Official Freewing Twin 70mm AL37 Airliner Thread

[xviper]

Channel input config:
1..T
2..A
3..E
4..R
5..Gear.A
6..Aux1
7...Aux2..Rknob

Mixing:
P-mix 1: -G-> Ger
Rate....0.....5%
Offset.....0
Switch.....On

P-mix 2 : Rud> Ax2
Rate....100%.....100%
Offset.......0
Trim.....Inh
Switch...Switch A

Mix 1 is to allow me to turn the stabilizer on/off via a switch. Switch G.

This is the only way my steering servo will not steer when the gear is up. Note: even though my Rud to Aux2 is assigned to Switch A (Gear) The Rknob turns off the steering.

One benefit to this is now my Rknob will trim the nose steering without affecting the Rudder trim.

Tom

Your mix 2 alone should have turned the steering off when the gear is up. Your AUX2 being operated by RKnob may allow you to trim anytime you want to but I find that doing the trim on the steering using the sub-trim on AUX2 is fine. Once you've got the plane rolling straight, you should never have to do it again - at least I don't. With the RKnob in play, if you change the knob for some other plane (like for master gain), then you have to trim it every time.
So, I take it that you're using switch G for the retracts? What do you use for throttle cut? G is fairly standard for throttle cut. Does your switch A turn the gyro on and off? That's the standard one for retracts.

[themudduck]

Love the angle and is that a 3d printed pod made for the runcam? Would love to try that out with the stabilization of a gopro7, but I wonder if the height/foward facing square shape would cause too much drag.

Hello, yes this is a 3D-printed mount specifically for the Runcam camera, the file is available on Thingiverse for free download. I posted a link but moderators removed it (not sure why, since its not for sale) Anyway I have used it on several planes, including my Radian glider. It does create some drag but its quite minor and not noticeable. The mount has a hole in the back so air can flow through. It is the exact size for the Runcam and a different camera will probably not fit.

[I-fly-rc-aircraft]

Your mix 2 alone should have turned the steering off when the gear is up. Your AUX2 being operated by RKnob may allow you to trim anytime you want to but I find that doing the trim on the steering using the sub-trim on AUX2 is fine. Once you've got the plane rolling straight, you should never have to do it again - at least I don't. With the RKnob in play, if you change the knob for some other plane (like for master gain), then you have to trim it every time.
So, I take it that you're using switch G for the retracts? What do you use for throttle cut? G is fairly standard for throttle cut. Does your switch A turn the gyro on and off? That's the standard one for retracts.

If I use just the mix to turn off the steering it rotates to the left or right before the gear retracts, which would be fine if I didn't have the dual landing lights on the strut.
I was using Rknob for master gain but can't now. I mechanically adjust my steering to go straight so I just have to make sure the knob is centered.
Switch A is for retracts and switch H is Throttle cut, which is what I use on all my planes. Switch G turns the gyro on/off. The stabilizer uses the gear data.
I have each surface on a separate switch for my rates for now (B for Elev,C for Ailerons and F for Rudder). Once I get the rates where I want them I can combine two or three surfaces.
Flaps, of course, is on switch D.
Every switch but I (bind button) is being used and if I wanted recovery mode I would use that.
I've not had to use all my switches on any of my planes until now,
I almost need a label on each switch Lol\

Tom

[xviper]

If I use just the mix to turn off the steering it rotates to the left or right before the gear retracts
Tom

That's really odd. It shouldn't happen. Some setting is a bit off.

[Fredardi]

Hello to everyone, I have done my maiden last week using a Graphene 5000 45c 6s lipo Admiral 10ch receiver with a satellite.The plane take off , fly and then land safely ...Only one problem...I could not activate flaps with my SPEKTRUM DX9 BLACK.3 people at the field try to help me but really no one has solved the behave.Problem is that when i activate take off flaps , all the 4 flaps do not move together and at different positions and speed.When i activate landings flaps again they are not synchronized and stay all 4 in different positions.When i put the switch to zero position they all come up at different speed and not together.You can imagine that not using flaps for landing in this airliner is a problem it came fast...I check the blue box but it seems that all connections ar correct.Can someone please post a picture of your connections to the blue box ? I don't want to risk flying again without flaps and really want to sorted out the problem maybe due to a mistake by me...Regards

[I-fly-rc-aircraft]

Can someone please post a picture of your connections to the blue box ? I don't want to risk flying again without flaps and really want to sorted out the problem maybe due to a mistake by me...Regards

With your assembly manual there was an insert showing all the ports.
Also check the connectors where the flaps plug into the ports on the wing.
If you removed the connector on the wings to fish the motor leads the flaps (and all other plugs) could have come loose.

Tom

[Fredardi]

With your assembly manual there was an insert showing all the ports.
Also check the connectors where the flaps plug into the ports on the wing.
If you removed the connector on the wings to fish the motor leads the flaps (and all other plugs) could have come loose.

Tom

Well i believe the connections of the wings are not loose because all servos of the wing work but flaps all 4 are not synchronize when you activate the and they stay at different position all 4...I will double check again...Maybe is the blue box ?Thank you for your advise

[I-fly-rc-aircraft]

Fredardi: Also try not to deploy the flaps and the landing gear at the same time as I've read where others have had issues when doing so.

