How to use trainer cord..DX6I to DX6I

[green4191]

Ok I'm trying to help my stepdad learn collective pitch. In the interest of keeping him less frustrated and just to help so he will enjoy flying I'm getting a training cord in the morning. What's the proper way to use the cord. Am I able to take over at any time if it gets out of shape and how do I do that? We both have DX6I's and I'll ensure all settings including dr, expo, and gyro, reversing..everything are the same. What's the procedure I've never tried to help someone this way before. Thanks!

[Talesin]

Power the 'master' TX.
Power the heli and let it bind to the master.
Plug in the buddy-box cable (just a male-male audio cable, by the way; can't remember if it's mono or stereo, but you can find them sold as 'dubbing cables' with a standard 1/16" headphone jack on either end).
The 'slave' TX will automatically power on. Do NOT turn on the power switch on the slave TX.

Hold down the 'TRAINER' switch on the Master TX. This transfers control to the slave TX so long as it is held down, which sends its signal through the master to the heli. If it starts to get out of control or you need to take over for him, release the TRAINER switch. Control reverts to the Master TX, allowing you to instantly jump in and save it.

Make sure that the controls are set up *identically* on BOTH TXes, to avoid issues.


It's also ***HIGHLY*** recommended that you pick up an mCPX for learning (teaching him) to fly CP instead, unless he's stepping up to the 450 X from that; buddy-boxing is OK enough, but there is no better training gear for learning to fly CP, and definitely nothing better for learning to fly a 450 X, than an mCPX.
Safer, cheaper (bounces on crashes), and less nerve-wracking than flying a big heli. Also won't send someone to the hospital (or morgue) with a newbie mistake, like the 450X very realistically can. It's also a ton of fun outdoors when you really get it going, and can be used for hover practice and sport flying indoors. Also teaches GOOD collective and cyclic management skills that will transition directly across, if you get into any 3D (it's extremely unforgiving as far as sloppy collective control on flips). You can buddy-box with it as well, and while it's still a handful, it'll be a VASTLY better training tool.

It's actually what I use for teaching my trainees (all the way from zero if they can't afford to part together an mSR, as a comp TX can make it pretend to be a FP heli, after they're past the sim and basic orientations point with my beater mCX2).

[green4191]

Thank you!

[EEngineer]

+1 for what Talesin says

[Talesin]

Quite welcome; edited it a couple of times since posting to add more information and a recommendation to get an mCPX and buddy box that instead... tons safer, VASTLY cheaper in the long run, and a huge confidence builder (as they'll consequently get off the buddy-box cord much faster).

PS- Just looked at a picture; the buddy box cable is just a mono male-male 1/16" audio cable. Should be able to pick up a fairly long one for cheap, compared to the official cable.

[green4191]

I've got an MCPX 2 that he's been trying to fly. He got a 450 3d. I set it up and unfortunately his third time up it got out of shape on him and had a blade strike. The flybar destroyed one of the blades. I repaired it last night did some replacing and will test fly it again before he flies again. I totally agree that it's good to learn on the mcpx. In my opinion the mcpx is wayyyy harder to fly than any of the 450s I've flown. So its an excellent trainer for cp. I love my mcpx!...but not as much as my 450 x and I can't wait for the 500 and the 300 x to come out. Gonna ditch the woodies go carbon and see what I can do to raise the head speed on the 300 x. I'm excited. Anyways I think he's ready despite the blade strike for the 450 3d but much cheaper and SAFER with a trainer cord I think. Thanks again for the info.

[Talesin]

While a 450-size is slower and easier to fly, the consequences are much steeper for failing.. which is going to happen a LOT when you're just learning. Even buddy-boxing, it's pretty easy to get into a bad situation that can't be recovered from.. especially with the 'jump' in controls when you release or depress the trainer switch.

I would keep him on the mCPX if it was me until he had it down pat. Buddy box that if necessary first. If he's having trouble with that, there's no way I'd put him at the controls of a larger heli, outside of a sim.

Tend to equate it for the overly-cavalier as playing a video game on Hard mode, before going to Normal Hardcore. You're just better-equipped to avoid problems with the required additional skill.


Eh, mildly interested in the 130X but plan to give it at least a few months for the early adopters to shake out the bugs and find the problems. Mostly just for the stock BL, and TT tail; otherwise I'd stick with a BL mCPX. Already was bitten on the mSRX once, not going through THAT disappointment again.

No interest in the 300X; anywhere I'd fly that, I'd just take the 450X instead. Cut down on the spares I need to keep on hand. Same with the 500X; already planning out a 700-class, so doesn't really make sense to buy a 500 and step up slowly.