Hi folks,
I have a mini ultra stick that I am getting ready to fly and I wonder if anyone can help me with what exponential % rate to set on my radio for the controls. I don't know if it makes any difference but I have a Futaba 6 channel radio and Futaba servos. I have the throws set at the recommended distances but I would like to slow the response a bit till I am more comfortable in the air. I have flown rc gliders in the past but never power.
Thanks for your help.

for many people, 1/2 of ATV is a good starting point for expo....

ie: if your rudder end points are at 100, then set your expo at -50
if your end points are at 140, set your expos at -70......etc.. etc...

but it really is personal preference... I like more expo, many people like less

Honestly, I think that people should leave the expo alone when they are learning to fly. Concentrate on learning to control the airplane and leave all of the "bells and whistles" for later on down the road. Students need to learn how to control the airplane and not rely on tricks from the radio. Trainers usually don't have throws big enough where an expo setting is going to make any big difference anyway.

Ken

Do not adjust the controls for maximum possible throw.
Adjust it so that it flys easily and comfortably.
Don't use expo or try to set up multiple rates.
Just set the mechanical leverage so that the plane flies well.

By using the inner holes of the servo arms and the outer holes of the cotrol surface horns to get reduced throws instead of dialing it in on the transmitter, you get better trim resolution, i.e. the control surfaces return more exactly to their trim positions when the transmitter sticks are returned to center. When you adjust the linkage for huge throws and dial it down with dual rates or expo, you still magnify the servo's dead band which leads to "never twice the same trim" feeling during flight.

Ultra narrow dead bands is one of the things that make premium digital servos worth the money for 3-D and pattern pilots.

If you feel you just have to do it, throw in -10%. I don't like it myself. Most all my planes run around 10-15 but that's me. I flew one once with around 40-50. I was all over the place until i got use to it.

I agree with this completely....

no need for anything while learning........

Not only that but setting the Expo high, particularly on the rudder can make things VERY difficult for the beginner.

I learned this the hard way, when I initially set up one of my planes with a 40% expo on low rates.

That gave be little "fine" control as the airplane tracked down the runway, almost causing me to loose the plane due to:

left rudder, hmmm no response
more left rudder, hmmm not enough response
more left rudder, TOO MUCH RESPONSE! Headed towards fence!

Setting it back down to no expo makes finer but more pronounced controls easier during take offs.

I'm not sure what size a Mini Ultra stick is but the smaller the plane the more you can use expo. Small planes can really dart around and crash on the maiden flight! Expo help with this problem.

Unless you have expirence with small planes I would set up quite a bit of expo to start with......

Too much expo can appear to make a seasoned pilot "overcontrol to out of control." Controls feel way to sloppy. Making a simple turn can be very embarassing.

You probably cannot go wrong by starting with zero and increasing the Expo 5% each flight until the airplane flies to your liking.

Bill

On my 40% I use about 20% on low rates and when I go to my stupid rate setting they are at 60%. After i do silly stuff on high rate I'll go back down to low rates to catch my breath. As use use exp more you will know were the servo catches up with the stick. Dennis

Phil, I think you should try to find a flying club. Hook up with an instructor to help you on the first few flights to transition yourself to powered flight. One of our newest club members came in with sailplane experience. He had a handful of flights with an instructor and soloed very quickly.

AMA has an online club locator
http://www.ama-dist-8.org/Clubs/Locator.php

As far as expo, I think BillS made a good suggestion.

I find expo to be very useful, even for the beginner as he has less tendency to overcontrol. A couple of the comments above appear to have the writer thinking about dual rates or end-travel-adjustment rather than expo. The nice thing about expo is that you can get very precise control with low stick movement yet get max throw when needed by just moving the sticks a bit more. It is especially helpful on rudder when learning to fly a tail dragger as it keeps the student from overcontrolling.

I'd rather see a student learn without expo. We teach not to over control. Expo becomes a crutch in that learning curve, that may have to be unlearned later.
Just my 2 cents.