Night Flying with FMA Co-Pilot
11-12-2005, 03:56 AM
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Night Flying with FMA Co-Pilot
Last night I flew my Sig Kadet, Sr., using the FMA Co-Pilot system for the first time for night flying. I had flown at night before without the FMA system, so it wasn't a totally new experience. This time, however, was a first for me using the FMA system. In theory the system should work at night, and indeed it did. I am using a Futaba 9C transmitter and can turn the Co-Pilot system on and off with one of the slider switches. I have about 32 tiny bulbs throughout the plane, and the covering is tranparent monokote. One side (including the wing panel) is green, the other is red. It is an interesting challenge! The only down side was the mosquitoes, but a little Deet took care of that. The moon was brighter than I would have liked, but we did it anyway!
Cajuncharley
Cajuncharley
11-12-2005, 08:04 AM
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RE: Night Flying with FMA Co-Pilot
Outstanding Charley and congratulations on your success, its good to hear that the FMA system is helpful for this application. I have considered getting one for a long time for my night flyer and X-country airplanes. One question are your internal lites LED's or some other type.
I,am loading now to drive down to the Lake Havasu London Bridge float fly and hope to get the first night flight on the water with this airplane tonight, also a Senior Kaydet. Its been on the water and has had two night flights before but tonight will be the first night/water flight. I am using the color coded incandesents on the wings and tail which work well but installed neon glow wire before covering with transparent yellow monocoat as you have done. The glow wire just does not cut it though too dim in flight so will probably replace with strings of something else when its time to recover. The color coated wingtip and tail lites have worked well in most of my past night fliers but the internal lighting is so much cooler.
Can you post a picture of your ship with the lites on and the red/green colored panel covering? Thats a unique approach.
John[8D]
I,am loading now to drive down to the Lake Havasu London Bridge float fly and hope to get the first night flight on the water with this airplane tonight, also a Senior Kaydet. Its been on the water and has had two night flights before but tonight will be the first night/water flight. I am using the color coded incandesents on the wings and tail which work well but installed neon glow wire before covering with transparent yellow monocoat as you have done. The glow wire just does not cut it though too dim in flight so will probably replace with strings of something else when its time to recover. The color coated wingtip and tail lites have worked well in most of my past night fliers but the internal lighting is so much cooler.
Can you post a picture of your ship with the lites on and the red/green colored panel covering? Thats a unique approach.
John[8D]
11-14-2005, 08:30 AM
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RE: Night Flying with FMA Co-Pilot
Hey guys what kind of night lights and etc, are you guys using through the wing,,,,and plane,, here is my thread I started in the clubhouse,, check it out, and CAJUNCHARLEY the pics of your plane would be most helpful thanks,,
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3550586/tm.htm
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3550586/tm.htm
