Anyone else out there prefer to not have any stabilization??

[Dewey H Lee]

I commend you sir on your very distinguished career and service to our country and nation.

[OsideRCflyer]

I liked the AS3x on my Sportcub and P-51. But as I started flying more advanced planes and learned about DR/Expo, and mixes, I've found I'd rather put the extra money into receivers/ satellites.. On my EDFs, I find the planes are so slick and fast that a gyro isn't needed, it's more finesse on landing, lots of aileron expo and proper CG. I may try a gyro on one of my "water planes" because I have tip-stalled my Icon-A5, and flyzone beaver, both on touch and gos. Luckily the only thing damaged by the water was the esc on the Beav. The parkzone, full size Icon has a sealed fuselage..Anyone else tried a gyro on a float/amphib?

[Grossman56]

I hear you Voodoo, maybe a gyro could be looked at from one other angle, and that is one of a learning tool as well. If it builds someone's confidence by making it a little easier to fly, eventually, maybe he'll turn it off to see what the next level is like, just saying.
With the Sportsman and the Apprentice trainers, I really believe that their are a lot of features (especially the Sportsman) that are more selling features than practical ones. A person may try them out, but after a few flights, at least to my way of thinking, they probably turn them off because they're more of an annoyance than a help.
I don't think anyone stays on primary mode with an Apprentice for very long for instance because in order to turn you have to keep the stick over to one side, which we all know you don't do when flying a regular plane unless you want to spiral in. Its more of a "Whew, I'm up in the air" sort of thing.
Bottom line is, my friend, that you came through the ranks where you had to know how to fly and not push buttons, that makes you (in my estimation) much more intuitive a pilot than most of us could ever hope to be. That's a good thing!!!!

Grossman56

[radioflite]

[QUOTE=VOODOO;n37820]
What you say about embracing technology is certainly true for full scale pilots,BUT they can be lured into thinking they don't need to be an accomplished stick and rudder guy(or gal). I feel I can speak to this aspect, after flying the F101B VOODOO supersonic interceptor in the USAF, followed by flying for a major US airline for 29+ years, comprising DC6, DC7, ELECTRA, B727, B757, A300, and B767, flight time, as well as owning a PIPER CHEROKEE 180.

Thank your for your service .
Who signed off on a pilot that is not accomplished flying stick and rudder?? I didn't suggest full scale pilots rely on computers to the point of a crash in the event of a malfunction .
Back to R/C models..it can be a great thing ..truth be told I have a lot of guys asking me "can I / how do I shut it off?"

[VOODOO]

For my last post on this subject, I want to emphasize that what I said originally was, that AFTER one becomes a competent flier, to depend on the help of artificial stabilization to save your bacon, you are cheating YOURSELF out of the opportunity to be able to save the aircraft on your own when the add on system fails. Of course we all know that never happens!

[Dewey H Lee]

That was very well stated Voodoo. You are correct. If a person never puts down the pacifier then they are cheating themselves. Nothing wrong with a little help in in the beginning but as one continues they need to depend on themselves more. I still use mine when the winds up for helping me to land but not fly. I still work at trying to get down in the wind without it. I just have a lot of problems with a lighter foam plane that I don't have with my heavier larger nitro planes that are not equipped with any type of stabilization. Been flying foam almost 2 years now and have to admit I have had the nitro planes up more. I will get to your skill set one day though because I like you sir like to be in control of my planes.

[Hippie 64]

Wow this has become a nail bitter. I don't see anything wrong with or without having the aid of a Gyro . This is about having a good time and relaxing . That's it , nothing more or nothing less . Who cares if you do or don't ?
There are certainly some strong feelings on both sides of the question , again who cares . Fly and have fun . If you need the aid so what , if you don't so what . Just fly and enjoy .....


Bryan

[Ron1950]

I started flying in the early 70's with a kraft sport radio that was 4 servos and a rx and battery pack in the plane. never tried the new fangled gyros (always thought a gyro was fine eaten though) actually don't see where it would help me as id have to have someone that knows whats going on to set it up for me probably...

