postage I would be looking for those carbon rods?

I need to re-inforce the wing spa, I believe my stock bixler wing spa tube is around 6mm diameter and around 113cm (rough) length, I can see ebay people selling 80cm max lengths, so I would need two lengths of 80cm.

Just wondering if there is a way to save money, or somewhere I can pick something that would be fine from a store somewhere.

£10+£4 postage is a little hefty for essentially 2 x 4mm sticks.
 
Hmm, that seems a lot. Do you have a local model shop that might have some in store? I just used some stuff I had lying about in my spares. So not sure what the going prices are.

I know you can get it from Kite suppliers, which might be cheaper?

Also, 80cm length should be fine, just get it close to central, as the main flex happens in the middle really. You don't really need to fill the whole length. 80mm in a 100cm (iirc) spar should be adequate. I did mine at least 3 years ago now, so details are a bit sparse in my noggin!

Found a link for 1000mm lengths:
http://www.thehighwaymen.co.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=10250369
 
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