Santa was good to me this year (don't ask me why heh) and I got what I think will be a great 2nd airplane - BTE's Venture 60 - woot. This will be my first kit so I'm pretty excited, but I do have a couple questions:

1) What engine to use? I'd like to go with a 4-stroke and the rec. range is .60-.80, but I notice that in some cases (i.e. Saito) you can get a .90 size with little or no additional weight. Should I stick to the .80 or go for the .90?

2) This plane can be set up with a single or 2 aileron servos. Would going with 2 be that much more advantageous (if so - why?) and if I do that can I still use a 4 channel radio (just have a skysport 4 now).

Thanks in advance for the input and any other things you think I should know about the Venture 60.

Boneman

Go with the 90......A couple guys have the 91 fs at our club.....just right. Also, go with 2 servos...advantage of 2 (for one rerason) would be if youde have 1 fail, you still have control with the other.

2s, 60 is great, 4s 90[watch the weight]programmable radio servo in each wing,other wise one servo,my bud[I fly it also]has print built 60 w/OS 61 FX,and one aileron servo,plane is unlimited vertical,will do about every trick in the book,some 3D moves,its just a great plane to fly and/or build,also not a bad plane to start imac with.

thanks guys.

if i go 2 wing servos do i need a dedicated channel for each (i.e. 5 channel radio) or can i somehow hook them both up to the same channel (i.e. 4 channel radio) and reverse the direction of one etc.?

also, do you mention programmable radio servos for a specific reason or just a general preference? the whole pcm vs. ppm thing has me confused. i know there is a lot on the boards here about that but what i don't understand is how in the radio descriptions they mention for instance that the 9caf also has pcm capabilities (i think) and the 9cap has ppm capabilities. if that's the case what difference does it make which one you get?

thanks again,
boneman

Programmable Radios can be either PCM or PPM

You can use a Y cable to hook up 2 servos to one channel or you can use a programmable radio and use 2 channels and a mix

Modern FM radios use PPM or PCM as the signal encoding metthod. PCM has the ability to pre-program falisafe servo settings in the event of signal loss or interference (i.e. throtle to idle, elevevator to neutral)

ok - another noob question then. if i use a Y harness do i install the servos in opposite directions or does the harness itself reverse the signal (i.e. how do the servos know they have to move in different directions)?

also, re: the pcm vs. ppm thing. do you mean that either the 9caf or the 9cap can transmit a pcm signal but only the 9cap has the failsafe feature (which i understand can be a good or bad thing depending on what the plane is doing when you lose the signal etc.)? if that's the case does that mean the 9caf can work with a the r149 pcm receiver?

one more (and hopefully last) thing heh. what do you guys recommend for a motor mount for the saito .91? seems like you can spend anywhere from $12 to $30 on a mount - does it really make that much difference?

thanks ,

bm

Most computer radios aren't just PPM or PCM, but rather they can be set to transmit either of them. All you've got to do is change a menu selection to switch between PPM and PCM.

Failsafe is a function of a PCM receiver, not of the transmitter. When the PCM receiver loses the signal from the transmitter it sends the servos into predetermined (provided the user sets them) positions. Used properly, it is not designed to try to save the model. It's intended to crash the model with the engine cut off, causing the least possible harm to people and property.

You can do two servos in the wing with a 4-channel, but you need to do one of two things: reverse one of the servos (changing it's normal rotation) or purchasing a "smart" y-harness that does the reversing for you. Anybody know of any other methods?

You can use plain non-reversing Y harness and place the servos identical, relative to the wing so that they do operate ailerons opposite (correctly). You are right with that thought. No reverse necessary in a wing, if mounted correctly (both bottoms to inside or both bottoms to outside). +/ \+ Place the servos the way you think and play with them to satisfy yourself.

2 servos are better, it eases the load that 1 servo would have and in most cases prevents aileron flutter which can occour on fast moving higher performance planes. For seting them up just make sure that they are mounted both facing the same way. Then connect the push rod on the outside edge of each servo arm. That way when 1 servo is pushing the control rod the other will be pulling the control arm. Just use a Y connector to connect the wiring. Your 4 channel will work fine.

ahhhh - ok - that's much clearer now - thanks a lot.

oh yeah - i also lied - i have more questions heh. in looking at spinners vs. prop nuts is there any reason other than looks to go one over the other? the kit recommends a metal 2 1/4" spinner or rounded prop nut, but the sizes i see listed for prop nuts are 1/4-28 or 5/16-24 - whatever that means. which do you recommend, spinner or prop nut and it the latter what size?

thanks as always,

bm

p.s. still looking for opinions on motor mounts (see above) as i'm hoping to put in a big order today

I prefer prop nuts over spinners

btw the sizes are for the threads not the o.d. of the prop nut

thanks. would anyone happen to know the thread size of a saito fa-91 aac? - i haven't purchased the engine yet . .

most planes I have spinners, some I have prop nuts, to me I use the one that makes the plane look the best.