Acrowot Foam Control Throws

[Nigel Heather]

Hi,

Didn't get to fly my new Acrowot this weekend - other things got in the way - but hoping to fly during the week.

One question I have is about control throws - to be honest this is nothing that I can't sort out myself by just taking down to the field and trying but would appreciate any advice all the same.

The manual says

For initial flights, we recommend the following control throws - each measured at the widest point of the surface:

Elevator: 9~15mm up, 9~15mm down

Rudder: 45mm left, 45mm right

Ailerons: 6~9mm up 6~9mm down

Seems odd to recommend quite a big range for initial flights. Is it badly worded, does it mean use 9mm for the elevator for initial flights and then 15mm once you are comfortable

Out of the box setup up exactly per instructions I get

Elevator - 19mm

Rudder - 45mm

Ailerons - 16mm

The rudder is fine, but are my elevator and aileron end points too big according to the instructions. If so, then I would normally adjust the linkages, rather than use endpoints on my radio, but not sure I can with this model.

The servo arms have a collet type affair where you tighten a screw down onto the linkage wire. The collet is secured to the servo arm with a plastic disk underneath but not clear whether this is screwed on (I don't think so), a push fit or glued on. If I need to move to an inner hole on the servo arm I'm not sure how to remove the collet - I don't want to force the plastic disk off and break it.

Cheers,

Nigel

[Colin Carpenter]

Nigel . Why not set up as instructed and then use seperate rate controls for each surface and start off in low rates below the suggested movement . I used less than suggested travel and found it extremely manoeuvable ! Lovely aircraft and was my go to model till the motor mount foam slits gave up for the final time . About 300 flights and they were past repair ! Colin

[Nigel Heather]

Will do. I was asking about the ranges specified - are they initial through to full - because mine are currently a lot bigger than the upper number and I try to limit the use of computer end points as much as possible

[Bob Cotsford]

Nigel, with a foamy such as this I wouldn't worry about losing a degree of control precision through the use of end points. Set the lower figure as your low rate and higher as high rate. Start off on low rates and increase movements as you become accustomed to it. The Acrowot is very forgiving, you will be ok with those settings. If you are really concerned, add in 10% or so of expo to slow things up around neutral but you really won't need it.

[Nigel Heather]

Posted by Bob Cotsford on 10/09/2018 11:44:34:

Nigel, with a foamy such as this I wouldn't worry about losing a degree of control precision through the use of end points. Set the lower figure as your low rate and higher as high rate. Start off on low rates and increase movements as you become accustomed to it. The Acrowot is very forgiving, you will be ok with those settings. If you are really concerned, add in 10% or so of expo to slow things up around neutral but you really won't need it.

Will do.

Take elevator as an example - what I was really asking was that the instructions say for initial flights set throw to 9-15mm. Seems a strange instruction - are they saying set it to 9mm or anywhere between 9mm and 15mm. And if 15mm is okay for initial flights do they mean that it should be set to some undeclared number more than 15mm afterwards.

I think they mean set it to 9mm for initial flights and 15mm for more aerobatic flights but that isn't what the words say.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Control throws are not an exact science Nigel! I would interpret what is being said as "set the lower value as low rates and the higher as high rates".

Which do you choose for the initial flight? Well how brave/experienced/foolhardy do feel? If your feeling cautious take off with low rates and see how that feels. If you have flown lots of models like this before well bang in the high rates - if its a bit lively just use a bit less stick movement and switch to low rates in the air if you want.

It really doesn't make that much difference for this type of model, just chill and fly! Now if it was very heavily wing loaded, nervous and twitchy, warbird,...my advice might be very different! But it isn't, so enjoy!

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/09/2018 00:07:48

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/09/2018 00:09:34

[Bob Cotsford]

Nigel, you will find many instruction manuals are full of ambiguities, the authors making the assumption that the builder will be on the same page when it comes to interpretation. I guess many of the authors are just ordinary modellers with no training in communication or presentation. It's often just a case of taking a cautious best guess, as in setting rates as per mine and BEB's posts.

[Nigel Heather]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/09/2018 00:07:02:

Control throws are not an exact science Nigel! I would interpret what is being said as "set the lower value as low rates and the higher as high rates".

Which do you choose for the initial flight? Well how brave/experienced/foolhardy do feel? If your feeling cautious take off with low rates and see how that feels. If you have flown lots of models like this before well bang in the high rates - if its a bit lively just use a bit less stick movement and switch to low rates in the air if you want.

It really doesn't make that much difference for this type of model, just chill and fly! Now if it was very heavily wing loaded, nervous and twitchy, warbird,...my advice might be very different! But it isn't, so enjoy!

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/09/2018 00:07:48

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 11/09/2018 00:09:34

Yes that is what I would normally do. But that isn’t my question. The instructions say initial value for elevator of 9 to 15mm.

So does that mean that 15mm is for initial flights and you would increase larger than 15mm when confident or are they saying that 15mm is the maximum throw you will ever need.

The reason I’m after the maxium throw ever needed is so I can set the linkages to match that.

[Bob Cotsford]

I honestly have no idea how much movement I have on mine, I guess about 1/2" each way on elevator, maybe 3/8" ailerons. I tend to fly smoother style aerobatics and find over sensitive controls too much for my poor arthritic thumbs. Maximum throw depends on you and your flying style. How much will the surfaces move before they strain the hinges? That is no doubt how some will have it set up.

I've just checked my transmitter (FrSky) and I have 100% on max, 70% medium and 50% minimum rates. Mostly I fly on the mid rates. Servo and surface horns use the outer hole iirc, I'll nip out to the garage and check later.

[Bob Cotsford]

Well that's a suprise! 3/4" or 20mm each way on ele and ail and 2" 50mm each way on rudder. That's why I only use mid rate for the most part. Foamy Wot's aren't fast beasts so the settings aren't critical as long as you are not trying to use them as trainers.

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 13/09/2018 16:13:27

[Nigel Heather]

Managed to maiden yesterday evening.

Decided to leave the throws as they were

ELE - 19mm

AIL - 16mm

RUD - 45mm

I arbitrarily set rates to 50% on all so it wouldn't be too wild on the first flights.

Flew very nicely and in fact, part way through I realised that I had knocked the rate switch when fitting the battery so was flying on full throws all the time.

Very well behaved apart from a tendency to climb up even the slightest power which took 14 clicks of up elevator to sort out

Edited By Nigel Heather on 14/09/2018 09:56:53

[Bob Cotsford]