RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Oops, now it's leaving out "a"s.:D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Got the prop, exhaust deflector and radio equipment in. Still haven't put in any more hinges to the elevator since Lost was on and the baby was fussy.

All that's left is putting in the hinges and hooking up the control rods to the rudder, elevator, engine and front wheel.

Sorry about the tablecloth in the pics again Bruce! :D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

That's OK, it's growing on me.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

It's growing on you?? Does that mean we'll see bruce in a kilt made with the same pattern on it????? :D:D

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Actually it's more like a fungus. I'm starting to itch now.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Quick question. Tell me if I'm right please.

With the throttle arm connected, and the TX throttle all the way down, it should close the sleeve on the carb. But there's a setting on the TX so that with the throttle closed, there's still a small opening in the sleeve to let the engine idle, and the throttle cut button closes the servo the rest of the way. Right?

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Pete1burn,
Ok, here's how you should set the throttle. Put the throttle stick all the way closed, and make sure the trim tab is also closed. Now mechanically adjust the engine so that the barrel of the carburetor is "just closed", there should be no opening in the barrel. Now if you move the trim tab up you should see a small opening in the barrel. You will also want to make sure that the barrel of the carb is completely open when the throttle stick is at the top of it's travel.

Hope this helps

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Ken's method is good. I found it easier in the good ol days of mechanical trims but the electronic trims do it fine too. I just find it a bit more of a hassle. I just like to be able to glance down and see wher my trims are set (old school, I admit it).

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Also remember when you do the control surfaces that the servo arms should be perpendicular to the servo bodies when the surfaces are at neutral.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

I agree with seeing where the trim tabs are set. What I like to do is center my trims tabs whenever possible. As I make my maiden/trim flights I will note where the trims are set. I will then make mechanical adjustments to the clevis for that control and adjust it so that the trim tab is centered when the plane is flying trimmed out. By doing this I now know where my trims should be at any time. If I bump a trim tab I know where to return it to for flight so the plane will be trimmed when I take off.

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Yeah, when I first got my new TX I said "Where are the trims?!" I didn't know TXs had digital trims.

I was thinking about plugging in the TX and RX and powering them up so I can set the servos to neutral before screwing in the arms.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

That's how you should set them up on the bench. What I like to do is take a couple of craft sticks (fancy term for Popsicle sticks) and a couple of clamps to center the control surface. For instance, on the elevator clamp a craft stick on the top and bottom of the horizontal stabilizer and then clamp the elevator. This will center the control surface. Now turn on the radio, center the trim tab, and place the servo control arm so it's in the center of travel. Use the clevis on the pushrod to adjust the length of the pushrod so that it fits in the the control horn on the control surface. This should get your trims pretty close right off the bat when you go to fly.

Hope this helps

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Don't forget to take off all of the sticks and clamps before you attempt to fly. Otherwise you will be way out of balance at the very least.:D:D

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Now you tell me!!!!!!!!!!1 [X(] :eek: [>:]

:D:D:D

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

What brand/model Tx are you using?

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Don't know if you're asking me but I got a Futaba 6EXAS.

That's a great tip on clamping the control surfaces. I was wondering how the heck I was going to make sure everything was leveled before I attached anything. That should make it super easy.

BTW, regarding setting up the throttle, hitting the throttle cutoff button overrides the trims I'm assuming to push the sleeve fully closed?

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

It will as long as you have left a little travel in the servo for it to do so. That is why you are doing the other part of the setup.
If you had set up the throttle with the idle trim all of the way "down" and the throttle at "idle" it might not close.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

ok I just turned on the Tx to center the servos, and there is some SEVERE chatter in all of the servos. They don't even respond to the inputs really.

I put aileron in channel 1, elevator in 2, throttle in 3, rudder in 4 and the red wire from the on/off switch went into the 8/batt port, which was the last one down. Tx on, on/off switch turned on, and the aileron servo goes nuts with the rest chattering non stop

Any ideas?

EDIT: Forget it. I had the Tx set to PCM. Changed it back to PPM and it works fine now. Why won't it work in PCM?

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Because you don't have a PCM RX.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Ah. I wonder why they give me a PCM Tx and not a PCM Rx.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

More than likely your transmitter is capable of both PPM and PCM.

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

This is becoming the normal thing. The option is how much money to spend or what type of RX and/or servo is in the system package offered. By only offering one type of transmitter it actually saves them money in inventory costs.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Is there something wrong if the throttle is already wide open at about 7/10 of the servo's travel? If I push the throttle control on the Tx all the way open, it stresses a little bit on the wire because the carb is all the way open already.

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Change to position on either the throttle control arm or on your servo arm. Experiment with the different holes until you find one that gives you full travel with the throttle. Also, you can change the position of the servo arm on the servo itself which will vary how much travel you will have. Play around with it a little bit and you should get the general idea of what needs to be changed.

Ken

RE: Avistar assembly question
 

Pete... Usually, the servo will have more travel then may be needed.. If so move
in on the servo arm hole, and out on the control linkage hole for mim. travel, then
you need to adjust your EPA= end point adjustment on the transmitter you should have
two adjustments one for each end of the servo throw.. I try to adjust both for as close
to the same for both ends. So I usually start with a centered servo/trans etc., and
center what ever control I'm adjusting and without hooking the control rod, I go
through the range of travel, say full open with the radio, then I man. move the
control end to full open and move my control rod to match the holes, and do the
same on the closed side and make my adjustments, before hooking the rod and
making final adjustments.. It sounds like a lot, but it's not. It works for me...

You could also go with different servo arms etc., which is usually in a bag that comes
with the servos/trans.... To help get what ever travel you may need... Good luck