FMA CoPilot - Helicommand

[Aussie_G]

I am a newbie, and have just managed a couple packs of hover, about 30 hours on the sim so far.

I was looking into some kind of co-pilot device, and after reading about the Helicommand at $550, and the FMA CPD-4 at $70, I actually liked the idea of the FMA unit better.

Doesnt fly the heli for you, but keeps it upright & level if you center the stick.

BUT - it seems like its not available for the 450 as it can only control 1 servo for each of the Aile & Ele..

Is there a device like the CPD-4 that I can use on my 450?
I tried to look into the other version FMA had - but they dont show it online.

[Espeefan]

My advice, and I am a total newbie as well, so take it with a grain of salt, is to learn how to fly without any stabilizing or auto pilot type devices. If you aren't confident enough, practice more on the simulator.

[Leaf Blower]

Don't know about the HeliCommand, but the FMA CDP4 works only on NON-CCPM birds- which makes it useless for most heli's that I see.. The price is Ok though. There is a FMA device that does handle CCPM but is for 72mhz and not 2.4G.

I agree with Espeefan- learning without one will be more beneficial for you in the long run. It just takes time...

[jrohland]

I have the CPD4 on my 600 electric (Miniature Aircraft USA Razor 600e). That heli is a CCPM so, in theory, I can't use a CPD4. However, I have an onboard mixer (CSM Cylock (http://www.rcmodels.org/csm/)) to take care of that problem. This is a fair amount of stuff to put on a TRex 450. It could be done but, you will have to be creative about where to put it all.

As to how well it works and if it helps, it works very well and, I think it helps much. I don't buy into the whole if you use a cruch you will never do it without the cruch idea. For me, it is like having a buddy box and a pilot that can get into a stable hover no matter the current attitude of the heli. I think I am progressing faster because I try stuff knowing I can flip a switch and level up.

jrohland

[Leaf Blower]

That is so cool. Cylock... I cancelled my order a month ago because it supposedly does not support CCPM and all my birds are such. Too bad that they would not put a blurb on their website on using it with a Cylock..

[Aussie_G]

jrohland

Maybe you could do a write-up on how it all hooks together and what all is involved for setup...
:)

[JasonJ]

I tried the co-pilot last fall and I did not like it. For me, the sim was the answer, but everyone learns differently. The main problem I had with my FMA cpd4 was the nearby mountain range. The FMA is sensing the temp difference between the ground and sky, and the mountains were close enough and tall enough that the sensor was sensing the mountain and pushing the helicopter away from the mountain. It was very frustrating, and it didn't matter how I calibrated it. I sold it and bought Realflight G3.5, and after about 50 hours of sim time, I was able to do basic forward flight and fig 8s with the real thing.

[widower]

I watched a guy with one of these systems on his trex450. He was able to set 3 gains. With the lowest gain, the system did nothing. With the highest gain, the system fought his stick inputs and kept the heli level. I think a big advantage would be if you loose orientation because of distance (a 450 gets small quick). Just hit your gain switch, then manage your collective to keep it low to the ground.

[jrohland]

Attached is a diagram showing how to connect an FMA Direct Copilot (CPD4) or a Spartan AP2000i with the FMA Direct IR sensor.

The diagram starts with a standard CCPM hook up. You should all be familiar with that. Using a Spektrum/JR radio you connect the three swash servos up to the aileron, elevator and aux1 (pitch) channels. The servo movement for aileron, elevator and pitch is determined by the mix formula in the radio controller.

The second section shows how to hookup with the Spartan AP2000i which does both the CCPM mixing and the IR sensor stabilization. Notice all three channels must go into the AP2000i so it can mix and output the actual swash servo movements.

I point that out because in the third section--showing the use of an FMA Direct CPD4--the pitch channel does not go into the CPD4 module. This is because the CPD4 does not stabilize pitch, only aileron and elevator.

From the CPD4 the aileron and elevator go into the Cylock mixer along with the pitch channel from the receiver. The swash channels are mixed in the Cylock and CCPM servo control is then fed to the three swash servos.

I did not show it but, most users will want to connect the control channel from the AP2000i or CPD4 to a radio channel. If you are using a DX6, you will have to use the Gear channel. If you have a dx7, use the AUX2 channel if you are using the Gear channel for the tail gyro.

jrohland

[t2o]

I just did my first flights with the cpd4 on a Kinetic 50. The area I fly in most of the time has trees on either side. The clearing is around 300' wide. I know this is not alot of room but I mostly hover and it is right off my front porch.

I calibrated the cpd4 and got 4 pulses, did the field check... everything was ok and I started hovering with the gain at 50%. It is pretty weird at first but once I got it trimmed it was very cool, hands off and only drifting back and forth, first towards the trees on the left then sensing them and back towards the other side. When I calibrated it was overcast but soon the sun was popping in and out and after awhile mostly out. All of a sudden the cpd4 started trying to run the heli into the ground and fairly un-nerved me. I checked the sensors and they were clean... tried again with the same result.

Is such a dramatic change in the sensor behavior normal on variable cloud days or is it the tight area that I fly in causing this erratic change in behavior? Should I calibrate when the sun is shining or once it is behind the clouds on those days that it is variable?

Are others having any luck flying the cpd4 with tree's around?

[chrsvct]

I would have to agree with jrohland on the cpd4 ...... if you use it as a bail out, it gives you bigger "stones" to try new things with your heli, I have it on a raptor 90, and love it, and God knows how many hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars it would have saved me if I had it when I was just starting out. anyway just my 2 cents

Chris

[Locitur]

I have installed the FS8 Co Pilot which works with eCCPM, in my Black Hawk 450. I just connected the servos to the fma receiver as well as the sensor unit.

It stabilizes the heli in case you need it, and if you decide to turn it on (I have a 7CHP and use the extra channel).

I consider it a valuable asset in the learning process which helps me avoid repairing costs in an touchy economic time. I also practice in s simulator.

FMA no longer sells it since a new version compatible with 2.4 Tx will be launched around this fall.

It is up to you to think about it and consider what best suits your continuous learning process!

Happy Flying! ;)

[AirmanBob]

I have the CPD4 on my Heli-Max MX400 pro.

I fly in a grassy area about two football fields long
and two football fields wide.

For me it's magic. That's the feeling you get the first
time you use it. It is so amazing to see the heli just
hang there about 12 feet up without touching the
right stick....

Absolute magic.... I never leave home (earth) without it....

AB