How to test the Gyro in your RC Plane to prevent a crash 

Gyro's do not kill planes it is pilots who do not do their due diligence on what to do and what Not to do and test their systems before take off. I used SAFE Rxs out of the original Apprentice and have had it in every style plane I had and with ZERO issues . They now have SAFE select and one can do the exact same thing with it . In fact Horizon used us as test monkeys to sell their products and then instead of helping us out they created a better system based on our input and needs and ideas. ( I say our because many people were and many still are involved with that system ) They still are using the newer SAFE Rx's in various aircraft and they still have an entire forum on RC Groups if anyone is interested. Me? I have moved on and far away from HH and the foolishness they have became !! Ur Welcome

Checking the correct stabilization is part of my preflight on each and every flying day and on each and every flight. Simple to do and takes no time at all. This also includes checking control surfaces. Sometimes you may get a surprise that will save your model.

After the 33 second mark the video provides good useful well-presented information about the Spektrum AS3X system setup that almost any Spektrum user can benefit from. I would have provided a thumbs up to the video except at the 0:32 second mark Steffen says "the gyro destroyed that plane". My cause for pause is that setting up the gyro incorrectly, and then blaming the gyro 33 seconds into the video for doing exactly what the gyro was programmed to do only benefits the Spektrum bashers. This in turn results in more misinformation at the flying clubs.

Sometimes I get the impression that people who use Spektrum radio gear think that everyone uses Spektrum radio gear. Other systems are available! 🙂

Extremely informative tip, relearning servos, I was not aware of that. Your videos are well stated, to the point and always helpful. Thanks again for your efforts providing this.

Great video. I personally didn't like AS3X so removed it from my 1200mm E Flite Spitfire and installed a lemon receiver with gyro instead. Flies great! I have a lot of Hobby Eagle Gyros in my various planes as well and agree whole heartedly that an on/off switch is a necessity. Also using the radio knob for gyro gain is a must for me. Preflight for me is usually done three or four times at home, then once at the field. Take off without gyro and trim the plane, get some altitude (three mistakes worth) and switch on gyro switch off gyro, that fast. If the airplane behaved properly in that two second window, you should be fine to reengage the gyro. If not, land and check the settings again. I've had one plane not set up right in the ten years I've been flying, which means absolutely nothing!

I just finally installed 2 gyros in 2 of my planes...i went through everything several times and am 100 % all modes are setup correctly and control surfaces are moving just as i want...i myself have crashed 100s of times do to many issues...i also consider my self an expert at repairing foamies..but seriously i expect these gyros will help big time...thanks for sharing

Thanks a million for such an important reminder! Just like full scale hopefully we learn from these unfortunate situations

I have a small EDF that I discovered during the maiden flight had an lightning quick roll rate. The gyro saved the plane, but prevented the plane from turning! The solution was to turn “Safe” off and on as needed, until my nerves calmed, and I learned how little to move the sticks to perform a gentle controlled change of direction. The lesson… as well as double or triple check everything before a maiden flight, is to have the gyro on a switch, and have the ability to use the switch without looking or any hesitation.

When setup properly gyros are amazing. I will never fly without one again. The gyro saved my plane when I got turned around flying, just turned on self-leveling, and my plane correct 20 feet from crashing. If you setup anything incorrectly, it will cause your plane to crash. A poor workman blames his tools.

Excellent tip brother. The tech is great if you know how to use it. Hate to see that pretty B-25 go in.

The best images I’ve seen on gyro checking are in the Hobby Eagle manuals. I also have a RU-vid video on the subject.

Awfully expensive Lesson, Good video over all with the exception of seeing the Beautiful Motion RC B-25J crash. It is among my favorite Multi Engine RC planes to fly.

Nice reminder for us all.

real good info I never done this I will next time I fire up my planes I always make changes and adjustments Thanks Steffen😊👍👍👍👍

Informative, the forward program relearn is a nice feature. Still feel gyros are more hassle than they’re worth. 👍

Pilot error kills as well. Still the number one reason of crashes!! Good thing is you can get another one just like it right off the shelf that's exactly the same. Tough lesson to learn.

Newbies to gyros should use a 3-position switch where they have "Gyro off", "AS3X mode", and "SAFE mode", if they want to use it. Since I've been programming Spektrum AS3X/SAFE receivers for several years, I don't have an off position. I put the receiver's flight modes channel on the same switch as my dual rates switch which gives me low rates with AS3X, high rates with AS3X, and high rates with SAFE mode. With AR636's and possibly the newer Smart receivers, SAFE mode doesn't work correctly unless the transmitter is sending 100% travel to the receiver. I frequently do maiden flights in SAFE mode because I know the plane will fly very close to straight and level with the sticks centered. I initially set the AS3X gains to fixed with 30% for roll, 40% for pitch, and 50% for yaw. I set the SAFE roll gain slightly lower than the default and the pitch gain slightly high than the default. Once the plane is at a safe attitude, I'll come out of SAFE mode to check and adjust the trims. This is the opposite of what I recommend a newcomer to gyros should do. Until you know exactly how to prefight a gyro-equipped plane, you're better off with the gyro turned off (provided you can fly without one). Learn how gyros work using an old, expendable plane before you put one in a brand new expensive plane.

