VStabi Pioneer of Flybarless

Express-Version, non-Mikado helis

• Attention Disconnect all servos on an already set-up model and disconnect the ball links from the swash plate and the tail rotor push rod. This is to avoid damage to the tail servo and to the mechanics during the setup process. Also disconnect the throttle servo linkage on a nitro helicopter.
• Attention A VBar that is connected to the VBar Control system for the first time will automatically cause the setup wizard to start. A VBar that has already been connected to a VBar Control System will just connect. In this case, select Heli Setup Wizard from Model Setup, Setup Tools in the menu to start the setup process.
• Attention To set up VBar Control with a nitro heli, you will need the Nitro Governor App.

Turn on your VBar Control Transmitter. If prompted, turn the motor switch to OFF-position.

Power up the VBar with the VBar Control Receiver Satellite connected.

If the VBar Control Receiver Satellite is not yet bound to your VBar Control Transmitter, first turn on the receiver, wait for 10 seconds, then turn on the transmitter. Select Transmitter Setup, Bind from the menu, Select the VBar (model name or serial number) of the VBar you are about to set up.

Select Model Setup, Setup Tools, Heli Setup Wizard from the menu.

In the Heli Setup Wizard, select the size of the heli you want to set up (for Mikado LOGO series, see top of this page).

Carefully read the instructions given in the Wizard.

Select Load values… from the menu. This will load factory defaults for the heli type and size into the VBar Flybarless Controller.

Mount the VBar or sensor of the VBar in suitable a place, as recommended in the heli’s manual. Accordingly, select the proper alignment of the sensor in the Wizard.

Select the swash plate type of your heli.

Select the direction of rotation of your heli.

Select leading or trailing edge control depending on the layout of the rotor head.

• Attention If you have a heli with levers in between the rods from the swash plate to the blade grips, which reverse the direction of movement of the rods (seen e.g. on some TT helis), please set this parameter opposing to the display here, else some of the feed forwards (like tail rotor pre-compensation) might work the wrong way.

Connect the swash plate servos according to the graphics shown in the Wizard (nose of the model pointing away from you). If you encounter issues with the control directions later on, double-check the servo connections. Now mount the servo arms as close to 90° as possible to the servos/links. Connect the links to the swash plate.

• Attention On a 4-point-swash-plate, double-check servo directions and servo throws prior to connecting the links to the swash plate, to avoid binding and damage to the servo and the mechanics. For precision setup, please get the Free Swash Plate Configuration-App from www.vstabi.info.

Check if the swash plate is moving correctly according to the stick inputs. If not, reverse the individual servos as necessary.

Use the trim controls to level the swash plate (90° to the main shaft for aileron and elevator) and to set the swash plate to the center of it’s available throw for collective. Make sure the servo arms are exactly at 90° to the servos/links now. To do so, adjust the links to the swash plate and/or move servo arms to achieve the least possible electronic trim.

• Attention For adjusting 0° collective, fold the blades and visually check that they are on the same level.
• Attention For the next step, unfold the blades to take load from the servos.

Set the minimum and maximum collective angles independently. The geometry on your heli is OK if 12-14° can be achieved within 80-100 points here.

Calibrate the control loop by adjusting the Cyclic value for 8°. Move one blade over the tail boom for measuring. The geometry on your heli is OK if 8° can be achieved within 80-110 points here.

Select the tail servo type (see list here www.vstabi.info/tailservos). In case your servo is not listed, check the specs of your servo for center pulse (mandatory parameter) and frame rate. Select the proper center pulse and the frame rate that comes closest to, but does not exceed, the frame rate your servo can handle.

Only now connect the servo to the VBar Flybarless Controller and mount the servo arm as close to 90° as possible to the servo/tail push rod. The final trim will be done by the Autotrim feature. For optimum performance, 90° angles should apply from the servo arm to the push rod and from the push rod to the bell crank on the tail gear box. This can be adjusted properly with the heli turned off, so you can move the servo arm and push rod manually.

Check the servo direction, reverse if necessary. Select and set the limits by moving the stick to both directions and using the EDS dial to fine tune. On initial setup, the value is set very low (40) to avoid binding and damage to the servo and the mechanics. A sensible range of values will be 80-110. If necessary, move the ball link on the servo arm to get into this range. In case the values for both directions differ immoderately, move the servo arm one notch over it’s true center position and try again.

Select the type of Governor you intend to use: External Governor (means the ESC will do the rpm control, VBar Control will loop through the throttle signal) or VBar e-Governor (means VBar Control and the VBar Flybarless Controller will govern rpm).

If you select the External Governor, the Wizard will finish here. Continue setting up your ESC using the ESC Setup Wizard.

If you select VBar e-Governor, calculate and enter the gear ratio of your heli, and set the Sensor configuration properly (half the pole count of your electric motor, e.g. ‘5’ for a 10-pole motor). The Wizard will finish here.

• Attention To set up your ESC, now go to the ESC Setup Wizard.
• Attention In order to select the VBar n-Governor, you need to have the Nitro Governor App intstalled on your VBar Control Transmitter.
  

The value for Sensor Config is the count of magnets or other markers defining the count of rpm. Calculate the gear ratio of your heli and enter the value here.

The actual configuration of the n-Governor will be done by means of the Nitro Governor-App (please download the manual for this app from the list of apps on www.vstabi.info).