DX8e Travel Adjustment

[RC Lou]

Hello,
I'm fairly new to RC aircraft. I have a Spektrum DX8e transmitter and one airplane that has a lot of up elevator when transmitter is bound to it. How do I adjust the travel of the DX8e?

Thanks,
Lou

[xviper]

First of all, before you start messing around with settings in the DX8e (or any TX for that matter), you need to make sure that the airplane has been properly set up manually. IE, make sure that when all the control surfaces are neutral (except flaps), all the servos are centered with their arms at 90 degrees to the servo body. You'll need a servo tester, especially if this is NOT a brand new airplane. Once the servos are neutralized and the arms are at 90*, then you manually adjust the control rods so that each control surface is in their neutral positions. Once this is done, before you bind the TX and RX (in the plane), make sure all trim tabs are at their middle, neutral positions. When bound, the control surfaces should not move that much. If they do, you manually adjust each control rod until they are neutral.
As an aside, you do NOT adjust "a lot of up elevator" (as in your particular situation) by altering the "travel". Travel adjust is for something else. Servo "sub-trim" can be used BUT only in very minute amounts, as is using any trim tab on the face of the TX - trim tabs are for just that - trimming - to neutralize the plane's flight in the air. "A lot of up elevator" is done manually.
To know about the servo menus such as travel adjust and servo sub-trim, you are best advised to read the transmitter manual.

[RC Lou]

Thanks for the info. Servo arms are hard to see but it appears to be centered. Will get a servo tester and check rods first.

[xviper]

If the servo arms are at 90* when powered up, the next step is to level the control surfaces manually by adjusting the rod lengths. You should tell us what kind of plane you are dealing with so answers can be more targeted.

[RC Lou]

I'll clean up some of the wiring to get a better view to the servos. Plane was given to me, it's a Dynam C-188 Crop Duster.

https://www.motionrc.com/products/dynam-c-188-crop-duster-orange-1500mm-59-wingspan-pnp-dy8967pnp-orange

[xviper]

I had one of those. It can be a bit of a handful to fly, especially it you are new to RC. This plane needs to be set up right and even then, it can be unstable. A gyro will help immensely with this one. Balance it upside down and take your time to do it right. It can be very CG sensitive (tends to "roller coaster" easily). Here is my old "Dusty". I put on a 4-blade prop for a bit of extra thrust. You should fly it with the stock prop. Don't use the flaps for a while, at least not until you get comfortable flying it. It never actually needs flaps and using them may make it more touchy to fly.

[RC Lou]

Good to have some feedback on the exact plane. I have the blue one. What gyro would you recommend?

[xviper]

Good to have some feedback on the exact plane. I have the blue one. What gyro would you recommend?

You don't need anything fancy. The cheap HobbyEagle A3 Lite will work just fine. Just make sure you know how to set it up and understand how it works and how to test it before flying the plane. Do any part of it not quite right and you're better off without it.

https://www.motionrc.com/products/eagle-a3-lite-3-axis-airplane-gyro-hea3lte