ORIGINAL: BarracudaHockey
If you turn your transmitter on first, and then your receiver, the lights should come on steady. The only time they should flash is when you're binding (inserting the binding plug etc..) of if you turn the reciever off and on without turning off the transmitter. An example of that would be changing batteries without turing the transmitter off.
I don't have a Spektrum radio/receiver for my planes etc. Still using crystals. I do however have a Spektrum radio with my Blade CX2. When you switch on the transmitter you wait a couple of seconds then when you switch on the receiver/helicopter (which ever floats your boat) the light will flash slowly until it has connected to the transmitter or visa versa (don't know really which connects to which). If there is an error in the connection - for instance when you accidently have the throttle stick "open" - it will not connect to the Tx and it will continue flashing slowly. The LED turns solid as soon as it is ready to go.
I do not know whether the Tx and Rx used in planes works the same so I apologise if I'm totally wrong here. The LED will flash rapidly when you are binding (bind plug inserted) - if I remember correctly.