Great video 👍 👍👍

Thanks, you save my future plane !

I always fit a gyro to a new model - it can always be switched off? Nothing fancy though - byme a - with full gyro, wind mitigation mode and off. No messing with gains, no needing a pc etc. Gives me all i need. But always, always pre check control surfaces working correctly with and without the gyro - every single flight. Plane silly not to....

Wow. How sad for Mike to learn all of this the hard way. Great video Will. You provided a lot of things to think about. But, I know you - aren't you gonna get out your bucket of various glues and piece that B 25 back together?

On PNP planes you need to check the orientation of the receiver too.

As someone who learned to fly RC planes way back in the late 80s and early 90s when gyros weren't a thing, I can't really relate. And I can't relate to why an experienced pilot would use one either. Just another component to fail, and override your intent, as illustrated here. I can see using one on a trainer these days, and maybe you want one on an expensive jet just in case you need some stability help and want it to recover on its own if you get into trouble, but the whole concept just seems counterintuitive to me on most planes, especially on a warbird.

Excellent. Happiness and Joy to you. Have a blessed time. Greetings ~ Mil

The programing tells you to make sure the control surfaces are correct before selecting safe

Agreed!!! Always setup a 'gyro system' on a 3 position switch so it can be turned OFF if necessary. It breaks my heart to see any airplane CRASH because the gyro wasn't properly setup and TESTED before flight. Sometimes the cost of learning comes high!

The correct way to do all this, is when you first bind your new rx, make sure everything is going the right way, the forward programming tells you everything must be correct and you have to click through that screen.. rx setup 101. PLUSSSSS, put the gyro settings on a switch, so you can turn it off in flight, that would have also saved him.

I make mistakes but its just common sense to check the surfaces out, you do that when you set it up. That to me was a very expensive mistake

We discussed this just this am. My thought exactly.

I don’t have these types of transmitters but am experiencing the same opposite action on my elevators gyros any help???

I use a basic Radiolink gyro and have never had one fail during flight. That’s not to say I haven’t done rush jobs and set planes up incorrectly 😂

My Plane was destroyed and I think the gyro was at least a contributing factor. What happened? Gyro worked as intended I think, but I provoked a stall on my acromaster. After the first slight wing rocking induced by the upcoming stall, the plane starts spinning like hell and was not recoverable. Unfortunately i had no switch to turn off the gyro, just a turning slider for the factor setting- which I missed to turn back during spinning. I think the problem with gyros is that during stall situations it makes the problem even worse due to intervening. What is your experience in such dynamic situations?

Also. A range check is performed before flying begins for that day. I have seen most of our club members do not do this. Bad idea. Always check.

The only real problem that I have had was the gyro becoming unstuck in flight and with the gyro moving around it done some crazy flying until it dismantled itself on impact with the ground it all happened very quickly but if I had known all I had to do was turn the gyro off.

I have had this problem with some of my planes, but checked them before flying. I have had to just turn off the gyro on that axis completely, but looked for the relearn servos. I could never find it with an unlocked receiver. How do I find it?

Why are gyros needed in fixed wing aircraft anyway? I get they are needed for tail rotor and flybarless control in helis, but why on airplanes? Has the base design of models changed so much that they are inherently unstable, or a pilots not "getting their wings" and learning basic flight control, airplane setup and trimming? Maybe I'm just old, but starting with free-flight, going to gliders and then a high wing trainer (all build up from balsa kits) just doesn't seem to happen these days.

Title should say IMPROPERLY SETUP gyros kill planes.

Wish I saw this before I went out today - same thing happened to me

But also you should be able to turn it off as well , guess you didnt set it up right

Or, we could just use our thumbs like the good ole days. LOL

I never understood how people won't take the time to learn and study systems that are new to them or things they don't understand. Don't even get me started about not reading the manual multiple times until you understand it. Too much money or not enough free time? Maybe not the patience? IDK, it is just a little mind-boggling to me hehe. Oh well, we are all different I guess.

so NOT the gyro's fault but user error on setting it up correctly. got it

Well for one, you should never ever take off a plane with gyro for the very first time. This should be tested way up in the air.

Been flying 11 years with zero gyros... RU-vid for some reason does not allow me to reply to comments on any videos for some reason for ladt few months.

My f18 was also destroyed like that because of the gyro

I have a suggestion, how about flying without a gyro and truly learn to fly without the safety net of a gyro? ;)

Idk, I learned to fly 40 years ago. No gyro, no trainer cord, just a grumpy old guy in the club helping (yelling at) me while smoking a cigar. Learn to fly, & throw the gyro in the garbage where it belongs. Everyone wants the easy way out now.

My experience- step one remove gyro. Step two- throw it in the trash.

Long story short, he failed to properly set up his flight controller.

I bet u wish u were Johnny on the spot nd just flicked ur switch turned off ur gyro wen u had the chance