Need help - Really confused about flap installation

[eagle33]

First of all, I'm pretty good at building & modifying but not very good at anything else. So to have fun and utilize my build skills, I decided to put flaps on my Cessna. I soon ran into trouble by reading many posts in several forums on flap installation. These posts confused me by their various methods of installation and mixes using the Dx6i. So, I decided to start over, clear my mind and make this posting.

I have the Dx6i which has two switches I've been reading about and assume will come into play. The first: 0 GEAR (1 F MODE) and the second 0 FLAP (1 GYRO). Since I'm pretty new at all of this, I have no idea what F MODE is. I also have an AR6100e receiver, a servo for each flap, and a Y-harness with a built in servo reverser in one leg. The first thing I notice is the two remaining channels on my receiver are labled "GEAR" and "AUX". "GEAR" corresponds to the "GEAR" switch on the radio and I'm guessing that "AUX" corresponds to the "FLAP" switch on the radio.

My questions are: which slot on the receiver do I use (plug in) for the Y-harness flap servos connection, "GEAR" or "AUX"? What does F MODE mean and does it have a bearing on this issue? How does the radio know if I'm plugged into the "GEAR" or "AUX" slots on the receiver? Also, I read that many folks are mixing flaps and elevator to maintain level flight when the flaps are lowered. What would be a good combination of settings for this mix to try out on the first flight. Any advice and instructions to get me straightened out and get my flaps properly connected will certainly be appreciated.

[max2112]

Originally Posted by eagle33

My questions are: which slot on the receiver do I use (plug in) for the Y-harness flap servos connection, "GEAR" or "AUX"? What does F MODE mean and does it have a bearing on this issue? How does the radio know if I'm plugged into the "GEAR" or "AUX" slots on the receiver? Also, I read that many folks are mixing flaps and elevator to maintain level flight when the flaps are lowered. What would be a good combination of settings for this mix to try out on the first flight. Any advice and instructions to get me straightened out and get my flaps properly connected will certainly be appreciated.

Hi eagle33. Good luck on the flaps installation.

The Gear on the receiver and the radio transmitter is for Landing Gear. Usually a two position toggle switch. Your gear is "up" or "down".

The Aux channel is for the flaps. I don't know about your DX6i, but on my radio it is a 3 position switch. 1-Flaps flush w/ wing. 2-Flaps are 1/2 deployed. 3-Flaps are fully deployed.

Your radio will only operate what is plugged into its corresponding channel on the receiver.

As for flap-elevator mixing, I would suggest not pragramming anything at first. Get the flaps operation down pat on the ground. Then get about 2 mistakes high and deploy the flaps and see how your plane responds. It may climb wildly immediately, or it may slow down considerably with little or no climb. Knowing that will give you a better starting point when you ask, "How much down elavator do I need to mix in?"

Best of luck and keep us posted on how it goes!

[max2112]

PS: Hopefully a DX6i owner will jump in and confirm this. I think
the F Mode and Gyro mode are the functions for those switches when you have chosen a Helicopter in the model memory. It doesn't apply to planes.

[eagle33]

Thanks for the help 2112. I was looking at the settings for flaps and elevator and if you want to test fly first before adjusting the elevator based on flight behavior, do you still have to initially set the flap/elevator positions? For example, for take-off: Norm+ flap 0 Elev 0 (both horizontal) and for landing: Flap 100 Elev 0 where flap 100 would be full down and Elev 0 would be horizontal.

[eagle33]

Well, I have working flaps-sort of. Plugged flaps into AUX. With flaps deployed, ailerons move simultanously putting the plane into a hard right turn. When flaps are returned to neutral, ailerons return to neutral. I'm really puzzled. Any way to get out of this situation?

[max2112]

Originally Posted by eagle33

Well, I have working flaps-sort of. Plugged flaps into AUX. With flaps deployed, ailerons move simultanously putting the plane into a hard right turn. When flaps are returned to neutral, ailerons return to neutral. I'm really puzzled. Any way to get out of this situation?

mmmmm. That is a head scratcher.

Can you describe your setup? Do your aelerons have seperate servos or one? If two; do they have a y harness? Same question for the flaps.
Do you have seperate flap surfaces or are you going for "Flaperons"?

It sounds like you have an aeleron servo plugged into the AUX channel.
I know it's a pain in the neck, but it might help to choose a new model memory position and re-bind the receiver with fresh (or zeroed settings) and start from scratch.

[eagle33]

Since the more time I spend on this problem the more complex it becomes, I have decided to take your advice and start over. So, I got up early this morning and unplugged everything from the receiver. I then plugged it all back in with the flaps plugged into the AUX receiver slot, as before. Lo and behold, it all works just like it's supposed to. I don't know how in the world the ailerons got mixed up in all this. Since it now operates just fine, I continued with the build and installed one of the Turnigy servo speed regulator modules I bought a few weeks ago. I also got this to operate just as it's supposed to (really looks good the way the flaps come down and go back up slowly). I'm now ready to embed the flap servos into the foam wings.

Starting over was certainly the best thing to do. I don't know how long I would have struggled with this problem before coming to that conclusion. Many thanks for your interest in my project, and your suggestions and advice.

[max2112]

Hey that's great news, eagle33! Glad to hear it worked out.
You're Welcome!

Now the only thing we're missing is some pictures of your Cessna - with flaps down !!

[quorneng]

It does seem odd to me that the TX manufacturers use a switch for the flaps. Most full size planes have many settings, some are fully variable.
All a switch does on the TX is alter a resistance from one value to another so why not a variable resistance?
You can then move the flaps as much or as little (or as slowly) as you like.
For STOL flying with really big powerful flaps you have to feed them down slowly as the speed reduces otherwise you end up breaking something!

YouTube Video

The effect is quite interesting.

[eagle33]

I found your YouTube video very informative and as you say quite interesting.