cloud-9

Hello, can I use a 4 channel and have flaperons or do I need 6 channels?

Or is it a matter of computer transmitter vs non-computer transmitter?

Thanks
Jim

fscott729

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Jim,
Are flaperons the same as ailerons? If so I would think the four channel would work. You would have a channel for motor speed, rudder, elevator and aileron(flaperon). The six channel would be for something extra like landing gear and dropping bombs etc.
franko

Campgems

You need either a computer mix or a mechanical mix to do Flaperons, but either will require a fifth channel. The reason for a 6 channel radio is that channel six is the normal flap channel. On a Computer radio, the ailerons are set up with each on it own channel, then in the computer channel six is mixed with the aileron channels. IE Ch1 is left aileron, Chan 7 (on my Futab 9Cap) is right aileron. Flaps are ch6 on the transmitter, but are mixed to 1 and 7 for the reciever, so the receiver is using only 5 of the avaiable channels. Now sure how to do it with a 6 channel set.

Before computers, a single aileron servo with the typical tortion bars was set up on a slider that moved the whole servo forward and aft. This was driven by another servo on the flap channel. A similuar setup was used for V tails. Computer radios have made life a lot eaiser.

Don

cloud-9

Excellent, thanks Don.

Pretty interesting how they did it in the old days. Life BC: before computers.

JIm

cheddar-caveman

Ah yes, the old AM systems with vibrating reeds, or befor that the proportinal, mechanical!
You tended to get all sorts of interesting responses depending on how much vibration there was in the plane itself. Thank goodness for modern electronics!