GUY-RO (Gyro) - BV Cortex

[slowgto]

Ok,
So another fun one at the field lately has been gyros. People have said how nice my planes fly and have no bad habits.... I blow their mind when I tell them (after they land) it has a gyro on board. Couple of quick things here:
1. Gyros will not fix everything. If you plane flys like crap before... dont expect much.
2. Vibrations will kill you, I mean dead, totally dead, 6' under ground dead. (Mounting is super important)
3. Start small, miss small.
4. Normal Mode will be your best friend starting out.
5. The programming looks scary, it's really not once broken down.
All this being said, most of what I am about to walk you though is universal.... However it's being done with a JR radio and a 50-60 CC bird. (one server per aileron, one server per elevator half, one servo on the rudder)

1. Mounting: Use the thick foam pad with gas or nitro, use the thin one for electric. Mount as close to the CG as possible.
2. Wiring: Use the supplied harness connect it like this....
2a. A. Right Aileron
2b. B. Left Aileron
2c. C. Right Elevator (orange)
2d. D. Left Elevator (yellow)
2e. E. Rudder (green)
2f. F. Aux (grey) THIS ONE IS SUPER IMPORTANT SEE 4!!
3. Wiring from cortex to surfaces:
3a. A. Right Aileron (closest to the funny plug going into the cortex unit)
3b. B. Left Aileron (next one over)
3c. C. Right Elevator (next one over)
3d. D. Left Elevator (next one over)
3e. E. Rudder (last one up right against the end)
4. Programming:
4a. set an aux channel in your radio with a 3!!! position switch. Set the end points on the switch to +20, 0, and -20
4b. Plug your GREY (aux) cable into the port you just assigned. I like to use Aux 3.
4c. power up your radio and model. wait for the gyro to initialize.
4d. flip the switch you just assigned back and forth a few times. You should be able to watch the lights change from RED to Green to Amber as you flip the switch. This is the modes!!
5. Gyro initialization: I'm just going to refer to the manual on this one as they make it super easy. http://www.bavariandemon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/bavarianDEMON_manual_CORTEX_V1.0_en.pdf
6. TEST TEST TEST. ON THE GROUND!! Put the airplane in normal mode (orange light) and roll it around a bit you should see the surfaces do the opposite of the direction it's going.... if not the re-initialize the gyro again. Don't feel bad I usually end up cussing at the thing a minimum of 6 times, threatening to yank it out twice, before talking sweet to it and it working.

All this being said. The reason I had you set the end points at 20 is that is how reactive the gyro is out of 100. I have seen 20 be a good all around number to start with. Feel free to move it up or down as need be if you see the airplane do stupid stuff in the air, move the end points down a notch or 5. However in my experience anything below 20 is showing you have bad vibrations from somewhere, correct the vibrations and try again.

Any questions please ask. I know it looks daunting but I figured I would type it out as easily as possible so you could walk though it step-by-step. Again, any questions please ask. Lots of people sell these things and this week they are on sale at a lot of retailers. Please check out TailDraggerRC, as they look to have some in stock.

http://www.bavariandemon.com/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/bavarianDEMON_manual_CORTEX_V1.0_en.pdf

 

[ericb]

Good write up. I have wanted to try one. Maybe someday.

 

[Jetpainter]

Yes nice write up Slowgto. I'm using the Demon Cortex in my Pilot 30% Edge. The only thing I would disagree with you on is using the thick mounting pad. When I installed mine last year they had change their minds about using the thick pad with gas. The thin pad works great on mine and I've never had any vibration problems.

I can't say enough good about the Cortex, I really like it!

I do have one other thing to add. There is a certain stigma attached to using a gyro. It's kind of silly really. No one says things like, "The only reason you can fly like that is you have Expo and Mixing on your radio", but I've heard things just like that using a gyro.

I bought mine to use as a training tool. Basically just to give myself more confidence when I'm low. What I really like about it is it makes the airplane fly so much bigger. Anyone I've let fly it, wants to buy one.

 

[Props]

I have three and they are simply the best stabilization on the market.


In fact they are on sale through this weekend at all US dealers for $289.

 

[slowgto]

Yes nice write up Slowgto. I'm using the Demon Cortex in my Pilot 30% Edge. The only thing I would disagree with you on is using the thick mounting pad. When I installed mine last year they had change their minds about using the thick pad with gas. The thin pad works great on mine and I've never had any vibration problems.

I can't say enough good about the Cortex, I really like it!

I do have one other thing to add. There is a certain stigma attached to using a gyro. It's kind of silly really. No one says things like, "The only reason you can fly like that is you have Expo and Mixing on your radio", but I've heard things just like that using a gyro.

I bought mine to use as a training tool. Basically just to give myself more confidence when I'm low. What I really like about it is it makes the airplane fly so much bigger. Anyone I've let fly it, wants to buy one.

I have tried the thin pad and not had much luck wit the smaller single piston gasers. I figured it was due to that little cylinder not having any opposing force and thus vibrating the thing to death. I might have to try it again though.