Hey guys! Like some of you maybe I came from the DJI world and got used to having my throttle spring to center. I got used to the feel of it and it's how I flew. I took the ALTA out for a spin and it was a bit weird trying to fly with a "dead" throttle. Also pay heed to making SURE your throttle is exactly at 50% when you flip back into Manual. It literally started dropping out of the sky because I just wasn't used to it yet.. lucky I saved it just in time. My question is; is there any reasons why I wouldn't want to switch my controller to have the spring throttle on the ALTA?
Well to partially answer my own question, you cannot convert the 14SG that I got from Freefly, the centering spring is removed. Time to man up!
AJ you can contact Futaba support and they can supply you with a self install spring kit. I was a fan of the centering spring on the Graupners. But quickly adjusted to the Futaba setup with the Alta. One tip would be to put a little more tension on the ratchet brake or whatever it is called so the there is a bit more resistance on the stick. That way it won't just flop around in the vertical movement.
My 30 seconds search ended up with these results: http://www.riseabove.com.au/futaba-radio-throttle-stick-centering-kit-14sg-8j http://www.rcworld.co.uk/acatalog/F...t-7C-8J-9C-10C-8FG-14SG-Y_MA8036.html#SID=236
Yep I had also found those after I realized I couldn't just turn a few screws. The question that is still valid is the safety of having a centering throttle. I'm used to it but should I be dropping that habit?
AJ, if I remember correctly the default on the Futaba is that you get a warning when turning it on if the throttle is not at zero. Since the ALTA arms and motor starts in the corner of zero throttle consider adapting. Really doesn't take much to change the habit. And there probably is a bit of safety involved. It's not going anyplace if you take hand off the throttle after starting. Let the opinions begin
One thing the bear in mind, is that the hover position on the throttle will change based on the weight of the payload. You will need to change the setting in the app to get the correct centre position on the throttle. This is a waste of time IMHO. If you had a sprung throttle, you would be fighting the ascent or decent until you've got the correct setting in the app. I'd learn to just use the unsprung version.
dji stuff (phantom and inspire) won't let you fly without barometer control (similar to the height mode with the ALTA) and thats the reason why they can use the centerspring. if you flew wkm or A2 then i am sure you did use it without a centerspring or you deactivated the manual mode...
I have been flying for days with the normal throttle and it's great. No need to switch it out on my end.
How about if the throttle had a beep in the middle like the 2 top dials on the Futaba 14SG, like a quick reminder of exactly where the stick is, can the Futaba do this ?
Haha the power of perseverance.... found it Andy, I guess it was added in the latest firmware linkage menu-->stk alarm --> stk 3 (or anything you wan) pos 50% throttle now beeps in the middle
Hi, on standard A4 SG, there are springs on all the sticks, the only task to do to remove the spring effect is to move the black plastic plate from one stick to another, it has an extension pushing the spring loaded tab that is used for back to neutral. In a few words, if you remove the black plastic cover behind your throttle stick, you get a "DJI" like stick mode... Everything else is said by Andy for the alarm.. Best regards, Fabien