Align 3G - Hot off the press...

[jyheli]

Just got mine today....I am not an expert 3D pilot, but I experience wtih CSM, Gyrobot 9000, VBAR 3x, Vbar 4 and mini-vbar. I will provide the different feedback, one of an intermediate skill but with exposure to other systems. And also I will be testing it on ATOM 500 that I have mini-VBAR on till tonight, where I put on 3G to see how it goes. It is with an RJX FBL head and torsion blades. Will see how the 3G+600 combo pack I have work on my current setup.


Update :

Just got back from flying site with 5 flights on the ALign 3G. Just my personal view, am sure others have different view.

Very impressive from Align as their 1st try on FBL electronic.
AFter 5 flights...and I have not change anything on the gain at all.
Nothing need to change for me as it fly smooth as silk.

This is the FBL for anyone who want the SAME Feel as a Flybar heli with more power.

For me, I can tell there is no no "piro optimization" as all my invert piro goes off after constantly piro it. A move that I am very use to on a Mini-VBAR...and this time the heli after a couple of piros, start wondering around.

For me it is VBAR......for others I know some who say why FBL feel different, then this ALign 3G is it, it is exactly "Electronic Flybar". For anyone who want to have FBL on your scale...this is the one now. And it is cheap.....

Jonathan

[rickn816]

Just got mine today. Beautiful head, everything is very nicely machined. The sensor is smaller than I expected. On to the install....

The head looks really nice.

Rick

[steph280]

The instruction's troubleshooting section says if it starts to wonder, you need to bump up the gain. You probably want it on the edge right before you get oscillation.

[jyheli]

Steph280,
I guess I will give it a bit more try..

Jonathan

[HiroboFreak]

The instruction's troubleshooting section says if it starts to wonder, you need to bump up the gain. You probably want it on the edge right before you get oscillation.

Do you have English instructions??
If so, please post. :)

Thanks in advance.

[steph280]

Sorry I don't have any I could post. But I could help answer questions you may have on the setup.

[Leon Luke]

Received a delivery today from Align and it looks exactly like the one I sent back at their request. They tell me that unit I got today is a programmable unit whereas the first was not, unfortunately I did not try the first unit. They said it uses the same case. I looked at the serial numbers on the first unit and sure enuf they are different. Anyways I took some pics of unit and instructions, for you guys before I started the install. The first picture is the old unit and the second is of the new programmable unit.
Pictures from my iphone.


http://area51heli.ca/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,26/func,view/catid,7/id,4614/#4614

[BenHeli]

Just finished reading the instruction manual. It seems straight forward enough.

[HiroboFreak]

Sorry I don't have any I could post. But I could help answer questions you may have on the setup.

Thanks.

I may pick your brain until my English manual arrives. :)

[jyheli]

I got ask this question, but just want to me sure. 3G is only for eCCPM , correct?

[Primus]

I got ask this question, but just want to me sure. 3G is only for eCCPM , correct?
No, it can be used for mCCPM too.

It is written on the description posted here:
[/URL] [URL]http://www.helifreak.com/showpost.php?p=1767630&postcount=208 (http://www.helifreak.com/showpost.php?p=1767630&postcount=208)

[HiroboFreak]

Received a delivery today from Align and it looks exactly like the one I sent back at their request. They tell me that unit I got today is a programmable unit whereas the first was not, unfortunately I did not try the first unit. They said it uses the same case. I looked at the serial numbers on the first unit and sure enuf they are different. Anyways I took some pics of unit and instructions, for you guys before I started the install. The first picture is the old unit and the second is of the new programmable unit.
Pictures from my iphone.


http://area51heli.ca/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,26/func,view/catid,7/id,4614/#4614


Thankyou for posting a link to the pictures of the manual.

Much appreciated. :thumbup:

[malc1]

Yeah great stuff!

Thats going to help the early taker uppers out a lot.

[skeppley]

subscribing to this.

Been off for 2 summers now with a new daughter taking up all my time, I come back and it's like the whole world of helis has changed!!

Now there's lots of new things to order...JEESH!!

[Tail boom]

...

Now there's lots of new things to order...JEESH!!

Welcome back :thumbup:

[Tail boom]

Thankyou for posting a link to the pictures of the manual.

Much appreciated. :thumbup:

+1 :thumbup:

[OnTheSnap]

The manual is very well written. Quite refreshing.

It's interesting that they spec out the speed of the cyclic servos and have a minimum requirement of .10. I guess this is one of the downsides of not having an autotrim or auto optimizer function?

[kyalamikid]

I think it has mostly to do with the lack of piro optimization. Fast servos should alleviate the need.

[HiroboFreak]

OK so does this unit perform well under pirouetting conditions or not?
There seems to be discrepancies on it's piro performance.

I'll find out myself come next week when mine arrives, but I'm curious in the meantime.

[OnTheSnap]

I think it has mostly to do with the lack of piro optimization. Fast servos should alleviate the need.

Interesting theory, but I doubt this is the case. I think it has more to do with getting good results with the control loop (high enough gain without oscillation). Implementing piro optimization is much more complex then just reacting fast enough. The phasing of the control corrections during a piro is non-trivial IMO. There is some decently complex mathematics required.

[steph280]

Got a quick flight this morning to trim out the heli. Being my first flybarless setup, I wasn't sure what to expect. See all the funny movements on the swashplate when I tilt the heli, I swear the thing was going to drive my heli into the ground after lift off. But instead, it just leaps into a VERY STABLE hover. Yet any cyclic inputs I give resulted in much faster response than I ever experienced with the old setup. Suffice to say I am very happy with my first encounter with flybarless system. I will try to get a few more flights tomorrow and see how it performs when I push it a little harder.

I am running a Futaba 14 radio and followed the manual's suggested swash mix values, +12 to -12 pitch.

By the way I got word the flybarless system for T-Rex 500 is ready for shipment, too. Woo hoo!

[Primus]

By the way I got word the flybarless system for T-Rex 500 is ready for shipment, too. Woo hoo!

Man, that's a good news. My ESP can't wait any longer :)

[jyheli]

steph280,

How do you like the tail? compare it to your original flybar gyro especially doing prio?

Jonathan

[rickn816]

The manual is very well written. Quite refreshing.

It's interesting that they spec out the speed of the cyclic servos and have a minimum requirement of .10. I guess this is one of the downsides of not having an autotrim or auto optimizer function?

The GyroBot specifies fast servos. Skookum allows you to set the servo speed in the setup.

With electronic stabilization, the general rule is faster servos.

Rick

[steph280]

The tail felt no different than the 750 gyro I had on there. Clockwise is smooth, counter-clockwise felt a little "notchy." I plan to put this 600 into a scale fuselage so I have the gain cranked way up and expos added to smooth it out. The stability is definitely improved, as the heli could sit in hands off sustained hover much longer than before.

I am running Futaba 9252 servos and I can tell it's restricting the system's potential. Going to look into something faster...