RE: 12Z mixing for flying wings ??
Krysta and BAX,
Thanks again for the support. As Bax suggests, here is a description of what I am trying to set up.
In a nut shell, I simply want to do all the usual mixings that we modelers traditionally use to correct for unwanted trim changes, or to introduce desired trim changes. This is what programmable mixers were originally developed for. I know you are very familiar with the examples I am about to give. The point is that each of these examples are just as applicable to designs without a separate horizontal tail (flying wings), as they are to designs with a horizontal tail.
1. When throttle changes are made, there are often pitch changes that results. So mixing throttle to pitch control is traditionally used to tailor this behavior as desired. For a design without a horizontal tail, the elevator “function” (or camber “function”) is the “pitch” control. So with the 12Z how do I mix throttle to pitch control (either elevator or camber function) with any of the flying wing model types?
2. When the landing gear is lowered there is often a pitch change that results. Mixing gear to pitch control is traditionally done to compensate. So with the 12Z how do I mix gear to pitch control (either elevator or camber function) with any of the flying wing model types?
3. When a separate airbrake is actuated there are often pitch change that result. Mixing airbrake to pitch control is traditionally done to compensate. With my 12Z I noticed the AIRBRAKE to ELEVATOR Mix in the Model Menu does work for this as you would expect.
4. When a payload is dropped the CG may change resulting in a pitch trim change. Mixing payload auxiliary channel to pitch control would traditionally be done to compensate. So with the 12Z how do I mix an aux channel to pitch control (either elevator or camber function) with any of the flying wing model types?
5. Every design has its own natural pitch coupling and roll coupling characteristics with rudder input. Mixing features of computer radios traditionally allow these couplings to be enhanced or reduced as desired. Mixing out unwanted pitch and roll during knife-edge flight is a common example. (Yes, many designs without separate horizontal tails can still do knife-edge flight). For another example a semi-delta wing design I have rolls the wrong way and tucks a bit as a result of rudder input. I can make it a docile sport flier by mixing out the unwanted roll and pitch coupling with rudder input. With any of the flying wing model types, the RUD to AIL feature in the Model menu works fine, but the RUD to ELE feature does not. So with the 12Z how do I mix rudder to pitch control (either elevator or camber function) with any of the flying wing model types?
Again, eliminating the horizontal tail does not eliminate the need for all these very common reasons to mix into the “pitch control function.” So how can the 12Z do this for any of the flying-wing model types.
Krysta,
You replied that the elevator channel(s) are now ailerons. That is true. However, they are still elevators also, and so are the all the aileron channel(s). They all perform both pitch as well as roll control. I would be glad to mix to “elevon” but these new Futaba radios don’t have that. They have the flying-wing model types instead. You also have said that Program mixing to elevator or camber is the same as mixing to aileron. How can that be so? Aileron function causes a roll response, and Elevator or Camber functions cause a pitch response. That is “pitch” control for a plane without a horizontal tail.
In another thread I asked what the “virtual” channels are for. In reply you referred me to a thread entry written by Bax that described them as:
“a way to a way to add a control to the transmitter without using up a slot at the receiver, or to make other kinds of mixing very simple. One way to use this would be in a delta wing model, for example. Normally, you'd use an elevon mixer, but you'd be mixing ailerons and elevators, and then worry about having the directions correct in the mixes, and having to know which channel should work on what side of the model, and on which side you mount the servo arms. A virtual channel makes this very easy.”
That made perfect sense. With any of the flying-wing model types, the elevator and camber functions show up as virtual channels, but the 12Z won’t let me Pmix to them! It’s as if the equivalent of the “Link” option is not enabled for these functions? Also I noticed in the Function submenu of the Linkage Menu I can assign any Tx control to the elevator or camber functions, but I can not assign a Tx control as a trim. It’s as if the equivalent of the “Trim” option is not enabled for these functions??
The software architecture does not seem to be consistent in how it uses the virtual channels. When any flying-wing type is chosen, elevator shows up as a “function” at one of the virtual channels. However Aileron does not? Aileron shows up at one of the actual channels. I would expect the Aileron “function” to show up at a virtual channel just as Elevator and Camber functions do. I would then expect to be able to mix to or from each of these functions as desired??
Note: I know the 12Z will allow me to use a Pmix to mix directly to any one individual aileron or flap control surface. However, for example if I build a model with 4 ailerons and 4 flaps, and it needs throttle to pitch correction, and airbrake to pitch correction, and rudder to pitch correction, and gear to… …. Well you get the idea. There are not nearly enough Pmixers, or hours in a day, to do all these individually.
Thanks again for your time. I await your reply?
Bryan