siclick33

Not necessarily true. You can also approach using the 'wing down' method which keeps the aircraft pointing down the runway at all times with no crabbing. It is the recommended approach technique for some full size aircraft.

Svein Erik Riis

Hello.

I have some issues with setting up a Cortex with my Jeti DC 16. I have put the on/of to the sj switch.I have gyro off and gyro normal, but I can't get it in the hold mode. Gyro off is in center and normal is with the switch pushed forward.But when I want it to go to hold, it is still in red when I have pulled the switch to the bottom.I have set the normal at -30 and off at 0 and hold at +40.Anyone knows what I'm doing wrong here?

mort78

My Feedback: (1)

Check your actual travel position, in servo monitor.

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

Svien can I suggest using one of your sliders to control the gain of the gyro. Assuming center position is zero, one side should make the led red the other side green. You can vary the gain from -100-0+100

CraigG

My Feedback: (40)

I received my cortex gyro from DreamWorks last week and it was version 13. When I updated it yesterday, version 15 was the latest. Apparently the only change from v14 is the ability to turn some of the internal functions on/off via the software. I don't believe it effects any of the operational functionality.

FWIW, I followed Bob B's advise and the install and setup went smoothly in my big Futura. The only issue I had was the tight fit of the plugs going to the rx. I found I had to bevel the edges slightly with a fine file to allow them to fit into the rx slots. Really looking forward to trying it out next week at Super Jet South.

Craig

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

What you have done sounds correct. The only way I can understand the behavior you're seeing is if you connected the Cortex to a PC and accidentally changed the bank settings to disable hold mode for both switch positions. Either that or your Cortex is defective, which sounds unlikely. Verify the behavior of your switch with the servo monitor or by plugging a servo into the gain channel. If you find no problems there, I'd connect the Cortex to a PC, ensure it has the latest firmware and reset it to the factory defaults. If it still doesn't work correctly, it's time to contact the vendor you got it from to help trouble shoot the problem or perhaps have the unit replaced..

Harley Condra

My Feedback: (4)

Craig,
The gyro is plugged into Aux 2, and in code 17, the Aux 2 channel is set to GYR .
In code 17, Device Select, Aux 2 [OUT] selections are: INH, ACT, GYR and PIT.
The Flight mode selection in Code 17 is set to Flap Switch, the Flap channel in Code 17 must be set to SYS, which is part of the "Crow" programming in my KingCat.

When GYR is selected in Code 17, Code 44 (Gyro Sensitivity) is enabled in the Tx, and that is where the sensitivity percentage selections are made. There is a sensitivity selection available for each position in the Flight Modes, FM), FM1, FM2. These sensitivity adjustments can be altered on the ground, or in flight by Dustin (If you are fortunate enough to have him around).

So, when the Flight Modes are changed by the flap switch, the gyro sensitivity changes to match your selection made in the Flight Mode.
Changes are made with the roller in Code 44.
While you fly the airplane in each Flight Mode, the adjustment can be made. You can see the results of the sensitivity changes in real time. This is much easier than flying, landing and adjusting, and repeating the process over and over.

CraigG

My Feedback: (40)

Harley,
Got it, thanks! I usually don't like people making adjustments to my tx programming during flight but at least I know now how you and Dustin did it. See you guys next weekend at SJS!

Craig

Harley Condra

My Feedback: (4)

Craig,
Glad you got the info.
Sorry, but I won't be attending SJS this year. Other obligations are in the way.
Maybe next year...Dustin will be attending, though.

Dustin Buescher

I only skimmed what Harley wrote... so may be redundant info.

in the gyro system, set it up so that the gyro type is "tail lock". This gives the availability of using the two banks. This gives you options of "N" and "T". Think of these as "Bank 1" and "Bank 2". 0% is off 100% is obviously 100% in that bank. An Amber LED is bank 1, the "normal" bank that we use unless advanced computer setup is done.

Best of luck!

JimBrown

My Feedback: (2)

Just downloaded and installed firmware update 15. I'm particularly interested in this update as I am stabilizing rudder and nose wheel together and it is supposed to stop stabilization on the nose wheel when retracted. Rudder is on one channel, nose wheel is on another. Nose wheel channel is mixed to rudder in the TX.

