Doc Austin
Posts: 633
Joined: 1/16/2006
From: Largo,
FL, USA
Status: offline
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Another way to kill speed to to use a percentage of the engine brake. I don't know about other ESCs, but with the Castle Creations ESC you can program brake in at 10% intervals. If you go into the advanced menu, you can program in 1% intervals. what this does is hold the prop back where it takes air force to turn it, and that force slows the airplane down. If you watch the video I posted earlier on this thread of the 25E, you can hear the ESC buzzing when the brake is on. When you hear that, watch how fast the airplane slows down.
Of course, you have to be careful if you use the ESC this way because the airplane slows so much faster than without it that you can stall the airplane very easily if you aren't fast on the power when you need it. Eventually you get used to it, but in the beginning it's like throwing out a patrachute, and the sudden loss of speed can catch you by surprise if you aren't expecting it.
I posted this about the ESC on another forum;
quote:
ORIGINAL: Doc Austin
I'm using the Castle Creations Phoenix 60 ESC. In the beginning I didn't know how to program it, and with no engine brake the motor would idle so fast that you could hardly land. I dialed in 10% brake and that fixed it, but it also created an interesting phenomenon.
Now the engine keeps turning, but slower, and the prop acts like a giant "air brake." I can come in really hot, snap the throttle back and it's like throwing out a parachute. Another cool thing it allows me to do is use a stall turn (or almost any other low turning maneuver) as a final approach, and the plane won't pick up much speed on the down leg. Generally I have always carried a little power on the leg in, which is now essential to keep the brake from engaging, but with power and "brake" it's effortless to spot land the thing with ridiculous accuracy.
However, you have to be careful that you don't stall the plane really deep with the "brake" on. When the nose falls forward, the braking action won't allow the plane to gain any airspeed. The plane simply drops, (which isn't good if you are low to the ground). You have to either give it alot of power or put the nose way down (which isn't good if you are low to the ground) so it picks up airspeed. If you just leave the nose level, the prop holds the plane back, and it will fall out of the sky. On my first 25E I pulled the power back and turned really hard low to the ground (my standard final approach). The turn scrubbing off speed and the "braking" action slowed the plane down much faster than I expected, and the plane fell right out of the sky and knocked the firewall out. This caught me completely by surprise, and it took awhile to figure out what had happened, but now I use the braking action to my advantage.
Another cool trick is that the speed controller will buzz when the "brake" is being employed. The faster the plane is traveling, the harder the air turns the prop against the "brake," and the louder the ESC will buzz. I like to dive the plane straight down from almost out of sight, with the throttle pulled back. The combination of the air rushing over the plane and the ESC howling is a very tortured, frightening sound. The first time it happened I almost threw the transmitter down and started running!
< Message edited by Doc Austin -- 11/30/2006 1:34:30 AM >
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There are days when I believe one man can make a difference.....and others where I have given up all hope.
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All Forums >> Electric Aircraft Universe >> Electric Aerobatic & Sport Planes >> RE: E-Flite Mini Pulse XT Owner's Club 
RE: E-Flite Mini Pulse XT Owner's Club - 
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