RE: Scary maiden
Craig, granted, the 18-12 prop may be influencing the behavour of the plane. I will try moving the CG aft, an 1/8" at a time, because it is difficult to taxi in the grass without nosing over. As for linkage, the Hitec servos are whining appropriately, determined to hold position. There is absolutely no detectable (without instruments) slop.
When forced to switch from my Kraft single stick to two sticks years ago, I hated it. Neutral is difficult to feel with the soft springs in the gimbals. My solution was stronger springs. I have tried some expo on a couple of "3D" planes and feel like the radio isn't working.
I can't appreciate why, after systems have been perfected to track your movements like a tick on a dog, you would want to program them to respond like an old galloping ghost system. That's just my feeling, of course. That puts me in the minority. It also puts me at a disadvantage when I have to test fly others planes for them and they hand me a box with "wimpy sticks". I've kind of gotten used to it, but I still don't feel as connected.
Dick, I know what you are saying, but I haven't gotten the "shakes" during a flight in a long time. That's sorta too bad too, that was part of the fun, I think. I feel a little jealous when I offer a guy his transmitter asking if he is ready to take over and he says; "Wait till I quit shaking."