My question is how to set up my pilot so his head can turn. I think I have a idea by hooking it up to the rudder servo. But I am not sure how to make it work. Can you guys help me out please.

I've seen this done in several planes and there are a couple of ways to do it.

The way I would do it would be to mount a micro servo IN the pilot with it's head glued to the round servo wheel with "GOO" or silicone paste (so the head can be removed if necessary). If you want it to work with the rudder, just Y-harness it to the rudder servo.

Another way would be to mount the head on a vertical rod (torque tube) with a 90 degree bend on the bottom, a push rod would then connect the end of the bend to the rudder servo.

My friend used the mechanical version in his bi-plane, when the rudder moved right the pilots head would look left...

If the pilot is big enough you could also activate an arm to raise as if waving or giving the finger...

P.S. Is Castle still on this year? I've heard rumors their moving it.

A friend and fellow RC'er uses the throttle servo arm to put out a short rod out the side of his pattern plane to indicate where the throttle is. (the engine is inverted and inside a cowl). He just uses the perpendicular throttle arm with one arm going to the throttle and the other with a rod that simply exits out the side of the fuselage. When the throttle is closed, the rod is further out. When he operates the throttle, the rod follows the servo arm and slides in. He has little marks on the rod to show where the throttle is.

I would imagine that such an arrangement could be used to couple some linkage up to the 'pilot' in the cockpit that will swivel the pilot's head. Of course, you will have to figure out some way to detach the head from the shoulders and make a device that will allow the head to move... or you can mount the entire pilot to a platform and have the whole pilot turn or rotate.

You will have to deal with vibration with whatever you decide to do, and of course, the added weight of whatever mechanism you design that will swivle the head or shoulders.

But, I would imagine that this has been done before and there is no sense in re-inventing the wheel here, I would bet RC Ken or MinnFlyer has some solution to this.

DS.

Carlos has it!!! I like the waving and finger bit...

DS

It can be done but unless you are within about 5 feet of the plane and somebody points it out, no body will even notice. [8D]

Ditto, It's only good for taxieing...

Come on guys, use some imagination. Check out what I did with my pilot in my Mustang. I'm having a blast filming the flights with him scanning the horizon back and forth!
He's hooked up to channel 8 and mixed with the ailerons. My next video will be a rear facing camera so you can see his face during the flight.
I liked the idea of raising an arm to give a thumbs up. I'll also incorporate that in the next video.
Thanks!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OsKhYSrl_I

Yeh right... ya can't fool ME, thats the real deal !!!

(had the same kind of video interference from the G-23 in my in my Aronca Champ)

Hi jakcharles,

Your question gave me a mental image of Stephen Hawking. I assume you mean the figure of the pilot in the model, rather than the pilot of the model, if you get my drift?

The suggestions from Carlos seem easy and practical but like the others said even with a large scale model you would need to be very close to see the movement. Please post a clip if you follow through with the project.

Good Luck,

Colin

That would be cool !!

To answer my own question as in my first post... The Castle IMAA event in Atwater Ca. was moved to the Chowchilla airport 18 miles south on Hwy 99 and held this past weekend, by noon today everyone should be gone.

I think the event was a success, there were many no-shows due to a wait & see attitude about the new sight but all and all everyone had a good time.

Everyone I talked to liked the fact that there were no vendors on the front row, the vendors didn't like it much and their sales were down a bit but next year will be better for them as many of the "wait & see'rs" will be back and there will be better local advertising.

It was hot, 90 to 95 degrees all weekend, sure glad my trailed has A/C !!! made many trips too it to cool down and to get a refill and ice.

The space we used at Castle has been taken over by a air cargo carrier.

Carlos