A bit of background…I have flown a single channel airplane, with one proportional control…and it went great! Flew it for 6mo, could do loops/rolls…and found that if you wagged the tail at the right time would flare for landing.
The single button control concerns me a bit. I just got my first single channel rig operational (Babcock tube), played with it for several hours, and have questions. The actuator is electrically driven for a boat, and not a rubber band escapement so it is probably slower, and I think that may be why I am concerned…
1. On an aircraft when flying with an aircraft escapement, do you have to noticeably delay the second button push for right rudder?
2. What is the procedure (other than panic) when you lose sequence? Blip the rudder quickly then back neutral (and note which way it went!)?
The second rig is operational (controlaire mule) that I have a rubber band escapement for that will probably answer my questions when I get the escapement hooked up, but was wondering.
Thanks for your time,
Steve
The
Single Channel Button Timing…
-
AbueloBill
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 04 Feb 2022, 16:09
Re: Single Channel Button Timing…
Hi Steve,
I started my RC flying with escapements back in the 1960s and well remember the issues you raised.
1. With a Bonner SN escapement, the pattern was Neutral-Left-Neutral-Right etc.The button was pressed quickly and there was no noticeable reaction by the airplane in getting to the second command. But with the Vari-Comp with its Neutral-Left-Right-Neutral (to activate a second elevator Vari-Comp) etc. there was a noticeable delay between each command. Not much but you had to allow for the mechanism to do its thing.
With the Vari-Comps you could cascade them so if you got the button pressing right you could get N-L-R-N-U-D-N, etc. I think the final Neutral could activate a third escapement, SN style, to operate a throttle but that was way beyond me as I was flying Cox .049s in highly stable three foot cabin jobbies and rudder only was enough.
2. Your assumption is right and getting mixed up on the next command was typical. The planes were so stable there would be a noticeable delay in responding, enough time to see what it would do and get back to neutral, so you would be back on sequence very quickly. Wasn't really a problem.
The third point is flying with an escapement is to trim the plane to fly in neutral in large circles (typically to the right, against torque) while climbing. This way, if you lost control, the plane would stay in that pattern until the fuel ran out then glide down where you could find it. Once I went to pulse rudder flying I trimmed for straight line flight. If I flew out of range or lost signal the Adam's actuator would go full to one side and the plane would spiral down.
Hope this helps.
I started my RC flying with escapements back in the 1960s and well remember the issues you raised.
1. With a Bonner SN escapement, the pattern was Neutral-Left-Neutral-Right etc.The button was pressed quickly and there was no noticeable reaction by the airplane in getting to the second command. But with the Vari-Comp with its Neutral-Left-Right-Neutral (to activate a second elevator Vari-Comp) etc. there was a noticeable delay between each command. Not much but you had to allow for the mechanism to do its thing.
With the Vari-Comps you could cascade them so if you got the button pressing right you could get N-L-R-N-U-D-N, etc. I think the final Neutral could activate a third escapement, SN style, to operate a throttle but that was way beyond me as I was flying Cox .049s in highly stable three foot cabin jobbies and rudder only was enough.
2. Your assumption is right and getting mixed up on the next command was typical. The planes were so stable there would be a noticeable delay in responding, enough time to see what it would do and get back to neutral, so you would be back on sequence very quickly. Wasn't really a problem.
The third point is flying with an escapement is to trim the plane to fly in neutral in large circles (typically to the right, against torque) while climbing. This way, if you lost control, the plane would stay in that pattern until the fuel ran out then glide down where you could find it. Once I went to pulse rudder flying I trimmed for straight line flight. If I flew out of range or lost signal the Adam's actuator would go full to one side and the plane would spiral down.
Hope this helps.
-
JohnH
- Posts: 30
- Joined: 18 Jun 2019, 03:48
- Location: Eden, MD USA
Re: Single Channel Button Timing…
To answer your questions. 1. The timing of the second pulse depends on how fast your system responds. I have flown both rubber powered escapements, and electric motor powered single channel servos like the Royal/MK and Futaba. They are both very quick to respond if you have fresh batteries, so hardly any delay is needed. The rubber powered escapements may have a ratcheted detents to slow the movement to allow for your reaction time so you need to practice to see what the timing is. I suggest to do this before you fly either motor powered or rubber powered.
2. With only the old non-self neutralizing rubber escapements did the pilot have to remember the last command. Newer escapements and all of the motorized single channel servos always start from the same place, so one blip is always right and two and hold is always left.
2. With only the old non-self neutralizing rubber escapements did the pilot have to remember the last command. Newer escapements and all of the motorized single channel servos always start from the same place, so one blip is always right and two and hold is always left.
John H.
"Here's another fine mess you've gotten me into."
"Here's another fine mess you've gotten me into."
-
Stephen D
- Posts: 12
- Joined: 02 Mar 2023, 20:43
Re: Single Channel Button Timing…
Wow! Thanks for the replies! It is interesting going through this equipment and seeing and hearing about the limitations the modeler had to live with at the time!
And at the field I hear complaint’s about the delay in the 2.4 ghz digital systems with modern digital servos…
!
And at the field I hear complaint’s about the delay in the 2.4 ghz digital systems with modern digital servos…
!-
PaulJ
- Posts: 603
- Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 19:01
- Location: Ipswich, UK
Re: Single Channel Button Timing…
I have flown various rubber driven escapements sequential and compound and for me they all have one thing in common...... They are unreliable so that when it all goes pear shaped I was never sure whether it was due to , the escapement, interference or my mistake. Nowadays, for single channel I have "standardised" on Phil's emulator and a servo which, in either sequential or compound mode, behaves exactly like an escapement. You can rig it with a torque rod so it "looks right" but it is totally reliable! 
Paul