F3 RES Channel assignment for Spoiler

[Ariel]

Hi, New to the Forum and returning to the Hobby after many years. So much has changed!!

I have almost finished a Slite V2 and I'm a bit stumped as to which channel should be assigned to the spoiler. At the moment I have elevator on the Right Stick and Rudder on the Left. Kind of begs the question where does the spoiler go? Should it be assigned to a switch for full deployment or try to get it somewhere with proportional control? I have a Futaba T16 Transmitter which is overkill for the Slite but I have some other half-built projects where it will come in to it's own......one day.

Some things don't change

Grateful for any advice, Thanks

[MattyB]

If you are flying mode 1 or 2, the primary direction control (which in this instance is the rudder) must go on the right. Elevator will be on the left if mode 1, or the right on mode 2. Unless you really did learn on mode 3 or 4 forget those; no-one uses them anymore, so getting someone to test fly it or coach you would be very tricky.

 

Irrelevant of stick mode, how you have the spoilers is rally up to you. Assuming this is a pure glider not an e-soarer I would probably put them on the throttle stick so you have proportional control for landings. Alternatively you can just add them to a switch of your choosing (assuming your TX does free switch and channel assignment, which I think it does based on the manual - see page 75). 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by MattyB

[Shaun Walsh]

I have 2 F3RES gliders both have the spoiler on the throttle stick to allow proportional deployment. One is electric and on that one the motor cut switch disengages the motor and engages the spoiler. Launch goes as follows. Engage motor with motor cut switch, open throttle and launch, climb at full throttle, cut motor with motor cut switch, motor cuts and spoiler armed but not opened. Glide around with throttle at full throttle but motor cut. When landing close the throttle to open the spoiler by the desired amount.

I also have a throttle-> elevator mix on a separate switch which mixes up elevator with the spoiler to produce a less vertical descent.

[Frank Skilbeck]

On all my rudder/elevator planes, not just RES gliders, I mix the aileron and rudder controls, so both sticks control the rudder.

 

All my gliders have spoiler control on the "throttle" stick and motor on a switch or slider, as Matty notes it's much easier to control the landings if you can control the spoilers progressively.

 

But I do know some died in the wool power fliers who can't cope with the motor being on anything other than the throttle stick, even when flying an electric glider.

[GrumpyGnome]

So many ways to skin this cat.

 

Entirely agree with MattyB re primary controls - choose either mode 1 or 2; when I learned to fly - slope soaring - I was mode 1 but switched to mode 2 when I started powered aircraft.

 

I only have a few gliders, but all my aircraft are set up the same way:

• elevator and primary steering on right stick
• secondary steering and throttle on left stick
• throttle lock, engine kill, flaps/spoilers/crow, undercarriage, status of all controls, timer reset on consistent switches.

Saves trying to remember what switch does what. Once saw a flying chum lose a model when he flicked a switch to lower the undercarriage, which actually cut his ic engine.....

[Ariel]

Thank you everyone for your prompt and detailed replies. Spoiler on the the 'Throttle' stick seems to be the consensus so I'll go with that. It will be a pure glider, no motor, it's very tight to get a Rx battery in never mind anything else! 

Always pays to ask those who know!

Thanks again.