Flightline F7F Control Surface Settings

[desertdrifter7]

Flightline F7F Control Surface Settings I cannot achieve the control surface throws on my Flightline F7f that the manual calls for. Any suggestions. For instance my maximum aileron throw is about 24 mm. That is no where near the 31 mm the manual suggests.

[Grossman56]

There's a couple of things you could try, change the holes that the pushrods are in and you can adjust the servo throw within the radio, they (at least mine do) default at 100% and you can turn them up to 120? If I remember correctly.
The further out on the servo arm, the more it will push and the further out on the aileron control arm the more movement.
I have my ailerons on the furthest hole on both the servo arm and the control arm with the travel set at 110% on my DX 8 1st Gen.

[fhhuber]

Adjust linkages for SLIGHTLY more than the recommended if that's the closest you can get mechanically with the radio set for 100% throws. Then dial down. (I leave it 100% and adjust expo)

Too little throw available can be fatal to the model. Too much can be cured with expo and dual rates

[Grossman56]

I agree! One other thing, I have my mid rates set at 80% with a 30% expo which I found worked best for me, High rate is 100% with 30% expo which is good too, I just like the feel of mid rates.

Grossman56

[rifleman_btx]

I have most everything I fly at 100% and 40-45% expo. Never had a problem until the b26. But that's a whole new animal

[fhhuber]

My extreme case is the Parkzone micro P-51 (original, modified for 2 aileron servos) This airplane is SUPER sensitive to ailerons near center of travel, but needs generous max throw. (was worse with original single servo + bell-crank) 110% travel, 75% expo.

Most things get about 30% expo.

[Ole-Timer]

My experience on the control throws that FlightLine calls for in the warbird series of airplanes is different than stated so far. Having set up and flown a few 3D airframes, those require large amounts of control surface throw due to the slow or no speed involved during periods of flight. Warbirds are quite the opposite, and keeping in mind the control surfaces on a warbird are vastly smaller than a 3D airframe. I have found no need for the amount of throw indicated in any of the warbird series of airplanes. The primary difference over 3D being airspeed over the control surface. My Tigercat has ... Aileron LR 14mm, HR 18mm ... Elevator LR 15mm, HR 18mm. ... Rudder LR 27mm, HR 27mm. I do use 33% expo across the board. I base my throws on flight tests through a range of maneuvers and speeds. I fly the wing, not the prop and rudder is always my primary turning surface, aileron as reeded. I require the aircraft to look scale through loops, rolls, Cuban eights, reverse eights, and rudder throw being based primarily on a stall turn. Stall turns without a gyro typically require aileron deflection due to winds. All this takes place at no mistake high and the low end is 5 to 10 feet above the ground depending on how I feel that day. I use AR610 receivers on all the warbirds. Several of the gang watch me fly a routine and remark at how little I move the control sticks to achieve what’s happening. Rarely do I need full throw on any surface. If I do it’s correction for wind gusts. The Tigercat is a very responsive airframe, performs well, and lands easily. The FlightLine 1600mm Spitfire manual calls for crazy big throws that are grossly unnecessary as that bird has a light wing load and loves a gentle touch, even at slow speeds. When it comes to warbirds, the general rule is the higher the wing load, the less responsive it’s going to be on the controls. Adding more control throw to “fix” this tendency does nothing but harm as drag and high loads are incurred. Learn to be gentle, you’ll loose less speed through aerobatic maneuvers, the entire look of what your doing becomes fluid, smooth, and beautiful.

The onset of AS3X and SAFE have not exactly helped our hobby. While selling lots of models to wanna be pilots, SAFE requires full movement of control surfaces to maneuver around and builds the belief that lots of control movement is required to fly when the opposite is true.

[Grossman56]

I agree with O-T. I set my throws to 100% for High Rates, 80% for Mid Rate and usually around 60% for Low with 30% Expo. Then I spend more time ensuring that my neutrals are correct. If you can't reach the recommended throws on the high rates by doing everything possible, then you're not going to get them, simple as that. So my mind, so I have them as hot as I can for High rates and the Travels will calm them down to where I like them.
Remember that to get that full travel on your airplane's control surfaces, you have to throw the stick all the way over (or back) I seldom move my sticks more than half way anyway so the measure of the full deflection, to me, is redundant.

Grossman56

[desertdrifter7]

I just took my Tigercat out of "mothballs." I had forgotten how nice this plane flies.