FBL unit mounted on a 3D plane?

[theriddick45]

Have anybody done this before if so how the plane flew and how was the set up done on the FBL unit. I got an old ikon FBL I want to try and the reason been is that most airplane gyro are not heading hold just rate gyro.

Any help on this will be appreciated!

[ticedoff8]

I got an old ikon FBL I want to try and the reason been is that most airplane gyro are not heading hold just rate gyro

Using any helicopter FBL controller (not specifically designed for it) on a fixed wing for stability augmentation will be complicated and may be impossible.

The main problem is that an airplane has 3 discrete and separate servos controlling the 3 discrete and separate axis (A, E & R).
A helicopter uses 4 servos to control 4 axis (A, E, R + C) and A, E & C and electronically mixed (eCCPM) in the FBL controller.

The rudder may be ok - there is only 1 servo used for rudder in a heli and fixed wing.
But, the A and the E is going to be a problem.
On a heli, A & E are implemented using 3 servos connected to the swashplate (eCCPM).

Back in the beginning, when the was no FBL controllers and helicopter radios where new and expensive, the 3 axis of the swash was controlled with mCCPM (mechanical) and you could use a fixed wing radio and receiver.

CCPM is an acronym that stands for... "Cyclic-Collective-Pitch-Mixing". This feature is only found on RC helicopters with collective pitch (as the name suggests), it doesn’t apply to fixed pitch helicopters.

Electronic (eCCPM) or mechanical (mCCPM) mixing.

[Leadzeplin]

Originally Posted by theriddick45

Have anybody done this before if so how the plane flew and how was the set up done on the FBL unit. I got an old ikon FBL I want to try and the reason been is that most airplane gyro are not heading hold just rate gyro.

Any help on this will be appreciated!

You could use Spektrum AR636 or the AR9350. Both have heading hold and rate gain

[Johnny31297]

Originally Posted by theriddick45

Have anybody done this before if so how the plane flew and how was the set up done on the FBL unit. I got an old ikon FBL I want to try and the reason been is that most airplane gyro are not heading hold just rate gyro.

Any help on this will be appreciated!

I did on a shocky, worked surprisingly well.

Set swash to 90°, connect the corresponding plane servos to the swash outputs, disable collective pitch entirely and off you go. Tune the control loops as desired.

Keep in mind that airspeed changes change aerodynamic gain. Too much airspeed can lead to oscillation.

[Corvette & Copter Guy]

There is the Vplane from Mikado. I remember Kyle Dahl did a video about it. With the Neo it can used in any platform you want. I dont think there is any other fbl unit that can be used in so many ways.

[theriddick45]

Good info! Yes I was thinking set up swash H1 I think it might work.

[Freeskiken]

I have three planes running VBar with Vplane. Two Vlink Neos and a Mini VBar with a VBar satellite RX.

I just bought a 3DHS 57" Extra 330SC that I will be putting a VBar Neo on.

Works great !!!

Bank 1 is no gyros, Bank 2 is medium Gyro, Bank 3 is high Gyro.

If you have ailerons plus flaps you use Macro Cells to program.

You can also get just a basic VBar receiver with out Gyros. This can also be upgraded later.

Mikados Proving Ground: Episode 1 - VPlane Benefits (2 min 45 sec)

Mikados Proving Ground: Episode 2 – VPlane SetUp (12 min 39 sec)

[myxiplx]

Better to just buy a cheap Lemon stabilised receiver and have something that's actually designed for a plane.

A FBL controller is an expensive bodge (with the exception of the Neo which isn't a bodge but is still expensive).

[BuildFlyCrashRepeat]

If you can fly a helicopter I don’t think there’s a point in putting a gyro on a plane. Only if you want to tinker or try something new

[Freeskiken]

I have a VControl Transmitter and do not want to use different Transmitters for planes and Helis. When I go to the field I just want to take one transmitter, planes and Helis. Besides the Vplane software and the Neo works perfect. So easy to set up and flies great.

[BaconRaygun]

Originally Posted by BuildFlyCrashRepeat

If you can fly a helicopter I don’t think there’s a point in putting a gyro on a plane. Only if you want to tinker or try something new

I may be a bit off, but I think many people who are using these devices in planks are doing so mostly to smooth things out, and not so much as a crutch for learning. I think there are plenty of good reasons for it. For the scale guys, it smooths things out and makes the aircraft look more scale in the air.

I know it makes high alpha flight a bit more manageable.

[XxXSkysurferXxX]

Yeah I heard some of those war birds are hard to control.

[Felix the cat]

Originally Posted by Johnny31297

I did on a shocky, worked surprisingly well.

Set swash to 90°, connect the corresponding plane servos to the swash outputs, disable collective pitch entirely and off you go. Tune the control loops as desired.

Keep in mind that airspeed changes change aerodynamic gain. Too much airspeed can lead to oscillation.

+1 Exactly

So did I on a Shoestring, no big deal. Also, it does come in handy for landing in crosswinds or gusty conditions.

[theriddick45]

I’m planning to use my Ikon FBL.

[Ah Clem]

I have been using the JR AXIS Gyro in fixed-wing aircraft for years. These can be set up in Rate Mode or Heading Hold mode (you can even have different axes set up in different modes like Rate Mode for Rudder and Heading Hold for Aileron and Elevator).

Programming/Setup is done with a JR DMSS XBus transmitter. It works with JR's XBus or Futaba's S-Bus, and you can adjust the gains from your TX in flight.

https://www.deeforce.net/product-pag...ft-gyro-system

[denis747]

Originally Posted by Corvette & Copter Guy

There is the Vplane from Mikado. I remember Kyle Dahl did a video about it. With the Neo it can used in any platform you want. I dont think there is any other fbl unit that can be used in so many ways.

Spirit has Spirit Aero firmware/software which is used in a plane.

[ic-racer]

If you can't get it to work in your plane, maybe try a car...

[Corvette & Copter Guy]

Originally Posted by denis747

Spirit has Spirit Aero firmware/software which is used in a plane.

Cool. How many channels can be used? I know the Neo can be daisy chained to allow use of a bunch of channels. You can even be flying the plane on one Vcontrol, and have another Vcontrol user operating other plane functions.

What a great time to be in the hobby.

[theriddick45]

😂🤣

[denis747]

Originally Posted by Corvette & Copter Guy

Cool. How many channels can be used? I know the Neo can be daisy chained to allow use of a bunch of channels. You can even be flying the plane on one Vcontrol, and have another Vcontrol user operating other plane functions.

What a great time to be in the hobby.

I think for the Spirit, that will depend on the Tx/Rx type used as the Spirit itself will do the stabilisation of the plane.