Hobby King Sbach 3D EPP 1200mm

The HK Sbach 1200mm in EPP is Done! It took no time to build. I installed a Hobby King 3D Stabilization Orange Receiver, and a HeadsUpRC PowerUp 25 Speed motor. She'll be flying a 3S 2200 mAh. This model addresses the flaws in the design of the other smaller Hobby King EPP model I had, the Extra. It has a complete wood frame fore to aft. The wing has a carbon fiber spar. I think she is going to fly just fine!

I had set up the HK Stabilizer Gyro using dual ailerons, and it burned out two right aileron servos before I decided to Y harness them into one channel. I have a Solar D654 on that side now, and EXI 9 gm servos everywhere else. I also had to swap out the rudder servo as it chattered like a gossip.

I am interested to see how she flies. 

IT WORKS! IT WORKS!

I FINALLY GOT THE ALPHA6 WORKING!

Cody at Spektrum/Horizon sent me a new unit and I installed it today. At first it had all the same problems. I could not get through the Gain range of motion stage. Nothing I tried again, worked. I called tech support, and a new guy tried, but quickly set me up to talk to Cody, who was out for the day.

I was annoyed...  why is this so hard?

For some reason I thought, what if the MODEL in the DX8 was somehow corrupted? I decided on this whim to set up a whole new MODEL in another slot. I went thought the program steps and was stunned when I flicked the FMODE switch, and got a SOLID BLUE LIGHT! It had accepted the switch!

It looks like the surfaces are all moving in the right directions as I programmed in. I am tired, so will recheck them again later.

I sent Cody an email about this success and asked what the GREEN-WHITE-PURPLE mean as I move the FMODE switch through 0-1-2. Are they RATE MODE-OFF-HOLD MODE? Or is it ON-OFF-PANIC RECOVERY? There is supposed to be a PANIC RECOVERY mode. If so, is that how the PANIC MODE accessed? What exactly does the PANIC MODE do?  You would think these sorts of things would be in the manual, but no....

I am pretty psyched. I will maiden her the first good weather I get!

We'll just swap that out then...

I wish they would have decided this a week ago. The cable for the Spektrum AS3X arrived last night. I updated the firmware in the Alpha6, but that didn't change thing. I tried reprogramming it through the software and got no where.

Today I contacted Spektrum support and before we even tried anything Cody had decided to just exchange the device. He is sending me a new one, along with, one hopes, postage paid to return the bad one.

I removed the unit and plan to maiden the Waco without stabilization. She looks amaze-balls!

She is big... 63" wingspan. I really don't want to take the wing off (I am damned if I am going to remove the right wing, with that switch obscuring the screw and all). I hope I can it it in my car or my wife's...

Castle for the Win!

I blogged a couple of weeks back about a new in box Castle Phoenix Edge HV80 ESC that was DOA. I contacted Castle and they send to send it in, even though I had no recall of date of purchase or from whom, and it was a couple of years ago... So I sent it in, and it came back yesterday! I suspect that they sent a new one, but I can't tell for sure. My soldered leads were gone (they did send back the cut off EC5).

I set it up on the Trex 600FBL in place of the FunFLy 100A I had installed, and plugged it in to the Castle Link Programming card, powered it up, and nada. Hmmm....  I powered it down, brought out the computer and plugged in the Castle Link Connector, opened the Castle programming software, powered up and immediately there it was!  I updated the firmware, just in case, programmed it for helicopter, and updated the settings. Worked perfectly. Took the Trex 600FBL out to spin her up, and everything worked perfectly! She is ready to go.

Thanks, Castle!

All soldered up.

It doesn't work with the programming card.

But works perfectly with the computer software and connector.  I LOVE it when a software works like its supposed to.

Installed! Thanks, Castle Creations!

The only one not flight ready is the Frankenheli 450 (not pictured).

The connector for the Spektrum AS3X came in from Horizon Hobby/Spektrum today. I did update the firmware, but was unable to accomplish anything else. It still bothers me that there is NO manual for any of this. If this isn't fixed quickly tomorrow I want to return it... I have wasted enough time.  I want to fly the Waco, dammit.

The good news is...

...that un-commanded roll issue is gone on the Trex 500fbl (HK).

The bad news is I didn't fly it very well.

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I think the gyro gain was a bit off... She's got the BeastX FBL system. She flew ok, but was a bit mushy holding her head, and I was so scared the whole time I was behind her the entire flight. I lost control and she grounded hard. But now that I've secured the gyro that funky death roll on reaching headspeed is gone,

I've already got her back together but for a control rod, on its way from AMainhobbies. And I'll try again with more than 35%.

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...