Tried VPlane today...

[JustPlaneChris]

All I can say is "wow".

Granted, I put it in a plane that was already smooth and well-trimmed (Tower Kaos .40, converted to electric) but what I noticed most was how it just eliminated all the bumps and dips from the wind. Point-and-shoot.

The setup was really easy too, once I figured out I had to revert the Mini VBar back to 5.3 and then load Vplane using the PC software.

Makes me want to try it in a 3D-style airplane now.

[flyfishsick]

can your Taranis do that? I don't think so?

Glad your liking it and also happy to see your back with the podcast

[JustPlaneChris]

Hah, no the Taranis can't do it.... yet. I hear FrSky is working on receivers with gyros though, so it's only a matter of time.

I do wish Mikado would offer some smaller / less expensive current sensor options though, and also individual cell monitoring. I do miss having cell monitoring, and I can't afford to outfit all my models with current sensors at $100 a pop!

[Mentalic]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris

All I can say is "wow".

Makes me want to try it in a 3D-style airplane now.

Put a miniV on a twisted hobbies foamy and cranked up the settings on bank 3. Well its just about the most fun I've had with a plane in 15 years and I've been flying planes for 30 years! Without Vplane the foamy is nasty with all sorts of control interactions, with Vplane it has no interactions and just goes where ya point it. Hands off knife edge and hovers, no problem.

[alexd1]

I also just put a vbar in my yak and am having a blast just playing with settings. +1 for auto trim. So easy to trim!

[datatools]

I'm new to Vcontrol and Neo. I fly planes as well, and would like to try Vplane. What upgrade option do I need at Vstabi for the Neo to get Vplane, and will it work on a nitro powered plane or only electric? Is setup easy to do accomplish for a plane? I fly in a windy area, and a self correcting rig would be fun!!

[JustPlaneChris]

I can't see why it wouldn't work for nitro as well, just mount the unit like you would in a nitro heli (proper vibration damping).

I'm not sure how it works on the Neo, but on my Mini VBar I had to regress back to 5.3, then do an online update and load VPlane. Oh, that was after going into my devices at vstabi and adding VPlane to the Mini VBar.

Once that's done, setup is just stupid easy, and it flies great!

[Laughingstill]

Just load it on the NEO

[taoY]

Just put vbar on my air plane last week. How can I get one bank as low rate (less throw) for sport flying and another one as high rate for acrobat/3D flying?

[JustPlaneChris]

Banks are automatically set up. Just switch to the bank you desire, then adjust the Agility setting for Elevator, Aileron, and Rudder to affect the overall throw.

By default, Bank 1 had zero gain, which I assume means "gyros off". Bank 2 had moderate gain, which just smoothed out the bumps. Bank 3 had more gain, which made it "heading hold" and it stays in the attitude you point it.

[taoY]

Thanks a lot. Will give it a try.

[cudaboy_71]

I don't see a whole lot of discussion about vplane. So, I'll just resurrect this thread.

I just got vplane installed in my little PA Addiction. It flies very well out of the box.

I got bank 1 set up with minimal stabilization--just enough like traditional mixes and differential so that it will stay on knife edge without falling out when adding in elevator for a turn.

I got bank 2 set up with a good bit of stabilization. In fact, it's very hard to fly maneuvers because you have to force the aircraft to the waypoint, as you can't count on gravity to carry it through. Reminds me a lot of switching from rate gyros to HH where you have to fly the tail. So, not a bad thing. Just something new. I like it.

For bank 3 I want to set up a gimmick. Hands-off hovering would be cool. But, I just can't seem to get it dialed in. I raise the gains so high that the surfaces start shuddering. So, I have to back them off. Integral doesn't seem to do much..I've tried values of 40-100 and while it seems to help, the nose will eventually fall out of the hover if I don't add in corrections.

Lock seems like it should do the job. But, it just doesn't. Maybe I haven't turned it up enough.

Has anyone else programmed a successful hands-off hover?

I know this airframe and hardware has the ability to do it. I flew this plane with the 5.3 heli software on it and it was like magic. Even in 15 mph winds, I could just hang the plane in the air and it was like it was nailed to an invisible wall. Unfortunately, the heli software can't really be turned all the way off and it felt really spongy when you tried to minimize the stabilization. What I want is the feel of what I have now on banks 1-2, and the feel I had on the heli software for bank 3.

[Eury]

Was never able to get mine to a hands off hover. In general, after flying it for a while, I've decided that Vplane isn't for me. Adds some strangeness but without enough benefit to justify it. Actual plane gyros do the job much better, although obviously without being able to use my Vcontrol.

[cudaboy_71]

Thanks for replying.

I'm just a casual plane flyer. I'll toss up my little addiction in the field behind the flight line when there's a long line to fly on the heli pads. I do agree that Vplane is NOT able to be tuned to zero stabilization. But, it comes very close.

I guess Vplane is about where Vbar was in '06. V. 3.6 was a bear to get dialed in. Hopefully it's not another 10 years before Vplane gets up to speed.

[Eury]

True. I just compare it to cheap dedicated solutions. Even compared to a $50 cheapy I replaced with vplane it's not nearly as good. The biggest advantage of vplane is the ability to use my Vcontrol.

[Laughingstill]

Have either of you watched the videos Kyle Dahl made? Strangeness?

[Eury]

Yes, I followed his tuning videos. It's just not there in the programming. Even all the way off, it still sticks in the attitude it is in instead of flowing like airplanes normally do. It is especially strange on landing where a plane will normally settle to the ground but vplane makes me force it down.

In comparison to (even a cheap) dedicated airplane system the feel just isnt quite right. Can't really explain it. Airplane gyros make it feel larger and more stable, Vplane feels like a Heli that is always stuck in forwards flight.

[rctintin]

Subscribed

[Laughingstill]

Do you have the latest firmware on both the transmitter and the VBAR/NEO? Mine, when set to zero, feels like a normal plane. I am unsure why yours differs...

[cudaboy_71]

I've seen the videos. It will be a week or two before I have time to fiddle with it any more. But, I'll probably reset everything to stock and start over.

I may even put a regular RX back in it and fly with my DX7 for a pack or two (leaving the vbar hardware in place) so its 'analog' feel is still fresh in my head.

The other thing I had a hard time with--even when the gyros were supposed to be turned off-- was inverted flat spins. This plane usually stalls out and gracefully goes flat. Even in bank 1 with no stabilizaion I felt like I was having to force it in to a spin. It could be all in my head, which is why I think I want to put a flight or two on it again with the vbar out of the loop completely.