I have a Futaba GYA350 in my Astro Hog. With the gear switch in one position it is in heading lock (ACVS) mode and in the other position it is ‘normal.’ I think I have the ATV set at around 80 percent for heading lock and 30 or 40 percent for normal. The two little dials on the gyro itself are set at whatever was on the instruction sheet.

In normal mode I cannot tell the gyro is there. An Astro Hog may not be the best test subject for this because it is a very stable plane to begin with. And I’m not a great pilot so it may be doing more than I realize. Since I don’t fully understand what it ‘should’ be doing in normal mode I have no idea if it is doing it.

In heading lock mode it will drive straight down the runway. Even if the throttle is slammed from idle to full it goes in the intended direction. I hesitate to say it goes “straight as an arrow” but it does go pretty darn straight. Our runway is grass and it has a few dips and undulations. Running from one end to the other it does seem to follow the slant of the runway and may work toward the left or right side of the strip a little but it’s always headed South.

I bought the gyro specifically to keep the plane straight on the takeoff run. I have a neurological condition that left me with extremely limited feeling and mobility in my hands, one much worse than the other. I cannot manually use the rudder to maintain a straight path down the runway.

Prior to this, my gyro experience was zero. I’m no gyro expert and can only relate what I have personally seen or done.