What should be my second plane?

[BillGriffiths100]

Hi Brad,
Sorry just making the point to Peter that the plane he's getting is a lot more fragile than the AXN.

Normally after flying something like a cub with a high wing and stability the next step is to move on to an intermediate shoulder wing trainer still fairly stable but with the ability to loop and roll.
With the introduction of ARTF models the intermediate trainer seems to have vanished, each ARTF manufacturer trying to outdo the others for scale and complexity to grab a share of the perceived market, forgetting the learner/intermediate pilot.
An AXN is pretty near an intermediate performance but with no landing gear it cannot take you through the landing and take-off's required for intermediate flying skill development.
In the UK this hole in the market is being filled by a resurgence of home grown kit manufacturers, perhaps it is in the US too, buy some modelling magazines and see what they are offering.
Rgds,
Bill
Here's one I updated from a model I first made when I was 15, the original had a diesel engine and single channel RC which worked occasionally.

Timber2012.JPG

[pldb64]

Skywing SBach 342

You mean this one....Peter...
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... HA&cad=rja
This one won't bounce!

Yes Bill - you're quite right. Very unlikely it'll bounce unless in a larger number of pieces than what i started with

Someone else at the club with similar experience has acquired an MXS (which is almost identical - same construction & material at least). That seems to fly quite nicely.

Luckily i don't tend to bounce my AXN

I'll report back once it's be flown for a bit

[Malcurin]

He might be looking at the foam ones Hobbyking sells i do hear tale they tend to tip stall at low speeds while landing though, my instructor has a balsa one and it fly's awesomely he did tell me though that i shouldn't look at it as a second plane though maybe a 3rd or 4th

[bradcox100]

Bill,
I decided to go with the AXN and Turnigy 9X transmitter. I foresee there will be several planes in my future, for my quest of becoming a better RC pilot. I want to fly them all.

Well, I ordered my AXN plane, Turnigy 9X transmitter, and supplies yesterday. I know the radio is on back order, so I know I won't probably get everything for at least a month. But I know that it is on order, yahoo.

I have to say when I saw how much the shipping was, I got sticker shock. I didn't realize how much the shipping was going to cost.

I expect that I won't have to be getting another radio for the foreseeable future. From everything that I have read, this radio should be able to do everything I could want.

I look forward to learning with the AXN.

Brad

[Malcurin]

the radio is OK stock but if you can upgrade the firmware in it its excellent, there are several ways to do this, are you good with a soldering iron or know someone that is? if so that's the cheapest option, 6 wires to solder inside the transmitter to a USB plug thing there is a website that explains the Mod and what wires to solder where etc, there is also a USBASP thing to get to allow the transmitter to be connected to the computer to let the firmware update the firmware is free just that small Mod to be done

or there is a smartypants board that costs a wee bit but it is a solder-less option and gives you a back light at the same time ( the one from hobbyking is cheep if you go for the solder option)

OR there is an ER9X main board replacement called Sky9x an even more expensive option But allows a hell of a lot , telemetry already done if you get a FrSky module etc ( this is also a very good upgrade as it gives a fail-safe and a range check and also a greater range if you want to do FPV later about 2.5km range some people have been known to get 3km range though)

and with any of these mods to the transmitter you can save Model templates to the computer and switch them out when you want

the ER9X software does to much to list here to the transmitter
http://9xforums.com go here and read all about it if you want too, the people there are super friendly and always willing to help out with any Mod or problem you have with the transmitter and the firmware some of them even do a Post it to them they will fix it and post it back option as long as you pay for postage after going to the ER9X firmware i would never go back, the original firmware is too restricting

and do also get a Life 1500 Battery for the transmitter also, the 8 AA holder packs have been known to not work sometimes, sometimes in the model of a flight and the plane comes down... plus they last forever on one charge

[pldb64]

Brad,

I'd agree with Malcurin's list of possible upgrades. One minor correction though - its smartiePARTS (not PANTS) if you go looking for it. Also the current version no longer offers the backlight by default. I have the previous version installed and it makes life very easy for configuration and FW upgrades.

