Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

[FLY BOY]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

A couple more thoughts....I'm new to flying this year, and wrestled with the same things you are now as far as radio..and more.  Anyway, I decided on the Dx6i to start. I have programed a 3way switch for flaps on it. And I did some shopping online, and come across a add selling 2 AR635's.  I got the 2 of them for $80!! So that took care of the concern of trying a gyro/stabilizer where you need a 3way switch.  I've found the 635 to work very good in my 1100mm mustangs. And with my 1400mm mustang IronAss, it's so steady on landings even in windy conditions, I have no desire for a gyro in it.

Lon

Whew we, thats a smoking deal on those AR635's. Excellent find. I wrestled with the whole gyro/stabilizer thing myself. Some of the guys at our local field swear by the AR635. So of course I had to check it out. When I did, I found them to be very pricey. So I choose the Hobby Eagle AL-3 gyro/stabilizer for $23.00 bucks. I was not disappointed at all. I dont know why I didnt get one sooner. Landings are smooth as butter in any condition. Even when I bought an AR610 and the stabilizer together, still cheaper than the AR635 and I can transfer it from plane to plane with out removing the receiver, And get the same results as the AR635. Happy Landings

[dbbyleo]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Wait a second... are all these talk about gyro's and stabilizer akin to the E-flite's AS3X? If so, I thought the whole point of moving to a new radio was to start flying without the stabilizer help and get better at flying. So question is... it is common for most to fly with a stabilizer like ASX3?

[OV10]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Hello dbbyleo,
Yes gyro's and "stabilizers" are akin(loosely phrased) to the AS3X. They are all electronics to help and assist pilots. Moving to a new radio usually is an advancement in the operators requirements for more channels or enhanced features of his equipment. The use of gyro enhanced electronics is becoming more and more common place and is really just become personal preference. I think that they are probably more or less beneficial for those that don't have the luxury of having an instructor(and buddy box) to help mentor them thru the learning curve. When I have a student who has an AS3X assisted plane, I disable that feature while they are buddy boxed because I don't want them using an electronic crutch. That is my old school personal preference because if I can't land a bird in a 10 mph crosswind without electronics correcting my mistakes then I didn't learn the basics well enough. Bottom line is, it is your choice and added expense. I guess no one is gonna know what ya have in the bird, only you will know where the real skill level exists.

[dbbyleo]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Ok. I have SAFE and ASX3 now in the trainer. Like I said, I'm able to fly and land without SAFE, but ASX3 is on full time. I felt the next transition for me was to fly without ASX3. So my plan was to buy the new radio now and use it on the trainer accomplishing a couple things:
- Get acclimated to the new radio and set, expo, etc.
- Replace the receiver in the trainer and be rid of ASX3 and get acclimated to flight without ASX3 assistance.

Originally, I thought SAFE and ASX3 was only for beginners. But from what I understand above ... some people (not beginners) desire to have gyros and stabilizers because they still want to be able to fly in very windy conditions... conditions you might otherwise not want to fly in, but with stabilizers - you don't have to call it quits just yet. Is that what's going on here?

Question: Can you turn off ASX3? If so, how exactly? If I can turn off ASX3, I can hold off buying a new Tx/Rx and continue to use my existing setup to keep shedding off the "electronic crutches". I've got the DX5e with the E-flite Rx with SAFE and ASX3.

******
Just did a quick search - it doesn't look like ASX3 can be turned off on SAFE rx, such as that from E-flite in my Apprentice.

[FLY BOY]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Hello dbbyleo,
Yes gyro's and "stabilizers" are akin(loosely phrased) to the AS3X. They are all electronics to help and assist pilots. Moving to a new radio usually is an advancement in the operators requirements for more channels or enhanced features of his equipment. The use of gyro enhanced electronics is becoming more and more common place and is really just become personal preference. I think that they are probably more or less beneficial for those that don't have the luxury of having an instructor(and buddy box) to help mentor them thru the learning curve. When I have a student who has an AS3X assisted plane, I disable that feature while they are buddy boxed because I don't want them using an electronic crutch. That is my old school personal preference because if I can't land a bird in a 10 mph crosswind without electronics correcting my mistakes then I didn't learn the basics well enough. Bottom line is, it is your choice and added expense. I guess no one is gonna know what ya have in the bird, only you will know where the real skill level exists.

