Is E-flite Apprentice S 15e in Experienced mode legal for A-certificate?

[john davidson 1]

On my Volantex F16 I have cut open the fuselage to expose the elevator servos, two of them , and moved the linkage in to the next hole ,makes the plane less twitchy. there is a tutorial on youtube  Still impossible to fly without the stabilisation however, amazing that electronics make such a plane flyable, even in high winds, you can see the wings flicking but  keeps dead straight and level.

[MattyB]

2 hours ago, Brian Dorricott 1 said:

I've been down the Apprentice route as a beginner and only felt really in control when I swopped out the AS3X Rx for a standard one . I was not the only one to find that either the Apprentice is a really forgiving beast anyway , nicer to fly with a normal receiver anyway. It doesn't bite or stall unless your really inept and I've often wondered why it had AS3X in the first place .

 

Pretty simple really - it's because HH want to be able to market it as "so simple you can teach yourself to fly". Of course with a capable instructor present there would be zero need for the SAFE features, but that would undermine their message and cut out those beginners who would rather go it alone. It's all about the $$$s! 

[Peter Jenkins]

I'm sure that your Tx has Rates so just make use of that facility and reduce the travel so to half the amount that the built in system gives.  There's no real need to cut open models to move pushrods to an inner hole on the servo.  That's what rates are for.  You can also use some exponential - typically around 10-15% to reduce sensitivity around the stick centre.  Do check which way to go though as Futaba uses negative expo to reduce movement while JR uses positive expo.  If you are not sure then wind on around 70% expo and see what happens around centre.  A small stick movement producing a lot of control surface movement means you want to use the expo the other way.  Then turn down the rates so that you are only getting half the movement there is to begin with  and put it on a switch so you can switch it in or out.  Ideally, if you have a 3 position switch you could experiment with a half of full movement and a third of full movement so that you can try out different rates on a single flight.

[GrumpyGnome]

15 hours ago, Brian Dorricott 1 said:

...... I've often wondered why it had AS3X in the first place .

 

So they can have SAFE and flog it to people as being suitable to teach yourself to fly..... no need to join a club, no need to get taught properly 🙂 gets people locked into the HH brands asap... cynical? moi?

 

I turn SAFE and AS3X off on anything other than micros.

[hassanizhar]

The legal requirements for taking a flight exam will vary depending on the country and specific exam you are taking. You should check with the relevant authorities in your area to see if the experienced mode on the E-flite Apprentice S 15e is acceptable for the exam.

It's also worth noting that, in general, most flight exams require the aircraft to be flown in a specific configuration, such as with the stability augmentation system turned off, so it's important to check the specific requirements for your exam.

[kc]

The heading of this thread says it's about  the A certificate and of course that is the British Model Flying Association   A certificate which is a voluntary exam for British fliers to take.   Has no legal application ( except for those who achieved it years ago and therefore don't need to take the CAA test to get their Operators Licence.).     Many clubs own rules require an A cert qualification in order to fly solo at their field.

 

So to get the BMFA A certificate on fixed wing planes you need to take the test on a plane without stabilisation.   Note that comments earlier in this thread were written many years ago and things have changed!

[Peter Jenkins]

On 22/01/2023 at 04:22, Phil Brunt said:

Hi everyone. I see this topic was considered quite some time since, but has been brought to my attention currently. i have the  Apprentice STS, and have discovered that I cannot take the Cert A with it because of the AS3X mode being active. Can anyone steer me towards a replacement receiver to fit into my plane to allow me to train for the Cert A test with my plane. Thanks in advance for any help....Phil

 

Hi Phil

 

You should download and read the BMFA Achievement Scheme booklet on the A test (click this link).  Read the section on the Basic Proficiency Certificate that spreads across the bottom of page 3 and top of page 4.  If your Club requires you to have an A Certificate to fly unsupervised then you can also take the BPC to fly unsupervised using a model with electronic stabilisation.  What you cannot do is to fly an aircraft without electronic stabilisation unsupervised unless you pass the A Certificate test.  If you read on you will come across the section dealing with the BPC and A Tests.  You need to read these and then discuss them with your Club Examiner and then practice the tests until you are comfortable that you will be able to fly them with a high degree of accuracy.  You also need to read the relevant BMFA booklet to be able to answer the 5 questions that you must also pass on the day.  You can avoid having to answer the 5 mandatory questions on Article 16 by doing and passing the on-line test and then downloading the certificate and showing that to your Examiner.  If your Examiner insists on asking you the 5 mandatory questions you should ask them to contact the BMFA for clarification as they have failed to keep themselves updated on procedure!

Hope that helps.

[paul devereux]

On 22/01/2023 at 15:03, John Tee said:

I have several Volontex models with 3 position gyros but I find the opposite to Paul. OK in first two gyro modes but put the Tx switch in the off position and it becomes a real handful to fly, just breathing on the stick move the model violently. Cant adjust the movement on the control horns as easily as a "normal" model.

 

John

I have thought about this in relation to my models, and I think it is because I always want to fly close to the stall point. The controls lose authority as the speed drops, which is why expert mode helps, I guess. My main interest in model flight was through learning about pioneer aircraft- the Demoiselle for example- ultra- light, low powered. I think DLG will be my future direction.

[Geoff S]

12 hours ago, paul devereux said:

I have thought about this in relation to my models, and I think it is because I always want to fly close to the stall point. The controls lose authority as the speed drops, which is why expert mode helps, I guess. My main interest in model flight was through learning about pioneer aircraft- the Demoiselle for example- ultra- light, low powered. I think DLG will be my future direction.

 

If the models John Tee is referring to are the 400mm ws ones then they seem almost impossible to fly with the gyro turned off as in so-called expert mode.  I've seen a  few YouTube videos of reviews by experienced RC pilots and they usually crash (with minimal damage) seconds after switching to expert mode. I have a T28 which needs lots of rudder to keep it in close enough to see properly in intermediate mode.  I also have a Spitfire which is a bit better but they both need rudder as well as aileron to turn tightly enough.  Considering their size and weight (<50gm ready to fly) it's amazing they fly at all.

[leccyflyer]

Agreed - we're having fantastic fun with the wee 400mm Volantex/Sonik/Eachine fighters which are incredibly stable in beginner mode, but virtually unflyable in expert mode, as I illustrated yesterday when I inadvertently launched the Bf109 with the mode switch fully forward, resulting in a very exciting 15 seconds lurching about the sky before hitting the ground, with no damage whatsoever, due to that light weight. 😄

[john davidson 1]

My Volantex Corsair arrived an hour ago, just the thing to beat up Leccys 109.

[leccyflyer]

My Bf109 already has one victory John 🙂 - I'll look forward to tangling with your Corsair - might need to find a Zero, if they ever come back in stock again. 

[Jake Bullit]

My Volantex Spitfire bound to my tx16s was difficult to fly without stabilization. Until I put some nose weight in the form of 3x5p in the battery compartment.

Flies great now.