Sometime in mid May.

STLPilot, do you have info about the hollow shaft motor availability and the pricing for the motor ?

Thanks...

The info on the motor and prices are now posted.

www.ohiomodelplanes.com/pps

STLpilot,

WOW!!!! This unit is making me drool!!!

WHat is the recommended setup for it though? Can it be run with just a switch to change pitch, or is it necessary to use heli type operation? I ask because I am wondering about the sudden surge in current when you switch the pitch without transition, would that be harmful to the motor, or can the motor withstand the surge?

I would appreciate anyones input on this.

Thanks guys

Come on Dion, tell us something... We won't tell anybody that we heard it from you..... promise

Here's a hunch...

PERHAPS Ikarus is putting the finishing touches on an ESC with a voltage/current limiter which would act like a governor. I understand (perhaps incorrectly) that some e-helis have ESCs with this function

In fact, the ESC could have a built-in feature where the reverse servo signal (from the Rx) would go the ESC and the ESC would then have a jack for the reverse servo. The ESC would be programmed to account for the idiosyncrasies of abruptly changing the load on the motor/ESC.

With this type of feature, I could simply push my trainer button (momentary switch) with my left-hand ring finger to reverse the pitch of the prop at the stick's current throttle setting. This would be very comfortable/natural. Your radio may differ in the ease of actuating the reverse function.

People talk about setting the left stick like a heli with 3D collective...center position = zero thrust/zero throttle...up = + thrust...down = neg thrust. This might work, but I can't imagine it. The motor would be spooling down-up-down as you are "dancing" with the reverse feature.

Nope, there must be something in the works to make this system function well....Am I on to something here Dion?

Kolarskooter,

From what I have read on the threads at rcgroups, many of the are using the helimode type of operation. I however am also inclined to use the setup you described, which is the trainer switch to actuate the reverse. That way, i only hold it down when i want reverse, and in an emergency (dumb thumbs ) I can just release it to go back to normal flying. I know a number of people have crashed their planes through silly accidents using the heli style operation, but my concern is that suddelny reversing the pitch puts a sudden high load on the motor, and it may draw too many amps when that happens, i.e. surge current, and may get damaged. I am thnking along the lines of throttling down then hitting reverse, unless someone has a better idea.

Also, does any one have some thrust or RPM figures for this setup?? the way I build and fly, my shocky will probably weigh about 10oz, so I would want at least 15oz of thrust

Thanks

its simple, you use heli mode on the tranny. you use the throttle and pitch curves just like with a heli in conjunction with the idle ups. what is the problem folks??

You have to remember that there is a new, seperate servo for the pitch of the prop. It's completely independent of what goes on inside the motor. So doing this would not work ... nor would you want it to work this way. Just stay tuned for customer setups ... I'm sure that many are on the way. While you won't specifically need a radio that works for heli's only, you will need some sort of computer 6 channel radio for sure.

Dion,

I've been trying to give an order for the combo with the motor, I could not get a confirmation reply from sales. Are these in stock now ? Thanks.

Onur Bolel
Istanbul, Turkey.

No they are not in stock yet. Due about May 20.

Kolarshooter, there is no spooling up and down. When in heli idle up mode the throttle is controlled by a "curve" in the radio relative to throttle position. The pitch is also controlled by a curve relative to the throttle stick as well. In aerobatic heli, the throttle curve looks like a V. At low stick you get full throttle, at high stick you get full throttle. At mid stick, the ideal is to be able to maintain the same RPM that you get with full throttle and full pitch(either forward or backwards pitch). So, ideally the prop speed never changes in idle-up. The name idle-up confuses a lot of people because it has nothing to do with idle. On a heli radio, you have several idle-up modes. One mode can be set so that the plane would act like a regular fixed pitch plane. When I get one of these, I will likely set a mode so that I can spool up the blades but they won't have any pitch to them. I will move the throttle to mid stick and then switch to idle-up1 that will have the full range of pitch curves. Since I do it at mid stick, there won't be any pitch in the blades in either mode so it won't move. Now the motor will be at full speed and the throttle stick will control the pitch. You won't want to push a button and slam in full negative pitch. It would be very destabilizing to the airplane. You will also want to have a throttle hold switch set to kill all power to the motor no matter what mode you are in. This is to "save" the hardware in a wreck. With a normal plane you just pull the throttle to idle in a wreck. With VPP that would send it to full throttle reverse pitch. While it may lessen the impact, it's going to continue to beat the snot out of the plane till you gather your wits enough to get out of idle up and shut off the motor. After flying helis several years, at the first sign of trouble, I flip the throttle hold switch. I talked to Scott Foster at the JR Indoor fest in Columbus and this is his basic setup as well.
Matt

