david james 1

I had an OS 81 alpha - gudgeon pin broke - a fairly unusual failure. I think the alpha series were an unsuccessful experiment which OS soon terminated.

I have recently joined my local indoor flying sessions. I am a reasonably experienced outdoor flyer but am finding flying in such a small space quite challenging. I have started with a Microaces SE5A but a couple of times the wall has jumped out and hit the plane. I am wondering if I should get something slower flying to get my eye in. UMX Night Vapor seem quite popular but other suggestions are welcome.

It was given to me second hand so I don’t think consumer legislation will be much help. The problem seems to be the main board not the switch so the items shown won’t do the trick. I have posted a Wanted ad on BMFA Classified and I am hoping that will bring something.

After a lot of messing around with a multi-meter and talking to the helpful man at Logic RC, it seems that the switch is not the problem, there is a fault in the motherboard. The issue is that the TX does not enter the power-down routine when the stitch is turned off. It does seem to stop transmitting but the power-down routine saves the various settings that i had programmed in -servo reverse and a mix. Thus if I pull out a dry cell to turn it right off, it defaults to factory settings. He said the motherboard is not available and unless I can find one from a scrapped set, the TX is for the bin. This wouldn't worry me too much as it was free but I have invested several £100s in an indoors model that I cannot use on my usual Futaba Tx.

Thanks to the help her, I have now mastered the programming but the switch remains a problem. I can turn the set off by removing one of the dry cells but have now realised that this will not retain any of the programmed settings and it will revert to factory settings. I have taken the back off and loosened the PC board with the switch attached. I then liberally doused the switch with electronic contact cleaner and worked it on and off a few times. Unfortunately no improvement. A slide switch is a fairly simple component and, other than corrosion, it is hard to think what might be wrong. Do I have to consider unsoldering it and a replacement?

Yes I have now found it hidden away in the Adust section - not in the Wing Tail Mix section where I was looking. When all fails RTFM more carefully - even when it is only online! And BTW you can't just plug a servo into another socket in the RX with an AIO - it is all hard wired. Thanks to you all -problem solved.

This would be an aileron to rudder mix which I am not sure is available in airplane mode. I can only find dual channel aileron, V tail and elevon mixing which I don’t think will do the trick. There is programmable mixing in helicopter mode. I wonder if I could adapt this ? alternatively, could I take the back off and swap the leads to the sticks?

Hi guys Thanks to you help I have been making progress. I more or less understand the programming of the Tx and have managed to get the AIO to bind and operate. But a couple of extra questions. 1. The Tx does not seem to go off when I slide the switch to off. So far I have had to resort to taking a battery out. Is the switch faulty or am I missing something? 2.The intended model (a Microaces SE5a) is rudder and elevator only - no ailerons. Thus the rudder is operated by the LHS stick. Can I switch this to the RHS stick as I am not sure I can retrain my reflexes to fly that way. TIA david

Thank you all. My bad - it is a 6i. will download from Robin’s suggestion.

I have acquired an unused example of the above from the widow of my deceased friend. Also two AR610 receivers but unfortunately no manual. I am normally a Futaba used so I am completely lost as to how to program this. Can anyone point me to a website where I can download it. I have Googled but only seem to come up with DX5e which seems completely different. TIA.

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Jon You are absolutely right - at least one of them is broken. Given your comments about lead times for a service, can I buy replacements from you and diy. I have replaced valve springs successfully on OS engines so I hope I could do it on a Laser !!!

Hi Jon I have a Laser 150. A bit old but it has given me sterling service in a Flair 1/4 scale Tiggy. Unfortunately it let me down for the first time today. It seemed to lose power in flight but landed with the engine still running. I tried to restart but it didn’t seem to have any compression. Then I tried again (without the glow lead on ) and the compression was there. I flicked the prop many times and sometimes compression, sometimes not. My first thought was a valve sticking, but I have had the cover off and all seems well in that department. Is there a piston ring which could be sticking/ broken? Is there anything a reasonable experienced amateur can do, other than send it to you? Thanks David

I’ve had this problem with other OS engines. Crap engineering. They should have stuck with the Woodroff key used on some OS engines

I am a big fan of Chris Foss and have got or had a Wot4 a Wotswot and a Xtrawot. Being a confirmed IC man, I find that after a lot of flying, they all succumb to fuel/oil seeping under the film covering. I am thinking of replacing the Wots wot and would like suggestions as to the best way of preventing this before I let fuel touch it. TIA David