Century Helicopter Products Swift, User Manual

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GYRO
CENTURY SWIFT 100% RTF
P.9
Your Swift 100% RTF is equipped with a Century Basic PG3000 Heading Lock Gyro. It’s lightweight, size, and performance make this gyro
an excellent feature in the Swift 100% RTF package.
The following checklist includes the steps you must follow to ensure proper initialization and operation of the gyro:
After connecting the flight battery to the ESC, be sure that you do not move or sway the helicopter. Allow it to remain motionless until the
red LED on the gyro illuminates solidly, indicating that the gyro has initialized properly and is ready for use. Note: It is extremely important
that you do not move or sway the helicopter after powering it on and before the gyro initializes. The gyro must be allowed adequate time to
record the neutral position in order to initialize for proper operation. You must also not provide any transmitter input during the initializa-
tion process. If you start moving the rudder servo before the gyro has a chance to initialize, the gyro will not be able to find where “center”
is on the rudder servo thus providing improper rudder control. This will make the Swift 100% RTF appear to be out of control in flight. If
you accidentally move the helicopter or provide input from the transmitter after powering it on and before the gyro initializes, power the
helicopter off (by disconnecting the flight battery from the ESC) then repeat the process to power the helicopter on and to initialize the
gyro properly.
Once the gyro has initialized properly, the helicopter is ready for flight.
Before making your first flight, it will be necessary to confirm that the gyro is responding properly to the movements of the helicopter and
providing proper inputs to the tail servo in order to counteract any unwanted changes in yaw. To do this, view the servo arm (from the
top of the servo) and note the direction the arm rotates when you give a right rudder input on the transmitter (while the model remains
motionless). In the case of the Century ES110 servo installed on your Swift RTF model, the servo arm should rotate toward the front of
the helicopter. Then, yaw the nose of the helicopter quickly to the left, while again noting the direction the tail servo arm rotates. The arm
should rotate in the same direction as it did for a right rudder command (toward the front of the helicopter).
After confirming that the gyro is providing proper inputs to the tail servo, power off the helicopter and be sure to review the following sec-
tions of the manual BEFORE proceeding with the first flight.
Gyro Mode and Gain Adjustments:
• The Century Basic PG3000 offers a Dual Remote Gain Adjustment feature. This, along with the Elite 6’s Gyro Sensitivity feature, allows
the gyro mode (Standard Rate or Heading Lock) and gain values to be set remotely on the transmitter.
• The gain values for the gyro are adjusted on the transmitter itself. The VR (A) selection choice has been set to the Gyro (GYRO) switch,
the two available gain values can be selected using this knob during flight. When the VR(A) knob is turned counter-clockwise past the half -
way point, the GYRO will enter into NORMAL mode. This is indicated on the Gyro with the LED light unlit. When the VR(A) knob is turned
clockwise past the half-way point, the Gyro will enter in to HEADING LOCK mode. This is indicated on the Gyro with a constant red LED light.
It is recommended to always fly in HEADING LOCK mode.
• During your first flight, establish a stable hover and apply some short and quick rudder inputs while observing the reaction of the tail when
the control stick is returned to its neutral position. If there is any tendency for the tail to twitch quickly (oscillate) from side to side, it will be
necessary to lower the Rate used for the selected Gyro switch position. The goal when adjusting the Rate for the Gyro knob position is to
find the highest Gyro gain value (Rate) at which the tail of the helicopter will not oscillate in nearly all areas of flight, including fast forward
flight and descents. You may need to increase the Gyro gain value when flying in windy conditions or you may need to decrease the Gyro
gain value in flight to prevent significant tail oscillation when performing certain maneuvers.
Trim Adjustments
• During flight, it may be necessary to make some small adjustments to the rudder trim in order to prevent the nose/tail of the model from
“drifting” to the left or right when the rudder stick is in the neutral position. Typically, only a small amount of adjustment may be necessary.
Note: It is always best to avoid sudden temperature and environmental condition changes when using a gyro. For example, it is best to not
fly a model on a very hot (or cold) day immediately after removing it from an air-conditioned (or heated) vehicle. It is also best to keep the
gyro out of direct sunlight and away from any heat-generating sources on the model. To help the gyro better acclimate to temperature
and environmental conditions at the flying field, it is best to let your Swift 100% RTF model stand for approximately 10–15 minutes before
flying, allowing the temperature of the gyro sensor to stabilize. If you do not allow the temperature to stabilize, you may experience radical
trim changes that require significant adjustments of the rudder trim during flight.
LED Reference Table
LED Indicator State of Gyro
LED On Gyro has entered HEADING LOCK mode
LED Off Gyro is in NORMAL mode
LED Blinking Fast Gyro was turned on under NORMAL mode and cannot be properly initialized.
Please turn the gyro’s sensitivity selection switch on the transmitter to LOCK mode, then switch
off the power of the receiver and switch on again.
LED Blinking Slow The Gyro has failed to receive a signal from the rudder servo. Re-initialize the gyro by turning
the receiver’s power off and turn it back on.
LED Blinking Twice The center point of the gyro has shifted. It needs to be re-initialized.