wow..U Da Man!!

I am only now (as of last sunday) getting an interest in helis. I don't know the first thing about them (except for full scale military. I worked avionics on those for years.)

I was hoping to avoid having the stick's center position as the "neutral" but I guess options are limited, and your explanation does make perfect sense. Thanks for the info!

Ohhhh, I was afraid that would be the answer.

So, after 35+ years of having my "panic reflex" consist of yanking both sticks all the way back, I would now have to UN-learn that and develop a reflex to NEUTRALIZE the throttle stick. That's why I never flew helis! As soon as I got the least bit confused, I'd chop the power and the thing would drop like a stone! [:@]

Oh, well, after skiing for 20 years, I learned to strap both feet to one board and go down the hill sideways ... so I guess I could learn to do 4D. It won't happen tomorrow, though. Still gotta figure out how to hover the "right" way first.

Mr. Up The Chimney Down But Not Down The Chimney Up

One other thing that some people may not realize, there is virtually no control over the plane when in reverse pitch. Most maneuvers you see done in the videos are a result of positioning the plane prior to going to reverse pitch. In conventional 3D flight, you are controlling the plane via prop blast over the control surfaces. In reverse pitch, there is no prop blast so the only airflow over the control surfaces is from the plane moving backwards which doesn't have much effect because by the time it gets moving backwards fast enough, it wants to flip around. I still can't wait to get one though.
Matt

Although it may not exactly double the number of maneuvers you can do (that is, "anything you can do forward you can do backward"), it's still WAY cool to be able to control the pace and timing of a routine using reverse thrust. It's like throttling back on the down side of a loop, which we've done forever, but with a lot more authority and precision.

No doubt better minds than mine have already thought up a bunch of applications for this, but just thinking out loud:

Square "hesitation" loops and eights
Stop-and-start Blenders
Serrated knife edge
Consecutive Lomcevaks and somersaults
... and how about a scalloped wingover series in a circle around yourself?

Please note, I couldn't DO any of this, it's just neat to dream up stuff for you folks to do!

The Evil Overlord

I'll second the "other people" comment. I'm doing good to maintain a solid hover and harrier in normal flight.
Matt

ARGHHHHHH!!!!! Despite not getting the info I wamted, I went ahead and ordered one unit!![:@]

Was just too tempting.

Hope to see more good stuff from OMP

Any news or new info?

Yes they are in the mail to us now. The first batch is almost sold out.

Dion,

Thanks for the update, I presume I will get a confirmation of my order only after you have received the stock?

Also looking forward to recommended setups being put up.

thanks

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

I want aeroflypro!!!!!!

Guys, tha patch for aeroflypro is out and ready to download, togethr with the edge shocky. There is an awesome video of Maarten de Moor flying it in aeroflypro, it was so good that I sent Dion an email begging for an update on when I can get my unit.

You can get the patch and the video at www.docinsane.com and also through the Ikarus website.

I am so jealous of you aeroflypro owners!!!!

Any update about when the PPS setups are supposed to be in?

As far as I know it should be in by now, which is probably why Dion has no time to post in here. ( probably busy with packing, labelling, etc etc )

Lets hope they will be shipped out soon

i got mine :-)