Tom

[xviper]

Hello to everyone, I have done my maiden last week using a Graphene 5000 45c 6s lipo Admiral 10ch receiver with a satellite.The plane take off , fly and then land safely ...Only one problem...I could not activate flaps with my SPEKTRUM DX9 BLACK.3 people at the field try to help me but really no one has solved the behave.Problem is that when i activate take off flaps , all the 4 flaps do not move together and at different positions and speed.When i activate landings flaps again they are not synchronized and stay all 4 in different positions.When i put the switch to zero position they all come up at different speed and not together.You can imagine that not using flaps for landing in this airliner is a problem it came fast...I check the blue box but it seems that all connections ar correct.Can someone please post a picture of your connections to the blue box ? I don't want to risk flying again without flaps and really want to sorted out the problem maybe due to a mistake by me...Regards

Re: Flaps.
1. Are all the rods in the same hole on the servo arm and control surface horn?
2. Did you tell the TX that you have "1 AIL, 1 flap" in the aircraft (wing) type?
3. Did you go into the flap menu and do all the settings in there? And assign to the desired switch?

[Corinator]

Has anyone else installed an autopilot system on their AL37? I figured it would be neat and a cool scale touch. I ordered a Pixhawk PX4, LIDAR-Lite v3, and pitot tube air speed sensor to try and get it as functional as possible. I figure I can mount the GPS sensor on top of the fuselage in the same location that the in-flight WiFi receiver sits. Figured if I carve a foam cover for the sensor, it might even make the plane look more scale.

[Aros]

Oooooooh, next level....

[Fredardi]

Re: Flaps.
1. Are all the rods in the same hole on the servo arm and control surface horn?
2. Did you tell the TX that you have "1 AIL, 1 flap" in the aircraft (wing) type?
3. Did you go into the flap menu and do all the settings in there? And assign to the desired switch?

1. YES
2. NO it was set to AIRPLANE TYPE WING NORMAL,NORMAL...I will change it...
3. YES

I have flied the maiden with a 5000 graphene 45c lipo.Do you think i can fly with a 4200 6s or it is not enough ? or can i put in parallel 2 6s 4200 to 8400 or it is too heavy ? Thanks for your help i'll check and let you know...

[TeamKennedy]

Can someone share your low and high rate control surface throws? The recommended throws for Aileron and Elevator in he manual do not seem right to me? can someone tell me what is a good starting point in degrees for low rate and high rate for AIL and ELV?

[xviper]

1. YES
2. NO it was set to AIRPLANE TYPE WING NORMAL,NORMAL...I will change it...
3. YES

I have flied the maiden with a 5000 graphene 45c lipo.Do you think i can fly with a 4200 6s or it is not enough ? or can i put in parallel 2 6s 4200 to 8400 or it is too heavy ? Thanks for your help i'll check and let you know...

Your answer to #3 is not consistent with your answer to #2. If you only had "normal" wing type, you would NOT have a flap menu to open and thus could not have done any settings there.

Oh, about the batteries .................................... Of course you can fly it with a 4200 battery, just not for as long. You know how long you can fly with a 5000. By calculating and extrapolating, you can predict how long you can fly with only 4200mah. This plane is big enough and strong enough that 8400mah should be a problem. You just have to place them so as to achieve the desired CG.

[USAairlines]

Is anyone else using AS3x and SAFE select?

[vduniec]

Wow! I just noticed this message. Sorry for the delayed response. Here are the colors I used. I printed some color swatches off of what I could find and had Home Depot color match them. I also painted the wings and horizontal stabs in Boeing Aircraft Gray Federal Standard Number 16515. If you go to Home Depot, just ask them to do a color search for 16515 (or 36515 if the first one doesn't show up.) The Stone Gray is for the fuselage underside color.

Now that the AL37 is back in stock, I’ve got one on the way. My best friend works for United (flight attendant) and we are both starting flight school to works towards our pilots license (ATP as a final goal). I grew up in Chicago and have always flown United. I saw your post and I knew I needed the same. Anyway you could share what colors you used for this? I ordered this graphics set from Callie’s. Your plane is definitely my inspiration.

[Corinator]

Wow! I just noticed this message. Sorry for the delayed response. Here are the colors I used. I printed some color swatches off of what I could find and had Home Depot color match them. I also painted the wings and horizontal stabs in Boeing Aircraft Gray Federal Standard Number 16515. If you go to Home Depot, just ask them to do a color search for 16515 (or 36515 if the first one doesn't show up.) The Stone Gray is for the fuselage underside color.

Thank you so much for responding. How did you apply that home depot blended paint?

[vduniec]

I used an airbrush with the paint thinned with 1/3rd Windex but I’ve brush painted planes before with un-thinned paint and have had equally good results.

Thank you so much for responding. How did you apply that home depot blended paint?

[themudduck]

No posts all week! Well I got a nice video of my flight today. It was pretty windy so the plane got bumped around a lot - but it was a good flight and I made a nice landing.

After reading about it here, I finally realized that I hadn't programmed in some "up" elevator trim with full flaps - and as a result my jet was difficult to land.

I now have 12% up elevator added in on my radio with full flaps. And, I added a little down elevator to the takeoff flap setting, to stop the model from ballooning on takeoff. That worked well.

This was the first flight with the new flap settings and I found it to be a very good improvement, I made a gentle two-point landing. https://youtu.be/bsP6OU6iTMw

Its interesting to see the main gear suspension working very well while taxiing.

[Fredardi]

Another flight with the GREAT AL 37.Well at the moment i fly without Flaps ( they don't work well and both 4 are no synchronize ) so no problem for take off ...problem on landings without front wind but absolutely manageable a bit fast...It seem that all my set of the blue box is not working on flaps but Motion RC send me right away after i show the video of the behave a new blue box set...So great service !!!
I really hope Motion Rc will continue and do a series of AIRLINERS...My dream ? McDonnell Douglas MD-80