[NSRCA-dist4] Matt Finley ( Gyros Article )

[David Cook]

I don't think it's a worm in the can I think it's a Python.
You are so brave to even bring it up, could rival stall entry as a thread
topic.

Just to add fuel we may have to talk about a number of different concepts
to be clear what we are talking about. for example the '6 degrees of
freedom' is an engineering concept that is addressed within the gyro topic.
This is the control of yaw, pitch, and role as well as translation in X, Y
and Z. In a pattern plane I may wish only to control yaw (in and out of the
box) while in a quad copter I needs all 6 at least just to stay in the air.
A simple Eagle A3 add-on gyro can do this. I have found it takes about 10
flights to properly adjust a gyro provided the builder didn't set the gain
too high. I have seen a poorly adjusted gyro start an osculation that
crashed a first flight corsair, tragic.

The second sub group under gyro is the GPS programmable capability. With a
little effort the trigonometry can be programed to keep a plane perfectly
in the box. The Top Hat may be problem. The possibility exists to level a
plane to a perfect level and up line flight while holding the yaw to follow
the box parameters of max left, max right, max height, etc. even air speed
can be defined. My opinion is this second area my be the biggest concern to
pattern because only a few are able to effectively program this capability.
But once done it can be passed to others as a simple code upload. Once the
box is defined for a contest field, then it's done forever.

To the modern pattern plane the gyro may be a little help. The airfoil stab
and sealed gaps etc that we  use make gyro assist currently of  marginal
value. However to look a the scale community, watch some of those
scale planes with flying wires, open cockpits', ugly landing gear and open
radial engines and show me without a gyro that they can appear that stable
in flight. My experience with that type of model subject is that they are
inherently unstable without assistance. ( I have a stack of them behind the
furnace).  The use of gyro has made the "realism in flight" almost a
non-factor in discriminating among the top flyers in competition.

We all build 2M airplanes to dampen the effects on the plane in flight.
And we would build them bigger if we could for the same reason. The smaller
airframes show the turbulence more because they are lighter and smaller.
Adding gyros to smaller less expensive airframes may be an advantage to
pattern, but at what cost. Imagine an old Kaos with flat sheet stab flying
with the same 'appearance' of precision as the current evolution of pattern
plane.

I wish I had an answer. Manufactures will soon be offering only receivers
with built in gyro capabilities. The 'chips' are so small and cheap, and
the demand so high, it will be inevitable. You may not be able to even get
an "old" receiver without gyro capability.

No answer either....
Dave

On Sat, Dec 9, 2017 at 6:21 AM, Bill Kutchell via NSRCA-dist4 <
nsrca-dist4 at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:

> Hi Matt,
>   I haven’t read the article yet, but it’s just my opinion that gyro’s are
> a great tool to learn how to fly RC planes. However with said I don’t think
> that have any place in pattern.
>
> Bill
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Dec 8, 2017, at 11:34 PM, Matthew Finley via NSRCA-dist4 <
> nsrca-dist4 at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>
> Hello All,
>
> I am writing this as I sit here kind of in awe of the article I just read
> in the latest Kfactor. I would really like to see what your thoughts are on
> this matter.....
>
> Now I may be opening up a can of worms here, but I feel strongly enough
> about this, I just can not idle by the subject without some solid answers
> that make sense, or have valid points.
>
> I for one am " Shaking, scratching, and everything else " with my head at
> this moment. Pattern is all about Flying Skill, Trimming Skill, Setup
> Skill, and a whole heap of other Skills. To add something into our world of
> Precision Aerobatics that is CRUTCH, and Yes I will Say it " Cheating Tool
> " is just beyond me. I also GUARANTEE you that it will not aid or help get
> people into Pattern, or at least not at the level that was mentioned. I do
> see the points made, however I in no stretch agree with them. Pattern would
> not be pattern in my mind with a " Technological Cheating Devise " put in
> place.
>
> Now.... Playing devils advocate, I could see MAYBE, and I mean MAYBE see
> it work for Sportsman, or someone getting in...... Or, if they drink enough
> Koolaid start allowing them, than I could see a mandatory 1 or 2 Point
> automatic point deduction per maneuver if a gyro is installed.
>
> Anyways, Those are my " Openly " stated thoughts. Curious what some of
> your are.
>
> If someone is for them, or somewhat for them, I would be curious your
> reasoning, and or ideas.
>
> Off my Soapbox, Drop the Mic, yada yada yada....... :)
>
> Now, lastly I want to wish all of you and your family's a very Merry
> Christmas, and a Very Happy New Year !! Looking forward to 2018 !
>
>
> Matthew E Finley
> 248-794-8487 <(248)%20794-8487> mobile
>
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