Align 3g makes heli drift

[MacIak]

Hi All,

Im trying to help out a friend.
Heli: Trex550 FBL
TX: Futaba T8FGs
FBL: Align 3g

We ve done the mechanical and FBL setup together and cant think of a better way, in my opinion it s near perfection.
When we did the maiden the heli wouldn t keep a level attitude, there is a constant tendency to roll right and backwards.
Now im not familiar with the 3g system and looked into the manual. According to my friend the 3g system allows the use of tx trim. We tried this and it took 3 clicks AIL and 2clicks ELE to keep the heli static. Normally i could live with this but once powered off/on the 3g forgets the trim and we re back where we were...
I only have vbar on my machines and never had something like this..
Any idea how to fix it?? (due budget another FBL system is not an option)

[Kev@dhw]

What version do u have on it. I think the last one was 3.0. Also I know your supposed to use subtrim in the initial setup but I'm not sure if you are supposed to use regular trim after the setup is finished.

[MacIak]

No idea what version..to be clear: this is 3g, not 3gx.
The setup is checked and doublechecked.

[bad007]

First don't use 3.0, stick with 2.1 Here's some old guidelines I saved, I still have one 3G 500
Ok 3G is a bit different than the 3GX.
Sensor must be mounted level or you'll get drift. Sometimes you need the GP780 mounting, pad, steel plate and then pad and even a strap at times.
When you setup your cyclic in dirsetup you actully get all the cyclic at 80% stick out of setup.
For a 450 - 500 maden settings. In dirsetup set collective 13 and cyclic 13
In the TX drop the cyclic DRs to 85% after you run dir setup and expo at 30. At 85% you'll still see full cyclic before
max stick. After maden raising the DRs simply makes the cyclic react faster and no need to rerun setup.
If you max the DRs and still want faster cyclic rerun setup and go to 13.5.
The max cyclic and the flip and roll rates work together. Control rates determine how fast the cyclic reacts and the max cyclic how tight the flips and roll are.
Set cyclic expo in the software to 0 and use expo in the TX.
The swash return speed needs raised 5 points right away, it returns to fast after input.
For rudder lower rudder lock 5 right away, if you get wag with low gain lower a bit more and if you get a bounch on hard stops after getting the gain set bump up the stop lock, usually 3-5 is all you need.
Gain pots 12:30 for elev and just a tad higher for aileron. If you get elev bobble slow FF lower to 12:00.
After all setup, link up, place throttle at mid stick and you should get all 0's displayed for command rates in the command display screen. If don't get all 0's rerun setup till you do. The 3G is real sensitive to the cyclic center position and will drift or want to tip if you don't see all 0's.
Set TC like 0 60 80 ** **- 0 60 85 ** ** etc and make the IU mid stick the same as normal.
Set PC normal 0 40 45 50 75 100 so you have enough head speed for the 3G to work before it gets light on the skids.

[MacIak]

Thanks alot mate! We will give it a try next time. The setup was done on the box itself and not by using the software. I will post the results.