bayward

I would like to have two idle speeds and an engine kill on my Saito 180. A low idle speed slow enough so the plane, a Twist 150, does not roll on the runway until I advance the throttle. A second idle speed a few hundred RPM higher so the Saito 180 does not quit running when I chop the throttle all the way down doing maneuvers. Then another setting that will kill the engine. How can I do this with my JR X9303 2.4 heli ? The Aux 2 switch is a three position switch, can I program what I want on that switch ? I think I would be better off with idle 1 and idle 2 on one switch and engine kill on a separate switch. That way I would be less likely to inadvertently hit the kill position.

I am currently doing it with the throttle trim for idle 1 and idle 2 and the gear switch to kill the engine. I set the throttle trim low enough the plane will stand still on the runway. Then after takeoff I advance the trim two or three clicks. This is cumbersome for me as I use my thumb and frequently push the trim switch more clicks than I want. Occasionally when landing I push too many clicks down and choke the engine having to do an impromptu dead stick. Improves the skill level, but is hard on the ticker.

Bob

Campgems

Bob, I initally tried to set my planes up like this, but finally setteled on this. Normal setting, the throttle at full down, lets me idle around 2000, a couple engines a little higher. I finally settled on this. I adjust the carb throttle stop so it fully closes. I set the servo up so with sub trim and trim set to the center, I can get the engine to idle at 2000 and still have full throttle. This allows for some sub trim and face plate trim to adjust for weather changes. I set up the kill switch so it completely shuts the carb down, killing the engine. This gives me a full range of control on landing without worrying about stalling the engine, or coming in to hot.

There are too many variables on landing to try it with one throttle setting. Cross winds, wind shifts etc all require a different throttle setting and at our field, you may try them all on one landing. As long as you can cut the throttle and drop to full idle without killing the engine, and you can kill the engine right now with the flick of a switch, you have it right.

Some guys use the idle down settings. For me, it would cause me problems.

Don

AWorrest

My Feedback: (5)

Bob,

I set up my pattern planes to have a fast idle and a kill button on separate switches. The normal idle is set by idle trim after the engine has warmed up. I put my fast idle on the mixing switch as I don't use it for anything else. It could just as well be on the gear or one of the dual rate switches if flight modes were used.

I prefer to use the trainer button as the kill switch since it isn't used for snap rolls. It can be set up as a momentary switch. This has the advantage of never being in the kill position unless it is pressed. More than once when I used an off-on switch for kill, it would be in the kill position as I tried to start the engine. I would louse up my NV settings before noticing the kill switch setting. Others and I have described how the trainer button can be programmed. It's not obvious.

Allan

Howard

My Feedback: (55)

Bob,

I do this same thing (I think) that you are looking to do but, maybe for a different reason. I have used the analog throttle trim an an engine kill and it works but, I prefer using a kill switch. I set my idle slow speed for landing and ground operations and a high idle to prevent a flame out during manuevers. I put the kill switch on the MIX switch (uppper right back) and the idle up on the flap switch. The normal position for all of my switches is either all the way up or all the way down so the idle up on the flap switch is in the middle and the normal idle is all the way up. Both are done with their own throttle to throttle mix (ie MIX 3 and MIX 4) Remember to check that your throttle stop screw is set to allow the barrel to rotate far enough to kill the engine without hitting the stop.

The other posts to your question are very informative and I am going to experiment using their suggestions.

Howard

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Well I like to do the same thing and I refer to the higher idle speed as "flight idle" which is acutally a full scale turbine term.

Since the X9303 doesn't have a native throttle cut function, that can be achieved with a throttle/throttle mix and works well. Just look through the mixes for the one that will let you use whatever switch you want as not all switches are available on all mixes. Once I determine that the mix will close the throttle and kill the engine, on my gassers I also link the fiber optic kill to that same switch on the tx. So when you hit the kill switch on my gassers, it closes the throttle completely and cuts the ignition power.

For the flight idle, which I setup to be several hundred RPM above the idle setting, you can either use another throttle/throttle mix or you can use a throttle curve which saves a mix.

I'd not tried the throttle curve as I was unfamiliar with it, but some folks had suggested I try it for my flight idle and I went to that when programming my new 12X. It works great.

These options get you away from playing with the throttle trim. That's not a big issue with the glow powered models, but the gassers are so sensitive coming right off the idle, I do not play with that throttle trim on them once set. It doesn't take much of a change to the idle RPM on them and they don't want to land....

rmh

Having larnt to fly with a rat**** trim-_I developed a setup which I still like
set start/ idle position at center trim-
bump it up a bit for flying
land at center trim- shut off at low trim
no mixes needed.
or wanted

bayward

Thanks everyone for the help. I believe I now can program my radio to do what I want. I did not realize it was possible prior to your suggestions. I will not have time to "play" with the radio for a day or so, but I will report back when I make it happen.

Dick, The way you are doing it with the trim is how I do it now and do not like it. Hence my desire to use switches instead of the trim button. Hopefully you do not have to twist two wires together to turn on the lights at home.

Thanks, Bob

Eric.Henderson

You can mix the Aux-2 s/w with the throttle to get a three position s/w like a futaba 9CAP.

Use a curve mix and adjust the % to kill and low idle when the thottle stick is at the low psoition only.

Regards,

Eric.

RCAddiction

My Feedback: (87)

This is one reason I've stuck with my old 9C. I really like the 9303 a lot and considered buying one when they came out, but simple throttle kill on a switch as well as hi/lo idle on a switch are things I didn't want to give up. Digital trim tabs rule!

bayward

Okay, I got the radio programmed to use the Throttle Hold switch. Remember, I am using the 9303 heli version. I left the kill on the gear switch rather than putting kill, lo and hi idle on the Aux2 three position switch. I was leery of moving the Aux2 switch an extra click and activating the kill when I really wanted hi idle. I will have to wait until I go to the field next weekend to make the actual carb / rpm settings while the engine is running. The carb barrel moves from slightly open to a little more open when I flip the throttle hold switch. Then the barrel completely closes when I hit the gear switch for the kill.

Eric, what do you mean by using a curve and percentages ? Maybe I did that and do not realize what you are referring to.

Bob

804

My Feedback: (1)

I set up a fast-idle using the thro. to thro. mix, and assigning it to the left lever on the 9303. This puts it at my index fingertip, and is infinetely adjustable in flight without taking my thumbs off the sticks.

rmh

If you like switches have at em .
The reason JR kept the manual trim is that for many fliers , this is the most simple -accurate and instantly fine tunable setup - I have used both - I had a 9Z did NOT like it - had a 9 C -did not care for it - both operated perfectly -just did not like the "setups"
I went thru all the permutations of the 10X JR and the ability to get throttle trims setup with manual switch was a favorite for me - On my gassers -and contest pattern planes I could glance at the trim - and instantly know what the setup was . I once designed machinery hand control setups for a living - -found out simple was best - less chance for error.
So do I twist wires ? not really - I use adj.level switches (dimmers)