FMA sensor mounting...

[R-4-L]

how do you guys mount your FMA sensors? the manual sais to use two pieces of double-sided tape and fix using cable tie ?!?!?

well I did that, and I am using a bubble to see if its horizontal or not, it is, but a slight push gets it off balance. doesn't look secure enough!

[Tonystott]

how do you guys mount your FMA sensors? the manual sais to use two pieces of double-sided tape and fix using cable tie ?!?!?

well I did that, and I am using a bubble to see if its horizontal or not, it is, but a slight push gets it off balance. doesn't look secure enough!
I cut a CF plate and secured it with a horizontal stab clamp. The sensor is sitting on one layer of double-sided tape. BTW, levelling the sensor with a bubble might not be optimum, because a heli doesn't hover exactly level due to compensating for tail rotor side thrust. Best to have the sensor at a slight angle to be level when hovering, then tighten up the clamp....

[MarkWebber]

I've only got one large piece of tape on each of my sensors. I've also got a ziptie on the sensor. These can be strapped more securely than your gyro without worry of perfomance reduction. The tape is only really there for protection of the electronics from vibration.

Cable securement is even more important. Wiggling cables are broken cables.:thumbdown:

[R-4-L]

tony, nice solution, I may get me a piece of carbon fiber (from old crashed frames) and do some kinda of a mount.

Mark, I'v tried tightening the cable-tie as hard as I could, the sensor may still laterally move coz of the roundness of the boom.

Chris bergen made a mount by using a spare horizontal Fin mount, cut a piece of carbon fiber like tony, and the mount will never move because of the clamping feature of the horizontal mounts.

[bullaculla]

Chris bergen made a mount by using a spare horizontal Fin mount, cut a piece of carbon fiber like tony, and the mount will never move because of the clamping feature of the horizontal mounts.

thats how mine is mounted too.

[MarkWebber]

Mark, I'v tried tightening the cable-tie as hard as I could, the sensor may still laterally move coz of the roundness of the boom.

How thick is the tape you've use? Unless it takes very little force to cause this movement, I cannot imagine it will cause any issue in flight.

The flat plate solution would eliminate the problem all together.

[SeaHawk]

is the real thick green mounting stuff that some of us use for mounting gyro senors no good? Very soft stuff, but would it be too soft because it would allow a little movement unlike the flatter, stiffer standard two side tape?

[R-4-L]

guys, as I was looking into this thing. I was staring at the horizontal fin already mounted on the heli, wouldn't be easiest to mount the sensor ON that horizontal fin it self and have extansion for the cable to reach the AP2000 body?

or do the IR sensors need full conical-view? by that I mean the horizontal fin it self would be an obstruction?

[crewchief]

I mounted mine per the FMA CoPilot instructions - one piece of double-sided foam tape under and one on top of the boom, and a zip-tie. 30 hours of air time and it's rock solid. In fact it took quite a bit of force to move it into position to compensate for hover tilt. I agree with Mark it's much simpler to mechanically adjust the sensor (even though it looks kind of weird) than recalibrate the electronics to the tilt horizon. You know, people say "hey, that thing's on crooked!".

[MarkWebber]

I've used both thin standard servo tape and thicker Zeal tape on my sensor installs. I like the Zeal just for it's superior vibe isolation ability. Both have served the purpose, however.

R-4-L

Go ahead and put it on the fin if the cable will reach. It'll work just fine.