FS8 Co-Pilot™ user guide
28
FMA Direct
Field checklist
Besides your regular preflight checks, for FS8 Co-Pilot™...
Infrared field calibration
1. Measure temperature difference over typical terrain:
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With Vertical Sensor: set aircraft level on ground.
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Without Vertical Sensor: point one Pitch/Roll Sensor win-
dow straight down at the ground.
Press CAL Button for 2 seconds (servos cycle once). Release
CAL Button, then count servo cycles. 3 to 10 cycles is good,
don’t use flight stabilization if only 1 cycle.
2. Set level orientation: place model level on ground, walk 10
feet away, move any transmitter stick.
Repeat when weather changes.
FS8 Co-Pilot™ preflight check
1. Check for interference: with transmitter off, turn on FS8 Co-
Pilot™. LED on, then off (and stays off) = no interference.
2. Turn on transmitter. Receiver LED will blink.
3. Check receiver battery voltage: move transmitter sticks, press
REC Button 1 time, count blinks.
4. Check radio system range: collapse transmitter antenna, walk
150 feet away from model, return to model. Receiver LED
continuously on = no failsafes.*
5. Check pitch compensation: with flight stabilization on, point
aircraft nose down; surfaces should respond this way:
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Conventional airplane: elevator moves up.
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Flying wing: both elevons move up.
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Helicopter: swashplate tilts back, and does not tilt left or
right.
6. Check roll compensation: with flight stabilization on, roll air-
craft to right; surfaces should respond this way:
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Conventional airplane: left aileron moves up, right aileron
moves down.
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Flying wing: left elevon moves up, right elevon moves
down.
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Helicopter (boom parallel to ground): swashplate tilts left,
and does not tilt forward or back.
7. Check pitch and roll neutral positions: place aircraft level on
ground; pitch and roll surfaces should be centered (or helicop-
ter swashplate level) when flight stabilization is on.
8. Set dual or tri rates to high.
9. Assure all sensor windows are clean.
10. Check failsafe operation: turn off transmitter; servos with
failsafe settings should move to those positions.
11. Test all transmitter controls, including stabilization on/off.
12. If using a buddy box, activate it for 2 seconds
before each
flight
.
To do this...
Do this...
Check for interference
1. Turn on FS Co-Pilot™ (leave transmitter off).
2. LED is on for 2 seconds to confirm power. After
that:
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LED off = no interference.
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Continuous blinks = interference is present.
Enter Normal Flight Mode 1. Turn on transmitter.
2. Turn on FS Co-Pilot™.
Check receiver
While in Normal Flight Mode:
input voltage
1. While moving all transmitter sticks (to load radio
system), press REC Button 1 time.
2. Count LED blinks:
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Each long blink = 1 volt.
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Each short blink = 0.1 volt.
(Example: 4 long 9 short blinks = 4.9
volts.)
Check radio system range*
While in Normal Flight Mode:
1. Collapse transmitter antenna.
2. Walk 50 paces (about 150 feet or 45m) away
from model.
3. KEEP TRANSMITTER ON and return to model.
4. Watch FS Co-Pilot™ LED:
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Continuously on: no failsafes.
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Blinking: failsafes occurred.
Check failsafe count
1. Keep transmitter on, keep receiver on!
after flight or range check 2. LED continuously on = perfect signal.
or
Count LED blinks: each blink = 1 failsafe
(maximum report is 9 failsafes).
Check bad frame count
1. Keep transmitter on, keep receiver on!
after flight or range check 2. Press REC Button 3 times.
3. Count LED blinks:
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Each long blink = 10 bad frames.
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Each short blink = 1 bad frame.
(Example: 2 long 4 short blinks = 24
bad frames; maximum report is 99 bad frames)
Change between 1X and (1X = 1 flash per second, 2X = 2 flashes per
2X LED flash rate
second.) Press REC Button 5 times.
Turn Auto Trim on/off
Press REC Button 6 times.
Clear failsafe count and
Turn off receiver. Failsafe
positions
are retained.
bad frame count
*This is a quick range check. If you suspect problems, use the advanced range check procedure on
page 22.
Normal Flight Mode