I would like to improve my flying and be able to do some of the events in Fun fly competitions. I have no desire to compete in really big competitions, but when watching others who really can fly well I notice a few things about their set-up.



The one I would like answers to is when doing touch and go’s as well as limbo, I notice that the ailerons both move up before the models touches or goes under the limbo. I asked some of the modellers how they do this and they didn’t give much away, except a bit of sarcasm. I know it must be some sort of program mix but what is mixed.



Secondly is such a set-up /mix possible with a basic computer radio i.e. FF6 or do I need to join the JR 3810 – FF9 club ?

It's all about mixing and most 6 channel radio have some mixing ablility. If you want to really learn and compete well in a fun fly event I suggest getting a fun fly airplane and there are no better ones then the ones from Morris Hobbies. The Knife and the Topcap are great fun fly airplanes and they also are great trainers for 3D flying. They build easy, pretty inexpensive, fly so slow and with the large control surfaces they will do anything you can imagine... something you don't want to try and learn on a larger, more expensive airplane.

I personally feel like if someone wants to really expand their skills then a fun fly airplane is the best 2nd airplane. I know it was for me!

Hello Glennm:

Regarding the computer radios. I know that the Futaba 6xa and 6 xas will provide this mix. Also, the JR 652 and Hitec 6 AND 7 channel computer radios have this mix available. I don't know about Airtronics, but I would believe they would.

You will have to have the Flaperon switch activated. The aileron servos must be plugged into different ports in the receiver. Two aileron servos are mandatory. Then you go to one of the P mixes and mix flaps to elevator, using a switched on/off function. You can dial in dual rates for this set up as well. Raed the manual for any of the radios for clarification.

Sorry you encountered such a bunch of arrogant people at the field. You discovered the same thing I did about 25 years ago at several contests. It seems that a lot of contest people feel threatened when it comes to giving up a little bit of knowledge.

Silversurfer

The mix Glenn is asking about is throttle to spoilers. At very low throttle the spoilers come up. The problem with the sport computer radios is that you can't get the mix to start at a low enough throttle. If you move the center towards the low end and play with sub trims you can get the mix toward the bottom of stick movement, but you will have to really play with the mechanical linkage to the throttle. On top of all this you will get pitch changes with the mix, so you will want to do a similar mix to elevator. This is not a mix that you will want on all of the time, so you will want to have a switch that will turn both mixes off.

About the cheapest radio that will really do this mix well is the new 9CA radios from Futaba, My RD6000 super by Airtronics will barely do it and the spoilers start coming up at just under half throttle, which is too soon.

I don't know about the new radios, but my old JR 347 would do it. It had a landing mode and the spoilers could be set to pop at any throttle setting. Tom