I went with the smartieparts board/ER9x/FrSky from the outset and i haven't been disappointed by any of it. I think Dennis outlined the costs associated with these upgrades in another thread. My all up costs were about $150 to get a 9x that has FrSky Tx/Rx, Er9x FW + Smartieparts brd.

The 9x forum is unbelievably supportive too. Nearly as good as here!

[BillGriffiths100]

I'll report back once it's be flown for a bit

Not when it's be flown to bits...

[bradcox100]

Malcurin,
I ordered the 1500 LiFe battery yesterday when I ordered the plane and the transmitter. I had read a post on the HobbyKing forum by Bruce, he recommended the 1500 Life battery. I just couldn't see using rechargeable AA batteries, that need constant re-charging.

Malcurin & pldb64,
I know that there is too much information to completely cover why you think the firmware upgrade is such a good thing to do. But what really makes it worth it for me to go to the effort of upgrading the firmware? If someone could give me quick summation of why, I would be grateful.

Brad

[pldb64]

Brad,

I went with ER9x - for me, the biggest benefits can be summaried in two words - flexibility & support.

With the 9x variants of FW, you are only limited by your imagination as to how you want to set up your Tx to suit your particular model and your flying style. I'll mention a few things that i've already used that were worth it for me (and these are quite literally only scratching the surface).
- ER9x allows you to use multiple timers simulatenously. So i can set a flight timer (total time in the air) as well as a count down timer based on what % of the throttle i'm using. That way i can work out what battery consumption i'll use at WOT and then the count down timer will count down proportionally. So if i know i can take 7 mins at WOT, the timer will let me go for 14 mins at 50% throttle. It's very useful! ... I know when my timer goes off, i'll have very close to 3.8v per cell left in my battery. I'll also know exactly how long i've spent in the air. No way you can do that with stock FW.
- ER9x also has an instant trim capability. So i can use my sticks to hold a particular setting and by hitting a switch (eg the trainer switch), that gets mapped into the sub-trims and the trims are set back to zero - all with the plane in the air. Very handy if you need to reset for different flying conditions (eg you want to fly faster than normal but still want level flight)
- ER9x allows you to set the Tx battery warning to whatever you want it to be. It also has a settable offset for calibration. Great for your confidence that you're not going to run out of juice.
- ER9x has ultimately flexibility with setting mixes to channels and switches. Want throttle on Ch1 - no problem! ... Want throttle on Ch1 but only when Throttle switch is off - no problem. Want to add in proportional down elevator (up to 5% normal elevator throw) once throttle moves above 60% - a little more complicated but still doable.
- Other things you can easily do with ER9x - Differential throttle (for dual motor planes), down elevator keys to flaps deployment, flaperons, spoilerons

Secondarily - support.
I'm yet to see anyone go into the forum with a request that hasn't been answered in a most emphatic way within minutes! The community seems to take it as a personal challenge to see how well and how quickly people are helped out. Lots of suggestions given when someone wants help with various mixes and ideas about how to achieve any even slightly unusual setup.

You won't get any of that with the stock FW.

Oh - and i didn't even mention EEPE (Well i have now ) .. PC or MAC based tool to allow you to do all your configurations on the PC rather than having to do it on the Tx. Configs can be backed up. There is also a simulator on the PC/MAC so you can check out what impact your changes will have before you try them out on the plane itself. Also will automatically download the latest FW upgrades which are always adding in new capabilities.

Lots more to talk about that i haven't even come close to using yet. I'll leave Malcurin to add anything he thinks is important too.

Cheers
Peter

[bradcox100]

Peter,
I am starting see what you are talking about. I was wandering how one timer would be able to keep track of battery usage, when the AXN might be gliding without motor assistance. I see where that is beneficial. The instant trim capability would be nice.

I am sure the more experience and hours I put into flying will open my eyes as to how valuable and handy the ER9x firmware can be for me. I may fly my new plane (when it arrives) with the Turnigy 9X radio for awhile and then do the ER9x upgrade. Maybe do the upgrade this fall when my wife (School teacher) and children go back to school. I work a compressed work week, so I have a couple of days off during the week to some little projects.