stevekott

I've flow full scale for a lot of years. One of the things I miss in RC Jets is having an Indicated Airspeed Indicator IAS.

I knew if I was 90 knots over the fence all was good with the landing. RC Jets are pretty picky with their airspeed and I've seen a few downwind stalls in high winds that really wrecked someones day. Not to mention how nice it would be to know the indicated airspeed on short final. Too much airspeed you get bounces and a long rollout, possibly some off-roading. Not enough airspeed and you get tipstalls and pancake landings, sometimes worse..

I was really excited to find this:

www.cb-elektronics.de/Index%20english.html



Follow the link to the FSS-460.

I have Installed these on my CARF Flash, Eurosport and my SM F-5.

I have them setup on my 18MZ so when I flip a switch, through an earbud, the radio calls our "speed 63mph, 62mph, 61mph .."

On my flash I got high, set it up landing configuration and established my Vs0 (Landing config Stall Speed) it was about 43mph. I took that, multiplied it by 1.3 which is kind of a rule of thumb Full Scale approach speed and got 56mph as an approach speed. To be a little safe I set 60mph as my target "Over the Fence" speed.

Lo and behold my landings GREATLY improved. I usually fly where there is a lot of wind, many times with a strong crosswind component. Downwind I was surprised how much my airspeed dropped even though it looked like I was really haulin' *****. Several landings I was holding a 10 degree crab into the wind but as long as I kept my IAS near 60mph landings were great.

On my Eurosport I have a problem with Vertical Stab flutter if I go to fast. I programmed in a warning on the 18MZ for a Vne (Velocity Never Exceed) at 150mph and it gives me a little piece of mind and reminds me to slow down.

Dirk in Germany is a cool guy and from time of order to receipt it takes about a week. He's also working on an item that will transmit all of the Jetcat Parameters including fuel Usage/Remaining to the 18MZ - How cool would that be!

Any questions on performance installation or setup I'd be glad to assist.

Happy Flying!

Steve

Yann

Yes, you are right. But more than IAS, I would like to have AOA.
I'm trying to work this out two different ways. I'll see what works best...

stevekott

Yes AOA would be great as with our jets we are almost always on that side of the power curve.

My experience with this Pitot tube that keeping that IAS where you want it will also define your AOA, at least with my lmited experience on final approach. Always interest to see new solutions, Thanks!

kimhey

This is just great.....music to my ears

Personally, I feel the need for info on IAS more than AOA, as I think it is easier to determine pitch than IAS from the ground.

kimhey

....double post..

Yann

Easier yes, but AOA is more usefull, as stall speed changes with air density, wing loading... while maximum AOA remains the same no mater what.

Yann

If you can manage to have IAS and AOA, next step is ILS...

BlueBus320

My Feedback: (57)

Absolutely! Airspeed is an ok substitute for now though. AOA/IAS with TX shaker/vibrater & think how many crashes would have never of happened!

Yann

Ah ah ah !!! TX shaker... I love it. Not sure it would help preventing a crash though.

BlueBus320

My Feedback: (57)

why wouldn't it? you can set your shaker at stall + 5-10 knots or so, or a few degrees above your stall AOA. The Futaba 18mz already has the vibrate function. Shaker= lower AOA/Increase thrust

jzuniga

My Feedback: (7)

Awesome! Really cool... How much though?

Z

stevekott

With the 18MZ you can set a Shaker (4 different vibrate modes) I use it for my Vne(never exceed) on the Eurosport telling me to slow down.

What the 18MZ does not have is an alarm duration. Once it gets to the setpoint high or low it goes off and continues to sound either with voice callouts or vibration. I just found it a little annoying as it was going off all the time during taxi. Also it was more helpful to go for a target airspeed on approach. Certainly not to slow but also not too fast. In all the full scale approaches I've shot I've rarely set the horn off but was still constantly monitoring the Airspeed shooting for 140knots to the Outer Marker 110 during the final approach and then 90 over the fence.

Undoubtedly this type of device would be great just as a stall warning device. Wow that would save a lot of guys from some very sad days. Stalls have got to be at the top of the list as RC Jet Killers.

Steve

stevekott

Oh yes the price He sells them for 85 Euros for the one that FS-335 (goes to 205mph) and 95 Euros for the FS-460 (285 mph) plus 8 Euros shipping.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 to $135. About what I spend after a pancake landing

jzuniga

My Feedback: (7)

Thanks Steve...

Z

Yann

It did not cost me that much to make my own IAS.
Regarding the tx shaker, I would be affraid of my tumbs sliping from the sticks...
Instead, I designed a synthetized voice to call me the data I choose from airspeed, headind and altitude.
I'm working now on AOA.

Eddie P

My Feedback: (4)

Pretty cool stuff. A buddy of mine had something similar in his Bandit but unfortunately lost the aircraft due to a battery power issue to the receiver (nothing to do with airspeed and nothing to be done to save it once it happened). But it was really cool to see and hear the telemetry in action. I've been thinking something like this would be as much fun to play with as useful - It's a black art guessing precise airspeed based on body angle and sink rate, I'd love to have that extra bit of information.

Yann

Yes, and you can also think of auto glide slope, auto sink rate or auto AOA... and just do the flare.

BaldEagel

If we got enough automatic gizmo's we could send the jet out to fly itself and stay home.

Mike

mick15

Yes you’re right Mike, then the achievement will be in the setting up of the telemetry and not the flying of the model.

m

Eddie P

My Feedback: (4)

Yes this is the trend. With luck we can call it a "flight offset" program. Since we know that by paying someone some where (who loves the influx of cash) that we can offset carbon emissions and make the world a better place we can see the applications all over the globe. Also, I'm coming up with a scheme to get people fit. I call it a "Training Offset". You sit at home and eat chips and watch TV. And then pay me to pay someone somewhere to work out at the gymnasium. It's a really great plan and I'm very excited to offer it to the offset crowd at steep discounts for an introductory price for this week only. Then the price will increase as expected. Get in now and sign for low rates before it becomes law.

jzuniga

My Feedback: (7)

Hilarious Eddie ;-)

Z

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Others also want AOA but I don't see the need. I flew full scale jets in the late '50s and all we had was IAS. We were always landing at the same weight because we were always out of fuel. Our model landings are usually at the same weight on landing because we are out of fuel. It would be interesting to see the difference in stall speed with our model at full fuel and low fuel.

stevekott

IAS is a long way from Auto-Throttle or Auto-Land. It's just something that is nice to have when your plane is pointed straight at you in variable winds to give you a little more confidence you are not going to drop into a hole before the threshold.

Plus this thing is very easy to install. The tube diameter is not that critical. On my Flash I'm using an Eagle Tree Pitot Tube from a prior install. In my F-5 it's the right gun. I'll take some pix later this week.

Pat Barnes

Of all the info available now with telemetry, the one I'd like most when flying a model is IAS. The great thing is that it doesn't have to be accurate. Put it on your jet, see what speed your jet stalls at, add a margin for safety and you're set. AOA might be a tad more tricky to set up, but would also be a cool bit of info to have. With any new technology there will always be the sticks in the mud who will resist, with the usual 'when I were a lad' arguments. This looks like a great piece of kit! Thanks for the link.

Cheers - Pat

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Pat- I am not resisting AOA, just don't know how much it costs to add that readout and how much data can you absorb when landing. I will be happy to get IAS for now.