December Fly RC Mag Features Phoenix Waco F5C!

They guy who built the plane and wrote the article is a master builder. It shows. What a beautiful job he did with the custom graphics!

I don't know about this Onxy Charger...

A few months ago Hobbico took my bricked charger in and repaired the RIGHT display that had crapped out. Its been fine since. This morning I turned it on and plugged it in and got this from the LEFT display...

Still works, but come on...

Spektrum Alpha6 AS3X - Not Ready For Prime Time

I wanted to put 3 axis stabilization on the Waco, and was going for either the Futaba GYA-460, or the Spektrum Alpha 6 AS3X systems.  Being a Spektrum guy, I went Spektrum. Its advertised as ready out of the box, calibrate and voila!

Ok!

Very nice in the box, the Alpha6 AS3X from AMainhobbies.

Solid, high quality build I expect from Spektrum. Nice metal case. 

Put a nice pad of gyro gel underneath it. Being on a gasser I wanted to isolate it as much as possible.

The wires are a rat's nest under the foam cover.

Installed on the nice CG centered platform, got all the wires going from and to the correct places. A little confused about the rudder having two inputs, R5 and R6 are the channels. One is Rate Only, the other Rate or Heading Hold depending on the gain setting. Ok... I know what these are on my heli, but I don't know how to use this on my airplane.

Well, its not working so well. I have the receiver and Alpha6 setup stock. As you go through the calibration you have to "Cycle the gain inputs and return to center."

What gain inputs?

I finally called Horizon Hobby-Spektrum Tech Support and they have no idea. Well, after some thinking and calling around, they figured that I needed to free up the GEAR channel, and connect a lead from the receiver GEAR Channel to G6 on the Alpha6. Then in the DX8 set the receiver  gear channel to the F Mode switch. Done. This "cycling" would be the F Mode from 1 to 0 to 2 and back to 1.  This would give me three settings, which from the RC Groups forum I figured out are "SAFE", ON and OFF (UPDATE: Thats wrong. Its RATE MODE-OFF-HEADING HOLD) .  NONE OF THIS IS IN THE MANUAL!  It also doesn't say what the default gain percentage is (is it even percentage?), nor how to adjust it. This basic gain setting should be programmable from the transmitter, or at least from the Alpha6, but it sounds like you have to link it to your computer with a cable you have to pay for and they don't say you need, and cannot change it in any other way.

So we did all that switching around, and still can't get past the blinking blue light of "not working". Can't get out of calibrate mode, so the unit is a $129 pass though device with a nice green light.

Now they are working on it. Really? This is THE MOST BASIC setup anyone will do, and it's not in the manual and it's not working. How did this leave the shelf without this basic setup functionality?

While they are bumping heads on this in Champaign, I had to free up the AUX1 channel to set the GEAR switch to AUX1 and use it as the remote ignition kill channel. Done. I had to Y-harness the ailerons, which is fine, I don't need duals, making them a one channel thing (though by doing so I lose the ability to set aileron differential), then plugged the ignition cut out into the AUX1. This changed the behavior and "0 centered"  of the left aileron for some reason, so I had to remove the servo tray for the left aileron, recenter the control arm, fine tune the control rod, and set the new zero, without subtrim. Now its all good. 

I did decide to stop at the "Gain Reverse Mode" for each control surface, and programmed the correct directions for un-commanded movement response, but you save them by... completing the calibration phase. So the surfaces don't move at all except in that Gain Reverse Mode". At least I know the MEMS is working.

As soon as the boys in Champaign figure out what's wrong with their setup they will call me, and we will see if this thing works.

Oh, and they are sending me a programming cable gratis.

With all of this I really want to be sure there is a switch to disable it in flight!

UPDATE  I spent a couple of hours on the phone with the Spektrum guys. They did a great job as we walked through various possibilities. We never repeated things, they were organized, and we remained baffled. I worked with Tyler who then kicked it up to Cody. Cody had me go through some interesting but logical tests that made it clear the Alpha6 isn't responding to signal in the G6 channel. Cody wonders if the channel was inhibited when set up at the factory, but we need the connection cable and the programming software to find out and if it is inhibited and reset it. He's shipping me a cable asap and will walk me through it,

Horizon Hobby Spektrum customer service rocks!

First Run RCGF 26cc in Phoenix Waco F5C

Wowser.  Joe Netter, from whom I purchase this engine used, had her perfectly tuned. Plug and play!

I ran her for the first time today.

I had a small problem with the AGM Hobby Switch I purchased on eBay, new. The Number II switch to the ignition would not reliably turn on, and when on and the vibration from the engine started, it flicked off. I had to remove it from the engine circuit to get the ignition to turn on and stay on. I used only the remote cut from the transmitter (the RCEXEL Opto Cut) to turn the ignition on and off. I realize I can just use this setup, but will see if I can get a replacement from the eBay seller, chinoeuk2010.  UPDATE: Seller offered to replace it, but I had already fixed it by replacing the bad switch with one from another single switch set that I didn't need. Fixed.

Nice run up. I did find that damn right wing bolt bouncing around inside, it having come right out. Now that the switch is out I can get that baby in proper.  

Expecting the Spektrum AS3X Stabilizing system to arrive today from AMainhobbies, and will install that, then the wing.

Phoenix Waco F5C Underside Contrasting

This afternoon I took to putting the darts on the bottom, and working up the contrast with the plain red on the topside to help with orientation. I like doing half side in darts because it kinda looks good, and because I don't want to spend a lot of time making the other side symmetric. I will probably add some more white. Still waiting for the RCEXL optic remote cut out.

Sweet.

A great Ugly day!

The Old Man and His Toy

Perfect day! Flew three full tanks before I had to go. The grass was too high, cut a lot, but she more or less she handled it. Ken Osborne was there and tried to fly a large foamie Mustang, but she kept tripping on the grass.

I mailed the Castle Phoenix Edge HV80 ESC this afternoon.  Castle gave me a reference number and I mailed it in. We'll see what they can do.

Phoenix Waco F5C Mostly Done!

A third build day. The Turnigy NiMH Receiver and Ignition packs arrived, as did the fuel dot and vent, and the switches. Still waiting for the RCEXL remote engine cut. I installed them, and the manual choke, and made an access hole in the cowl to allow me to tune the engine needles without removing the cowl, and I completed the plumbing of the fuel system. Just because, I installed the lower wings. In the process I realized I didn't take the wing securing bolt into account when I installed the switches, which is exactly over it...  I was trying to keep the switch out from under the top wing. I got the right wing on after a lot of pissing, gnashing of teeth trying to access the bolt, but did not rise to cussing. I don't intend to remove the wings if I can avoid it. Having all the control electronics in I bound the receiver and programmed the servos and DR/Expo in the DX8. These surfaces have a whole lot of range of motion, so I toned the aileron limits down to 80%, and max rate is 80% of that. Still scary range of motion. With both upper and lower wing ailerons, this thing is going to have some roll authority.

Large bay, very filled. Stressing about CG as I don't want to add any weight with that big 26cc engine up front. Moved everything I can into the bay and out from the cowl.

LOVE that wide stable stance!

I like big butts and I cannot lie! Look at that tail!

The top wing sits quite forward. The cabanes insert at the very front of the bay, so the top wing will sit at least 1/3 to 1/2 a chord forward of the lower wing, and I think the top wing has a longer chord. I plan to wait until I get the remote cut installed and have full access to the bay. I am loving the beautiful, plain red. I am thinking of putting black darts on the underside of the wing, but the problem with red is it too turns black in low light, so not sure if it will improve orientation. Maybe white ones?  I could have started the motor, but I am in no rush.