Align, in its quest to make the 3GX the best it can be, has now made available Version 3.1. The defaults are the same as Version 3.0, so unless you have changed something in the Flight Condition Menu, there’s no need to do anything beyond the basic DIR setup and most of that should be fine. Check the direction of all controls and gyros..go fly.

You can find the default settings on your C drive in the My_setting folder. The file name is my_setting_V3.1_1175.txt. Your previous settings will be there too.

Bear in mind that this version is sort of a beta version. All their top pilots are testing it and when it gets their blessing, it will show up on their regular update page.

Several people have tried the update with results ranging from no change to an outstanding improvement in the tail rotor gyro. You can read the reviews on Helifreak here.

This is the manual for the KX018E15 700 DFC HV kit. It has links to the parts. There are a couple parts that I am going to be adding this weekend, so if you get an error, hit the back button.

Around April 15th, 2013 we’ll have a fix for your leaking stopper. Over the last two weeks I’ve taken 3 calls from people that have older Raptors. They say the stopper in their tank has gotten hard and is leaking fuel. The only way to fix it was to buy a new tank. Now you can fix that leak for about $7.

If we’re out of stock and you want one, click on the picture and get on the waitlist. We’ll email you as soon as they come in.

These are back in stock. Very nice radio. Bigger than the 8FGHS with a lot more room between the switches.

14SG Manual

Features

• Channels: 12 proportional, 2 switched
• Compatible with FASSTest, FASST and S-FHSS protocols
• FASSTest telemetry – compatible with Futaba telemetry sensors (sold separately)
• Free user-updatable software
• 30-model memory
• 10-character user naming
• 10-character model naming
• Airplane, helicopter and glider programming
• Large, 1.75” x 3” backlit LCD screen with 128 x 64 resolution
• SensorTouch™ programming
• SD Card compatibility for external model memory and software updates (SD: 32MB-2GB; SDHC 4GB-32GB)
• Left and right assignable slider switches
• Two assignable rotary knobs
• Six assignable three-position switches
• One assignable momentary two-position switch
• One assignable two-position switch
• Comfortable rubber grips on the sides and back
• Wide top switch spacing
• Adjustable stick tension
• Dual ball bearing gimbals
• 4 vibration warning types
• Home/Exit; User Menu/Servo Monitor buttons
• Audio earphone jack (for telemetry alarms)
• 6V 1800mAh NiMH battery pack
• User stick calibration
• Trainer system
• Servo speed adjust
• 5 programmable mixes
• V-tail, Ailvator, winglet, motor mixing
• Trim mix
• Logic switch (condition switch only)
• Internal programmer for S.Bus servos
• User menu
• Servo monitor (neutral and moving tests)
• 2 count up/countdown timers
• Integral timer
• Model timer
• Quick model select

Helicopter Features

• 6 swash plate types
• Pitch/throttle curves (5-point)
• Throttle hold
• Swash mix
• Throttle mix
• Pitch to rudder mixing
• Fuel mixture
• Gyro (Flybarless support)
• Governor (700-3500 rpm)
• Hover pitch
• Hover throttle
• High/low pitch
• Swash AFR
• Swash setting (mixing rate, linkage compensation, speed compensation)
• Swash ring (electronic)
• Throttle cut

Very cool feature:

If anyone wants to try these out and let me know if they work, I’ll stock them.

http://www.rockwestcomposites.com/browse/round-carbon-fiber-tubing/fabric-carbon-tubing

To go to the playlist on Youtube, click here.

On December 3rd, 2012,  Align announced a firmware update for the 3GX. Since then, I’ve had quite a few calls asking for help.

I’m almost finished with a video series that goes through the whole setup process from beginning to end, even setting the Flight Mode Parameters on the 3GX and in the software.

If you update to Version 3, plan on going through the whole setup process, including a data reset on your transmitter.

Version 1.3.1 is now available. This update has been in the works for quite a while and has been tested extensively. Gone are the days of tweeking settings. The default settings are optimal for 90% of the models out there. Reports from the field go from “Outstanding” to “Freaking Awesome”. Try it, you’ll like it.

Transmitter Setup (Allows Two Heading Hold Gains and One Rate Mode Gain. Controlled by the Gyro Switch.)

Later we will change it to use the Flight Mode Switch so the gain changes automatically when we change flight mode.

• System Setup/Switch Select: Gyro-Inhibited
• Function List/Gyro:
  • Pos 0: Positive 49 (Heading Hold Gain = 50%)
  • POS 1: Positive 58 (Heading Hold Gain = 60%
  • POS 2: Negative 50% (Rate Mode Gain = 39%)
  • Ch: Aux2
  • Sw: Gyro
• Function List/Servo Setup/Travel/Gyro: 100 100

These are just starting gains.

1. First, hover the model with the Gyro switch in Position 2 (Rate Mode) and adjust the tail control rod
   until the model doesn’t yaw consistently the same direction. If it consistently yaws nose left, shorten the
   rod and if it always goes nose right, lengthen the rod.
2. Now, hover the model with the switch in Position 0 (heading hold with higher gain) and raise the gain until the tail starts
   to hunt, or/then back it down until it stops hunting.
3. Now fly the model in Stunt Mode with the Gyro Switch in Position 1. Give it a workout. Raise/lower the gain until it is just
   below a value that causes hunting. Since your headspeed is probably higher, this should be a value
   that is lower than the Position 0 value.

So now you know what gain values you’ll need and your tail rotor control rod is the right length. Now you can go to the gyro screen and select the Fmode switch and set the values there accordingly. For example, if you ended up with a value of 49 in your hover test, you would set the value for Normal Mode to 49. In the stunt modes, set the value so the gain is as high as possible without hunting. Don’t forget to set Stunt 2 to a positive value.
Experiment with the Hold setting. You might like it really high.