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FMA Co-Pilot User Manual Download Page 4

Co-Pilot™ user’s guide 

– 4 – 

FMA Direct 

Co-Pilot™ parts 

Operating voltage 

+3 to +9 volts DC 

Operating current 

<10 milliamps (servos may draw more current from rapid movement and stabilization) 

Weight 1 

oz. 

Leveling response time  1/60th second 
Drift from level 

<2° (infrared calibration must be performed before each flying session) 

Flying conditions 

Day and night; all weather conditions (rain, fog, sleet and snow may degrade performance) 

Humidity 

Sensor is sealed; keep windows clean 

Vibration 200G 

max. 

Remote activation 

On/off control or proportional sensitivity adjustment, depending on channel availability of radio system 

Aircraft types 

Aileron/elevator, elevons or helicopter with standard linkages (Multi Channel Co-Pilot supports flaperons, 
differential ailerons, 3x120 CCPM and 4x90 CCPM helicopters) 

Co-Pilot

™

 specifications 

Co-Pilot™ works with, and requires, a completely installed and 
correctly operating aircraft radio control system: transmitter, re-
ceiver, battery pack and servos.  (An airplane with elevons may 
also need an on-board mixer, if mixing isn’t provided in the 
transmitter.) 
 
Before you install Co-Pilot™, install and set up your entire radio 
system.  Follow the instructions provided with the radio system 
and aircraft.  Be absolutely certain the radio system operates cor-
rectly before you install Co-Pilot™. 
 
Finally, read and understand the safety precautions on page 3. 

Before you start 

Co-Pilot™ includes these components: 
 

 Co-Pilot™ Computer 

 

 Co-Pilot™ Sensor 

 

  24" flat ribbon cable (other lengths are available; see below) 

 

 Infrared Calibration Button 

 

 6 inches of Velcro® 

 

 Instruction manual 

Other items you may need 

  Elevon Mixer (Part no. MX80) 

  Use an on-board elevon mixer for aircraft with elevons (such 

as flying wings), when your radio control transmitter doesn’t 
provide elevon mixing. 

 

  12" (30cm) flat ribbon cable (Part no. 2MMFRC4P2X12) 

  18" (46cm) flat ribbon cable (Part no. 2MMFRC4P2X18) 
  24" (61cm) flat ribbon cable (Part no. 2MMFRC4P2X24) 
  40" (102cm) flat ribbon cable (Part no. 2MMFRC4P2X40) 

  Longer cables enable the Co-Pilot™ Sensor to be 

positioned properly on engine-powered conventional 
aircraft having large wingspans (see “Installing Co-Pilot™” 
for details). 

  Shorter cables reduce weight on smaller aircraft. 

 
 

Please measure to determine the correct ribbon cable 
length for your aircraft! 

 

  Digital Servo Buffer (Part no. 605SB) 

  Required when using Futaba RD129DP or similar PCM 

receiver. 

Summary of Contents for Co-Pilot

Page 1: ...Infrared Flight Stabilization System User s Guide Note Read this manual carefully before using Co Pilot FMA Inc 5716A Industry Lane Frederick MD 21704 Sales 800 343 2934 Technical 301 668 7614 www fmadirect com ...

Page 2: ... and right When one pair of sensors sees a change in an aircraft s orientation relative to the earth s infrared horizon Co Pilot is sues signals to the control system to bring the aircraft back into level flight When the model is flying above the Earth even a few feet the sensors see all the way to the Earth s infrared horizon The infrared temperature seen for the Earth is an average of infrared g...

Page 3: ...ontrol the aircraft s flight path Co Pilot is for recreational use only Do not install Co Pilot in aerial photographic aircraft where there is a possi bility of flying over people You must mount the Co Pilot Sensor securely Carefully follow the instructions in Installing Co Pilot which tells you to roughen the surface with sandpaper then clean the surface with rubbing alcohol Keep fuel off the Sen...

Page 4: ...efore you install Co Pilot install and set up your entire radio system Follow the instructions provided with the radio system and aircraft Be absolutely certain the radio system operates cor rectly before you install Co Pilot Finally read and understand the safety precautions on page 3 Before you start Co Pilot includes these components Co Pilot Computer Co Pilot Sensor 24 flat ribbon cable other ...

Page 5: ...an take off and trim an airplane with Co Pilot off then turn it on when giving control to a student You might use stabilization for most flying then turn it off for aerobatics or inverted flight and turn it back on again for landing continued Options for controlling Co Pilot Co Pilot can be used with virtually any radio controlled model aircraft This manual describes Co Pilot installation set up c...

Page 6: ...aft On a high wing airplane locate a spot for the sensor on top of the wing about halfway between root and tip ribs at about maximum wing thickness on the side away from the muffler see arrow above 2 Install and secure the ribbon cable a Plug one end of the flat ribbon cable into the socket in the Sensor be sure to line up the tab on the connector with the slot on the socket b Route the cable towa...

Page 7: ...e to the top and bottom of the boom behind the swashplate Do not use Velcro Secure the ribbon cable with a piece of tape Secure the ribbon cable with small cable ties Mount the Sensor parallel to the wing using Velcro Place the Sensor on the top piece of tape with the ca ble jack facing forward The Sensor must be horizontal when the helicopter is sitting on its skids Secure the Sensor to the boom ...

Page 8: ...board elevon mixer After connecting the cables you must assure the elevons move in the correct directions without Co Pilot 1 Turn the Co Pilot sensitivity control marked Throw all the way off counterclockwise 2 Turn on the transmitter then turn on the receiver 3 Pull the transmitter stick back for up elevator Both elevons should move up If they don t then If the elevons move in opposite directions...