Got it all installed and updated, no problem. Issue is I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do to stop stabilization on the nose wheel when retracted.

A nudge in the right direction would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
...jim

Jack Diaz

My Feedback: (1)

Jim, a single output channel can be disabled in a "bank".
In your case, you can switch between banks with the gear command.
You need to install a new PC software (V1.2) to be able to disable any output in a particular bank.

Jack

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

Jim why not disable the NG mix when retracted?

JimBrown

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Jack! That was the nudge I needed. Got it working now.

Bob, the mix is disabled with the gear retracted, but the Cortex was still applying rudder corrections to the nose gear steering servo. This update, and with Jack's helpful hint, means that the nose gear servo does not move at all when the gear is retracted.

...jim

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

So the steering servo was still moving with the gear up?

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Yes, even though the mix in the transmitter is disabled, the Cortex would still apply corrections unless the NG channel on the Cortex is disabled as well when the gear is retracted.

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

I understand the gyro would still apply corrections but if the mix is off when the gear is up, the steering servo should NOT move, so I am not sure why this is an issue.
I can say for a fact that my steering servo is NOT moving when the gear is up.

Glad you found a resolution for your setup.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

If you have your Cortex connected to your receiver's NG steering channel and the nose gear steering servo connected to the Cortex, without doing anything to disable NG channel on the Cortex, the Cortex SHOULD be moving the NG steering servo as the aircraft yaws. Of course if you had the nose wheel steering mix in the transmitter disabled during the Cortex setup, the Cortex NEVER applies any NG steering corrections, as it saw no servo movement on the NG steering channel during setup. It sounds like something isn't quite the way you think it is but I've been wrong before..

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

My mix disables the NG Channel.

JimBrown

My Feedback: (2)

Bob, are you running the NG servo through the Cortex? Not everyone is... particularly if they have dual rudders on separate channels.

In my case, I wanted the Cortex to stabilize the NG as well as the rudders, so I wye'd the rudders together into one channel, and used another channel on the Cortex for the nose gear. On the TX, I have one channel for rudder, and one channel for NG with appropriate mix. During setup, the gear must be extended so that the NG servo is active (via the TX mix) and the Cortex will see it as a second "rudder" channel. From then on, any yaw movement gets stabilized on both the rudder and NG. However prior to the update, when turning off the NG servo after retraction via the mix on the TX, the Cortex does not know that it is turned off and continues to apply yaw stabilization to both "rudder" channels. The only movement of the NG servo when retracted is from the Cortex, there is no movement from the rudder stick on the TX.

With the latest update, you can turn off any channel in one bank, and have it on in the other. So now, I'll use bank 1 for take off and landing, with all channels turned on, and a higher gain. For cruise flight, I'll use bank 2 with lower gain and the NG channel turned off in the Cortex (as well as via the TX mix).

Of course, this setup has to be done via the PC software.

And I should mention that this setup has not flown yet. Maiden flight will be at SJS next week.

...jim

Svein Erik Riis

I found the problem. It is really funny, I could not program a switch on any of my planes. They just work from 0 to + 100, not to -100.
I had two new recivers on my shelf and put one of them in my plane and guess what? Now my switches work both ways.
The reciver is over two years old and I have never updated it. Mabye it should try to update it. It is the 14 channel reciver.
Any thougts anyone?

DrScoles

My Feedback: (18)

I'm pretty sure this has been brought up before, but why aren't people freaking out about the power being supplied to the servos by two wires? We buy all these giant power boxes and redundant systems, then we bypass it all by using this gyro with two little power leads going into it that will power multiple servos? I know you could power them separately and just use the output signal wire, but that would be a pain in the ass.

I have mine installed in a little 3D electric, two more patients and its off to the field to play with it!

Springbok Flyer

+1

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

So maybe the extra gear is not really essential?

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

Jim the model I have the cortex in has a rather unique mix between the rudder and NG and the reason I do not have any output to the NG when the gear is retracted.