Originally Posted by
jim billings
Andy - The Eagle Tree Guardian instructions require that the gyro is to be mounted level with leveled airframe. Step 1 would be: Level the airplane. Step 2 would be: Install the Guardian at the CG as level as possible in the pitch plane and the roll plane (there is some acceptable slop which the software will correct.) Step 3 would be: With the software active and computer connected to the Guardian, click the "Reset Level Pitch/Roll" button. The airplane is now ready to fly nice and level. The problem here is step 1. How do you determine when the airplane is "level"? Sensei - How do you position the fuselage longitudinally to 0 degrees? Dennis - Your solution is interesting but all I want is the Plane to fly straight and level when I'm not operating the sticks. It keeps me out of a lot of trouble like when I disable the gyro in flight and get more practice flying normally. If I screw up, a flip of a switch saves a lot of walking and tree climbing.
I understand Jim I just wanted you to realise that even though the gyro will hold you straight and level it may not stop you from gaining or loosing altitude. Depending on your airfoil shape airspeed will have an influence on your altitude. Mine took fine tuning to get it to fly straight and level at a given airspeed. I used my incidence meter and set the main wing at 0 degrees. I then leveled the platform for the gyro. I used the same block under the tail wheel I used to initially level the model to initiate the gyro at the field. I cut it from a piece of 2X2 balsa I had laying around. At the field I used the block under the tail wheel to hold the aircraft level while I initialised the gyro. When I flew the plane at half throttle with the gyro off then trimmed the plane for straight and level flight. Turned the gyro on and the plane wanted to climb. I kept raising the tail wheel with wood shims when I initialized the gyro until the plane did not vary much when the gyro was turned on. Unfortunately this is not a constant for this plane due to the lifting airfoil and the spring tail wheel the gyro each time will be close enough but a slight adjustment in throttle setting is needed to get the plane to fly straight and level.
Dennis