Charlie you are so spot on. Personaly I dont fly or need a stabilizer in my bigger planes. 1400mm or bigger. I dont find a need for them. They handle cross winds just fine on landings, and fly very stable already. I like to use the stabilizer in my smaller planes that are prone to be tossed around by the slightest of breeze. Its no secrete that the smaller the wing span the harder they are to fly and land. A stabilizer lets a small plane like an 800mm fly like it has a 6 foot wing span, and takes the twitch out of my thumbs. So well said, its about preference and application for me.

[OV10]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Hello dbbyleo,
Sorry I lead you to believe that the AS3X has the ability to be disabled electronically because it can't(even in expert). I used the word disabled as a way to shorten my discussion with out going into the details. So here is what I do with the students concurrence. I disconnect the AS3X Rx and temporarily install an AR400 that is bound to my DX8. The students DX5e or DX6i is buddy boxed(slaved) to my DX8(master). We then go and have some old school training without the electronic aides.
Hope this helps clarify the misguidance.

[retiredflyer]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

I love the Spektrum radios also and I started with the Dx6i. I quickly outgrew it due to the number of planes I had collected. I went for the Dx9 as my next radio and all I can say is WOW. Yes it's a lot of money but boy  is it worth it. I never have to glance at the radio to check my time, it TELLS me. I never have to guess if I have the flaps halfway or all the way down, it TELLS me. What a great radio.
  Anyway, good luck with your flying experience. I started with a Flyzone Sensei. A BIG plane that I severely underestimated how much room it needed to fly and promptly crashed 50 feet up in a pine tree only 2 minutes into my very first ever R/C flight. I was shaking for weeks and did not want to fly again. Overcame that, went to a smaller plane, Piper Cub, and a better flying area, and all is well. Now I have 15 planes and my wife is ready to scream when the UPS guy showed up.

[FLY BOY]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

I love the Spektrum radios also and I started with the Dx6i. I quickly outgrew it due to the number of planes I had collected. I went for the Dx9 as my next radio and all I can say is WOW. Yes it's a lot of money but boy  is it worth it. I never have to glance at the radio to check my time, it TELLS me. I never have to guess if I have the flaps halfway or all the way down, it TELLS me. What a great radio.
  Anyway, good luck with your flying experience. I started with a Flyzone Sensei. A BIG plane that I severely underestimated how much room it needed to fly and promptly crashed 50 feet up in a pine tree only 2 minutes into my very first ever R/C flight. I was shaking for weeks and did not want to fly again. Overcame that, went to a smaller plane, Piper Cub, and a better flying area, and all is well. Now I have 15 planes and my wife is ready to scream when the UPS guy showed up.

I so get this lol, Only six planes in my hanger, Ups shows up last week to deliver number 6. My wife sure let me know about it. I heard a quote once. The difference between men and boys is the price in there toys, HA
Wont be long I'm sure until I need to up grade my radio. A sound system is on my wish list for my P51 1400mm plane. Need more channels to get all the sounds active. But for now, my trusty Dx6i is the ticket. 

[Lon]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

A couple more thoughts....I'm new to flying this year, and wrestled with the same things you are now as far as radio..and more.  Anyway, I decided on the Dx6i to start. I have programed a 3way switch for flaps on it. And I did some shopping online, and come across a add selling 2 AR635's.  I got the 2 of them for $80!! So that took care of the concern of trying a gyro/stabilizer where you need a 3way switch.  I've found the 635 to work very good in my 1100mm mustangs. And with my 1400mm mustang IronAss, it's so steady on landings even in windy conditions, I have no desire for a gyro in it.

Lon

Whew we, thats a smoking deal on those AR635's. Excellent find. I wrestled with the whole gyro/stabilizer thing myself. Some of the guys at our local field swear by the AR635. So of course I had to check it out. When I did, I found them to be very pricey. So I choose the Hobby Eagle AL-3 gyro/stabilizer for $23.00 bucks. I was not disappointed at all. I dont know why I didnt get one sooner. Landings are smooth as butter in any condition. Even when I bought an AR610 and the stabilizer together, still cheaper than the AR635 and I can transfer it from plane to plane with out removing the receiver, And get the same results as the AR635. Happy Landings

[Grossman56]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Yeah, I'm the same.  I got the AR 635 originally for the Mustang, but I'm thinking of switching it out to the Waco as she seems to be more in need of it.  I was also impressed with the ease of setup/adjustment with the A3L.  Definitely easier than the AR635

Grossman56

[Rocketeer]

RE: Am I Ready for the Next Plane?

Greetings,

YES, go get one!!!


Bill L.
in OKla.