boner321

Hi everyone. If there's a newbie intro area I did not see it. Anyway, never got near an RC plane until recently and have been flying the large Apprentice. While, it's EZ and fun I'm having trouble getting off the gyro. So, here goes, and THX in advance


1-So, time to get off the Gyro, but that scares the crap outta me as the plane is far too sensitive/nervous/twitchy once I switch off the Gyro!!!!!
2-Now I thought i would not step up my radio from the basic one that came with the Apprentice until my next aircraft . But talking to the guys has me thinking of stepping up to the DX6(E) now so I can adjust the rates and make flying off Gyro less sensitive or twitchy!!
3-Now, since I'm really new at this can someone explain "simply" to me if this is the right move and why? I feel like gyro flying is like the 1st grade in school and off gyro like going straight to the 6th grade (too overwhelming!)
4-Also, I'm a dummy when it comes to technology, (my smart phone pisses me off daily).....so will the DX6(E) make me crazy learning and using it's features?
5-Again, please explain as SIMPLY as you can assuming I know little to nothing on RC terminology. Thanks in advance for your patience!!

RBACONS

My Feedback: (3)

A simple (and cheap) interim step would be to mechanically reduce movement of the control surfaces. You can move the control rod (the rod that runs between the servo arm and the horn on the control surface) attachment points outward one hole at the control surface (if its not already on the furthest hole) or move the control rod attachment point inward one hole on the servo arm. Both options achieve the same end result. I would do one hole at a time, test fly and see if it is less twitchy and that it still retains enough throw to properly control the plane. Be sure to adjust the length of the control rod to properly center the control surface after moving holes.

However, the Apprentice SAFE system should have 3 modes, based on the position of the 3 position switch: Beginner, Intermediate, and Experienced. Are you jumping right from Beginner to Experienced or are you having trouble on Intermediate as well?

boner321

The mechanicals are already on the slow rate. Beginner to intermediate is a huge jump in how thew plane responds. NOT fun 4 me.

RBACONS

My Feedback: (3)

You can spring for a new radio that has exponential (to reduce the sensitivity around the neutral point of the control stick) and dual rates (to allow you to further reduce the control surface movement), but those would really just be band-aids for you. The Apprentice is not even remotely a twitchy plane so the problem (particularly if the control rods are really on the innermost servo arm hole and the outermost control surface horn hole) is that you are likely over controlling the plane (moving the sticks too far and not waiting for the plane to respond to the smaller movements). The new radio won't make you a better flyer, only help mask your habit of over controlling. You'd be better off in the long run learning to use small controlled movements of the sticks and working your way up to Intermediate and Expert. You'll be a better flyer for it.

Has an experienced pilot trimmed the plane for you (in Expert mode) so that it flies straight and level with no stick inputs? If not, that would be the very first thing I would do.

boner321

The plane's trimmed and does fly straight when switched from novice to expert. The Apprentice may not be twitchy to you, but is very much so to me. It's enough that when I go from novice to intermediate I get nervous the plane can easily get away from me and has me switching right back to novice. The guy that taught me's a great pilot and I learned a lot. But, we got to a point he was just flying the plane for me and the teaching part pretty much stopped. That's when i decided against his advice to solo. I have around 60-80 solo flights with one crash last weekend. Probly my own fault for flying when it was too windy. It was so windy I could barely hang on to the wing while installing it on the fuselage.

Hawk131

If you have had that many flights and it still is too twitchy you will new to reduce the rates, but I'm concerned that like many of us have wondered about the safe system is its a crutch. My best advise would be to reduce the rates and intermittently move from basic to intermediate. When you get away from the safe system and if you decide to fly a stick built plane be it electric or glow/gas, there will be no option other than the radio set up and setting it up mechanicaly less difficult.

boner321

Only a few flights have been momentarily off gyro due to the erratic nature.

warhwk

My Feedback: (3)

If you are planning to stay in the hobby, a computerized radio will be a great investment. You can control how much throw you want, set up dual-rates and add expo to soften the controls near neutral and many other features.

I don't fly with Spectrum, but you might lose the ability to control the built in Gyro. Hopefully someone will jump in and answer that question.

red head

I'm NOT saying this is your problem but it might be : I watched a new pilot ( I refused to teach, another story ) with an apprentice that kept having problems because he insisted on TO MUCH stick movement . It doesn't take much and if you use a simulator to practice , more then likely you are just FLOPPING the sticks rather then making smooth movements.. Another thing you might do is get an experienced pilot to set up and trim your plane, then DON'T mess with it . ENJOY !!! RED

Hawk131

Also, the apprentice can go haywire if you pull high alphas if you on expert mode and switch to beginer mode. Just thought about that, it can temporarily confuse it.