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these pages, we have talked about the Receiver all RC
Planes need to control and fly your plane. There is a wide
range of Receivers and they differ in if or what
assistance they will provide while your plane is in
flight. The Receiver can be thought of as the "Brain" of
your plane. It controls every moveable part, including
Servos and connection to the Electronic Speed Control
(ESC) which in turn controls the amount of movement and
speed. A basic receiver doesn't add any aids to these
movements and are usually used by the Experienced Pilot.
If the pilot moves the stick on the Radio to the left for
a left bank, they have to move the stick to the right,
then centre to maintain level flight. Spektrum has developed a range of Receivers that provide different levels of aids to flying, that can be of benefit to all levels of pilots, but especially new pilots. They range from AS3X which while not providing any control of the plane, will "Smooth" out the flight. The next level up from that is the group of "Safe". Safe is available in three versions which are displayed in the following information and charts. Basically, Safe does provide certain control of your plane while in flight. It will assist in keeping your plane level and in the case of Safe Plus, even keep your plane withing a certain distance of you and even land the plane on its own, just about in the same place it took off from. Whereas the experienced pilot with a basic receiver had to do all direction corrections, with Safe, after making a turn, you simply move the Radio stick back to centre and Safe will automatically bring the plane back to level and straight flight. This feature is a huge benefit to the new pilot and takes a lot of the stress out of your training program. As you advance, you can change the level of assistance Safe provides and eventually turn it off, all from your radio. A good example would be, you use Safe during takeoff and landings, but turn it off once you are at a comfortable height. AS3X Spektrum AS3X technology is a part of the
SAFE assisted flight envelope protection system found
in many Ready-to- Fly and Bind-n- Fly airplanes and
helicopters offered from Horizon Hobby brands such as
Hobby Zone, E-flite and Blade. Every SAFE system has
AS3X technology at its heart. AS3X technology has
proven so versatile, that different versions of SAFE
technology, such as SAFE Select and SAFE Plus, are now
available so a better flying experience can be enjoyed
for a wider range of RC pilots. The charts below identify what each
system is capable of and how they assist in flight.
What is AS3X
technology and what does it do?
AS3X gives you more
control For a 3D aerobatic model, an AS3X system
can make slow speed and knife-edge maneuvers feel much
more stable and precise even when the pitch and roll
rates are set extremely high. In a scale park flyer or
ultra-micro, it will counter the effects of turbulence
on windy days so the plane will track smoother and
give the pilot a “locked in” feeling. Maybe you’re a
scratch builder who finds that scaling and CG
limitations make it tough to create an agile or
realistic looking model that isn‘t a handful to fly.
AS3X technology can help by battling the conditions
that interfere with having a smooth flight. The AS3X
system never limits your control or interferes with
your commands. You always have control. The AS3X
system simply gives a higher-level of stability which
makes a more enjoyable flight possible. When you buy an “Open Stock”* receiver
with AS3X technology such as the Spektrum AR636,
AR7350, AR9350 units, it operates very similar to a
standard DSMX® receiver out of the box—the AS3X system
is inactive. Setup of the AS3X system is accomplished
though the AS3X App and/or PC Program interface. Each
requires a cable or Bluetooth module to establish a
link with your device and the AS3X system. The
interface makes it possible to easily setup many of
the features found in computer radios such as travel
adjust, sub-trim, mixing, wing type and more. You
don’t have to have a computer radio to enjoy AS3X
technology. Gain adjustments for each axis allow you
to fine tune the appropriate amount of AS3X assistance
desired, just like the way Horizon Hobby product
developers do. One of the coolest features is the
flight mode capability that allows you to program
different AS3X settings on a transmitter switch
position. That way you can experiment with different
AS3X settings in flight. Always follow the specific
recommendations for the AS3X receiver model you
choose. A number of tutorials on using these features
with success are available online. Open Stock indicates that it was
purchased separately, not as a replacement part or
previously installed in an RTF or BNF® model. SAFE® technology:
Turning beginner’s luck into the beginner’s
advantage SAFE technology is an advanced flight
assistance system that gives pilots the ability to fly
without the worry of crashing due to common mistakes
such as orientation loss or over-control. Built upon
the successful Spektrum AS3X system, models with SAFE
technology, such as the E-flite® Apprentice™ S 15e,
have multiple flight modes with progressive flight
envelope limitations as well as self-leveling and
flight stabilization. By simply changing the position
of a switch on the transmitter, a pilot can choose any
flight mode for results that promote confidence and
flight proficiency at a comfortable and often faster
rate.
Self-leveling, heading-hold and
bank-limit flight mode capabilities of SAFE technology
reduce the chance of crashing and allow a pilot get
comfortable with an airplane. No other electronic
system compares in options or ease of use. When a
pilot becomes proficient enough to turn the SAFE
flight modes off, turning it back on again is always a
simple solution. An important difference between SAFE
and AS3X technology equipped receivers is that an AS3X
only receiver can be tuned by the user and suitable in
nearly any model. A SAFE receiver is a complex system
custom made for the aircraft. A SAFE receiver is not
intended to be taken from one model and put in
another. The Next
Advancements: SAFE® Select and SAFE+ (Plus) If we think of AS3X technology as part of
the “Pyramid of Stability”, Safe Select and Safe Plus
are currently at the peak.
Building again on top of SAFE and A3SX,
SAFE Plus adds breakthrough automated flight features
that employ GPS sensing. With SAFE Plus technology new
pilots no longer need worry about flying beyond line
of sight. But that’s not all. SAFE Plus even takes the
worry out of landing by providing assistance features
that virtually allow the model to land itself. A SAFE
Plus receiver is not intended to be taken from one
model and placed into another and it’s AS3X gain
settings are not adjustable. SAFE Select technology is
the newest addition to the SAFE product line and is
available in a wide range of BNF models from
ultra-micro to giant-scale. SAFE Select is the answer
for the experienced pilot who wants to relax with an
aircraft that can shoulder the burden of keeping the
wings level at the flip of a switch. SAFE Select also
allows pilots use the AS3X PC and Mobile app to fine
tune some settings such as rate gain, channel
assignments and flight mode switch position. Pilots
get more freedom and more control to explore the
advantages SAFE and AS3X technologies offer. Once
again, a SAFE Select receiver is not intended to be
taken from one model and placed into another.
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to the next chapter RC Plane Propulsion
(power) Types |
