Cyclic Rate Increase Tip

2006 Apr 2

Changing the cyclic rate of the model can vary between individual preference and style of flying. There are numerous options to increase the aileron and elevator roll rates.

When making any new changes to the flying characteristic of the model, always make one change at a time and in small increments. Begin your first flight with a hover and gradually move the model through simple basic hovering maneuvers.

The model will respond quite different from before, so familiarize yourself with the way the model responds to your stick input commands.

Below are some of the changes that you can do to increase the cyclic response rate of your model.

Fly Bar Paddles

Here are just some of the various styles of fly bar paddles that are available. Note the weight of each one.

The lighter the fly bar paddle weight, the faster the cyclic rates will be and vice versa for the heavier fly bar paddle.

Third party manufacturers also make various styles of fly bar paddles to choose from and each fly bar paddles have different flight characteristics. The flying characteristic of the fly bar paddles is a matter of preference for each pilot.

Wash Out Arms

Another method to increase the cyclic rates is to move the ball on the wash out arms further out from its center.

Because the ball is further out on the wash out arm, a small input command will increase the rate at which the fly bar paddles deflect.

Make one change at a time and then fly the model. Take your time and get a feel for the model after each setup alterations.

So start with a hover and do basic hovering maneuvers to reacquaint yourself and the model.

Servo Control Horn

Another alternative to increasing the roll rates is to move the ball on the servo control horn further out from the servo's center.

The further out you go from the center of the servo, you decrease the resolution and torque values and increase your mechanical rate.

When the ball is move further out, there must be no mechanical binding. To ensure that mechanical binding is not present, remove one end of the control linkage's ball link and give full stick deflection in both direction.

Reduce the radio's End Point values until there are no mechanical binding. The control rod linkage's ball link should be at the center of the servo control horn's ball at full stick deflection.

Keep in mind that if you exceed an End Point value of less then 70%, your resolution will be severely decreased. A small stick input command will cause the model to react quickly.

To soften the reaction time around center stick position, increase your radio's exponential value. Negative expo for Futaba radios and positive expo for JR radios.

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