I have a question I have been thinking about. Are any of you using dual servos on the ailerons with no matchboxes or Hitec Programmer. I.e., using pushrod adjustment and control horn setup to do the matching and just letting it go from there? Is this feasable on the ailerons that have more room for error due to the distances between the servos and flex in the surface?

While it may not be popular, I'm doing just that with no problems. I have 5955's. Word out is "DO NOT PROGRAM THEM" until Hitec has a fix. Soooo, I took the 6 I purchased and plugged them into the Rx, making two pair out of the 4 that were the closest match on center. Make sence? Then I installed them on the wing making sure my linkages were matched mechanically. Each servo has the same throw and if there is any misalignment (very small if any), the aileron will flex enough. My servos are 30" apart.

50 flight, 0 problems.

Ryan

I have a 40% Carden CAP that has multiple servos on the surfaces....... no matchbox. I used RADIO programming to get them matched up the best I could..... works very well

Same for me. I use two JR 8411 on each aileron. Match the centering mechanically and fly. they are far enough apart that if at the extreme travels they are different, the aileron can flex. I don't think they are very far apart anyway.

My 2.6m Extra has two 8411's in each wing set up just like Ryan describes. I flew about 250 flights before sending them in for service. There weren't any problems after 250 flights, I just thought that it was time to send them in for maintenance.

Dean Bird
Sun Valley Fliers
Phoenix, AZ

My oldest AW37% 300L has 1200 flights on it and it IS time to send the servos in (LOL). I have no matchboxes and 3 servos per aileron (4721's). Now light a fire under my ass so I get those servos sent in.

If you have an excellent mechanical setup (i.e. completely symmetrical) you can get away without a matchbox. If you want to run 4 individual servo leads to your RX (i.e as in quad flaps mixing) you can use the radio to do the work of the matchbox.. but then you connect 4 leads every time you assemble the plane .. PITA.

I have found that with very careful placement of the holes in the hard points and some care in adjusting the linkages you don't need the matchbox. That is on ailerons. On ganged (i.e. hard connected) rudders.. use a matchbox or you'll burn up your servos.

I approach it this way - if I can set up the wing using a current meter and at any point in the travel or at rest there is not excessive current draw or noise I won't use the matchbox. If however I cannot get the linkage adjusted to the point of little or no noise and little or no current when the surfaces are at rest.. I use the matchbox. One way or another what you want is as little current draw as possible while the surfaces are not in motion.

To date, 2/3 of the planes I have built do not have matchboxes or programmed servos if I used Hitecs, 1/3 does have them. It really depends on how accurate you get your mechanics and drill your holes in the hard points!! I also tend to not use them on built up wings as much as they are more flexible than Composite and Sheeted wings.

DP

I put 2 HS 5945s in each wing panel in my Comp-Arf 2.6 Extra330 L with no match boxes or programming. I carefully adjusted the throw on each servo and used heavy duty Y extensions. At this point I have more than 150 flights with not a single problem. This set up is running so well that I kept it the same on my 14mz.
jef

Well it's good to hear that I am not the only one. I'm running two 5945's on a Giles. All I did was match up the linkages so that there was no buzzing at neutral and everything has been fine through about 30 flights. I'm now looking at a floating bellcrank setup to resolve the rudder issue so that I will never have to use a programmer or matchbox again.

You should check out the Seiko PS-050 giant servo. I put one on the rudder of my 40% Edge 540 and it worked out just great, check out www.troybuiltmodels.com/ . My 40% has only 6 servos in it.
jef

Programmer all the way!
Matchboxes add one more part to fail,weight and money.
My planes don't need any of that!

I use a floating bell crank on the rudder and use the radio to program the rest of the surfaces.

I have three 5192 on each aileron and two 9152 on each elevator half, without matchboxes. I power them through a Smart-Fly Powerbox, and have everything lined up mechanically. I use a Seiko PS050 on a three cell Li-Ion on rudder, so not counting the throttle servo, I have in the neighborhood of 4,580 ozin of torque in my plane he he, but I also have a 280 cc engine in the nose he he.
DKjens

RTK, Do you use a floating system like the one pictured above from Nelson Hobby? If you use something else do you have any pics possibly. Also the floating system seems imcredibly complicated and a real pain to adjust. I guess it's a matter of spending a small fortune for the SWB system or giving yourself an ulcer trying to adjust all those cables. []

Splais- They are not really that hard to make. I was to lazy to make my own so I decided to try what was new on the market at the time. SWB
You are right, they are a small fortune and they are not as light as if you were to make your own.

I have a H9 Cap that has two servos on rudder and aileron and don't use anything special other than making sure that mechanically it is correct. I will say that at points, it does draw a little more current, but that is what a field charger is for.