Page 9: ... Red voltage White signal Check receiver manual for correct orientation FMA Digital Servo Buffer as needed for certain PCM receivers Roll cyclic servo Pitch cyclic servo Roll cyclic reverse Pitch cyclic reverse Off On Sensor rotated 45 from heli axis Ribbon cable Receiver 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 ON Co Pilot Sensor Infrared Calibration Button Co Pilot Computer Manual Sensitivity Adjustment Reverses Co ...

Page 10: ...ase the trans mitter rate to 120 for this channel Operate the transmitter switch or knob controlling Co Pilot Press and hold the Infrared Calibration Button while you turn on the receiver 1 Set the manual sensitivity control a Locate the Throw control on the Co Pilot Computer b Using a small screwdriver rotate the control all the way clockwise This maximizes sensitivity and Co Pilot levels fast No...

Page 11: ...ise Rotate Throw control fully clockwise Operate the transmitter switch or knob controlling Co Pilot Operate the transmitter switch or knob controlling Co Pilot Press and hold the Infrared Calibration Button while you turn on the receiver Press and hold the Infrared Calibration Button while you turn on the receiver ...

Page 12: ...needed to alter nate between Pitch Setup and Roll Setup 6 Set Auto Trim to on or off see details at right For Auto Trim on turn Throw fully clockwise For Auto Trim off turn Throw fully counterclockwise 7 Turn off receiver to exit Setup Mode 8 Set trims a Turn the receiver back on b Turn Co Pilot s Throw control all the way off counterclockwise at the Computer c Set the aircraft s roll and pitch tr...

Page 13: ...ur hand If swashplate moves incorrectly change switch 4 on the Co Pilot Computer do not change switch 1 or 2 in this step Hand near forward Sensor window should make both elevons move up If both elevons don t move up change switches 1 and or 2 on the Co Pilot Com puter until they do Note When performing these tests if swashplate is not moving diagonally make sure switch 3 on the Co Pilot Computer ...

Page 14: ...s far from correct position Make sure the remote on off cable is not plugged into the aileron or elevator channel by mistake Sensor windows are dirty Clean Sensor windows with alcohol and cotton tipped applicator Tips for trimming It s best if the aircraft s trim doesn t change when you remotely switch Co Pilot on or off Trim shift can occur if the model is not level when you set level orientation...

Page 15: ...rking lot If you were to calibrate over asphalt the Sensor would de tect the infrared generated by the asphalt not the average for the larger area in which the model will be flying resulting in a falsely high temperature difference Co Pilot conveniently tells you about the infrared temperature difference it measures on a relative scale of one small differ ence to ten large difference In two years ...

Page 16: ...the servo cycles a cycle is one complete back and forth servo motion Here s what the measurement indicates 3 to 10 cycles Co Pilot will provide stabilization 2 cycles Co Pilot will provide some stabilization but will be more sensitive to terrain hot spots 1 cycle Do not fly using Co Pilot turn it off by rotating the sensitivity control Throw on the Computer fully IMPORTANT Calibrate before your fi...

Page 17: ...e flying wing level on the grass with the nose slightly up Place the helicopter level on the grass A bubble level see arrow will enable you to position the helicopter accurately After a short delay count the servo cycles Step back 10 feet and move the aileron stick This re cords the horizon and ends the calibration After a short delay count the servo cycles Use Co Pilot only if calibration number ...

Page 18: ...and roll it to one side b Assure the model reacts as described to the right for your type of aircraft c Turn Co Pilot off or reduce sensitivity to minimum if it can be controlled from the transmitter This should significantly reduce the aircraft s roll throw ailerons elevons or swashplate d Turn Co Pilot on or set sensitivity to maximum 3 Check that dual or tri rates are set to high High rates are...

Page 19: ...ack The swashplate should not move left or right With the flying wing rolled the low wing should have down elevon and the high wing should have up elevon With the helicopter rolled and boom parallel to the ground the swashplate should tilt in the opposite di rection The swashplate should not tilt forward or back When the plane is level the control surfaces should be centered When the helicopter is...

Page 20: ...dea to find out how your airplane handles at low speed do this at high altitude This will help you get a feel for how the plane will behave during landing Co Pilot makes landing much easier by keeping the plane level during the approach To take off with tricycle landing gear 1 Increase throttle to begin roll out 2 Keep the plane moving straight with rudder 3 Pull back on the stick up elevator to l...

Page 21: ...nt it will seem like a breeze is moving the helicopter around Co Pilot senses variations in the horizon and tilts the helicopter a few degrees but the helicopter won t roll and crash When you can keep the helicopter in one place you ll realize that Co Pilot is doing most of the work Flying on windy days takes little effort The hardest part of flying a helicopter is getting it trimmed After calibra...

Page 22: ...l charges or damage caused by improper installation or removal Call 301 668 7614 for more information about service and warranty repairs FMA limited warranty Flying a helicopter continued Co Pilot makes it extremely easy to fly a helicopter Since the helicopter is flying close to the ground variations in terrain and the resulting infrared signature will cause small variations in trim As you become...

Page 23: ...ron should move down and the elevator should move up If the surfaces move incorrectly change switches 1 and or 2 on the Co Pilot Computer until the surfaces move as shown in the photo to the right Step 5 page 12 a Press the Infrared Calibration Button to change to Roll Setup Mode b Stand at the right rear of the aircraft then place your hand near the right rear Sensor window this simulates the air...

Page 24: ... full pitch compensation full up elevator full up elevons or swashplate tilted all the way back d Turn Co Pilot off or reduce sensitivity to minimum if it can be controlled from the transmitter This should significantly reduce the aircraft s pitch throw elevator elevons or swashplate e Turn Co Pilot on or set sensitivity to maximum 2 Check roll compensation a Hold the aircraft s body level and rol...

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