[Dewey H Lee]

Your right Hippie64. I think what has really happened is that there has been a question more or less a person's abilities to fly. I know I have a problem landing in winds over 15 mph and am not scared to admit it. So to keep flying due to money for repairs on my planes with retracts I use them to help save me that money. I do have one Foamie that is fixed geared that I do work with to get better in higher winds. Hopefully I get there with the veteran guys. I hope so. Until then in higher winds it's the beaver nitro birds. Which I do love anyway. But your right.As LONG AS YOU'RE ENJOYING YOURSELF that's all that counts.

[rtwatkins]

well stated Bryan

There is no such thing as cheating, it's not a competition. you don't want to use a gyro? don't do it. Someone else wants to use one? it's their right to do so. In the end, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks on the subject.

[Grossman56]

I completely agree, if a gyro keeps a new flyer interested in the hobby and coming out to the field, naturally his or her competency is going to increase and as Voodoo states, eventually the skill level increased to the point that a gyro or any flight assistance becomes redundant.
That was one of my thoughts on the Sportsman, so many gadgets that the programing seemed daunting enough, but after your in the air a half dozen times or so, you never use most of them if you ever used them at all, so really there more a mental reassurance than anything.
Oh and BTW, right on Bryan, if I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't be doing it!

Grossman56

[Teeks]

I like flying without a gyro that way I have a longer list of excuses when I crash.

[xviper]

I like flying without a gyro that way I have a longer list of excuses when I crash.

I just say my stabilizer gain shifted and caused the crash. There's never an end to finding excuses for crashing.

[The Huff]

I like having a gyro when I fly. I just have to make sure my plane is trimmed out well so that I can release the sticks long enough to take a bite ......

[redtwilight]

I can see where gyro's and other stabilization items would be helpful to beginners. But personally I'm not fond of all those crutches and prefer to feel how the plane is flying itself.
I've been flying since 2005; I learned without a computer radio and the stabilization and even expo that comes with them. In fact to this day I still do not use expo at all. I just prefer the feel and feedback of things set up that way.

[doctormike]

I have tried gyro's in a few planes and have wound up turning the gain down, to almost nothing. It does help in higher winds, but in the long run, I prefer to fly my planes myself. My little Blitz Pitts, however, do benifit greatly from a gyro. Doc

[bradl4648]

I am not a gyro person I have tried them and the main thing that I do like is you can really fly in tough wind pretty easily. Now saying that it also takes some of the "how did you pull that one off" .But I will have to say their are a few planes out their that fly much better with them, like the FMS ME-109 or the freewing mirage. I only think about newbies though some of them rely heavy on a gyro to the point they feel they need it, on all planes they get but what happens if it fails? But like others have said they really have made it so many people can not get into this hobby and have great success. So I say carry on mighty gyros and thanks for keeping our planes flying.

[Dewey H Lee]

It sounds some people are mixing up gyros with auto recovery or safe. This is really a feature that I feel is not good for a new pilot unless he or she has no access to someone to help them. One guy in or club really gets defensive if someone talks to an interested person that's wanting to start flying an rc plane. He insist that the only way to go is a buddy box hookup. I agree that an instructor is a good way to go but think about it. He said if you can't crash you haven't learned anything. Well the reason for the buddy box is someone can take over when you get in trouble and keep you from losing or damaging your plane. So safe and self righting features on some planes or gyros just helps and does basically what a person on a buddy system would do. Only you can still crash your plane. The up side is you can still go fly if your buddy box friend is unavailable and still have some degree of protection. The down side is some become dependant and do not progress. Just a gyro that does nothing but help with stabilization I feel is a tool that does nothing but add a little confidence to a persons abilities especially when trying to land in stronger winds and if your flying off of rough grass fields helping to save wear and tear on retracts. I personally fly most of the time with mine off but do admit when landing when the winds up and landing on our rough field it is a welcome tool. I had rather be spending my rc budget on new planes and not repairing retracts on the ones I have.

[farmflyer]

I agree with you Dewey I also don't think anyone is right or wrong believing in using them or not as long as they don't try forcing that belief on anyone else.

[TiredIronGRB]

I disable any I get with it before I ever fly them...I don't use cruise control either.