Apprentice S15 Questions

[NuckNogAir]

I bought the Apprentice and a DX6i transmitter. I am having extreme difficulty on the setup of this machine so far as getting it to fly like an intermediate plane. I currently have the flap switch setup to alternate between beginner and advanced modes but even switching the toggles on the receiver I seem not to be able to get intermediate instead of beginner. Could anyone offer some help with this setup?

Also, would it be possible to set up flaperons later on on this craft? Does it matter that the ailerons are controlled using a Y servo wire? Any advice would be greatly appreciate.

 

[herk1]

It's been a long time since I've had out my son's Apprentice S 15 to fly...but I just took out the manual to refresh my memory. You say that you are trying to use the flap switch to toggle between flight modes. But per the manual, the gear switch is used for that. Also, per the chart on page 23, the Gear channel (channel 5) should be reversed for a DX6i. So set up the DX6i transmitter to reverse that channel, then set the receiver dip switches per the chart on p. 22 for the two flight modes that you want to be able to use (i.e. both switches up per the lower-right diagram to get Beginner-Intermediate modes). Then I would guess that to be on the safe side, you should rebind the receiver to your Dx6i. Then after you power up the model, keep in mind that it's the gear switch not the flap switch that you use to toggle between flight modes. The flap switch would be your "Panic mode" toggle. And from what I recall from flying the Apprentice, there wasn't a whole lot of difference between Beginner and Intermediate modes anyway.

You can't set up flaperons when both ailerons are on a Y-cable to the same channel. The Apprentice is not a good model for flaperons though for a variety of reasons. One of which is that I kind of doubt that a flaperon mode would be able to coexist with the "SAFE" mode capability. Another is that planes with outboard ailerons like the Apprentice can develop nasty stall behavior when you use flaperons. The darn plane is so floaty anyway that the last thing it needs is flaps!

 

[NuckNogAir]

I appreciate your response. I will heed your advice when it comes to the flaperons and hold off on that. I had some pretty fast landings that's why I was curious. I'll just reset my controller and try again.

 

[Capt_Beavis]

the Sport Cub S manual has good instructions for setting up SAFE on a DX6i. I didn't reverse the GEAR channel that way when I am in Expert Mode I can flip the switch up to get into beginner - which basically triggers panic recovery.



http://www.horizonhobby.com/pdf/HBZ4400-Manual_EN.pdf

 

[NuckNogAir]

I'll go ahead and program a different setting and try that as well to see what I like more. Thank you, Captain.

 

[krinaman]

My guess is you are actually switching between the two but simply not noticing the difference. Which isn't surprising as there isn't much. If you are currently switching between beginner and expert the only thing you need to change is the dip switches.

As for flaperons you would need separate channels for the ailerons. The receiver does have an open aux2 slot so you should be able to set it up(although I never tried it). If you are going to do so I would recommend two short extensions and paint the ends so you don't mixup left and right.

But if I had to guess you are doing what we all did when we started; staying high for the turn on final and diving at the runway. This results in a bunch of speed and even if you cut throttle you hit ground effect and float 500 ft down the runway never getting to the ground. Just nose up a bit to bleed off speed and then level off again. You will probably popup a bit at first but with a little practice you will get it. You can practice high as well just start your approach higher. I.E. start at 200' and dive to 100' and practice nosing up with little or no throttle to bleed off speed.

 

[mrwzrd59]

I bought the RTF version and have never had the need to program anything! I've seen guys struggle with binding them and setting them up with all sorts of weird TX's so I just opened my wallet wider when I bought mine. Got it with using all my bonus dollars I had racked up at Hobby Sports in Kalamazoo. $40.00 worth of points that I could use all at once during their open house! Covered the diff to the Rtf version. I take the apprentice along with me to the field and let noobies fly it. My Delta Ray was for that purpose but it was junk in any kind of wind and they both got creamed! (Yea, I was dumb enough to buy two of those crappy things!). The Aprentice hasent been dinged yet! Four noobs have been on the sticks without a buddy box but with me coaching them on how to take off and land. That plane is a godsend for noobs!

 

[NuckNogAir]

@krinaman I suppose it's just going to be easier to toggle into advanced and only use beginner/intermediate when necessary. I think you were 100% right as well due to the fact when I took the plane out last night and had a bit more time and space in a parking lot to land the plane stopped in a reasonable amount of time. I appreciate your suggestion.

@mrwzrd59 I had every intention of buying an RTF version- who couldn't use an extra transmitter, right?- but my local shop didn't have an RTF in store so I went with the BNF version.