Any support in FMS for Landing Gear or flaps

[ErnieG]

Is there a way to get FMS to recognize a 5th channel for Landing Gear or Flaps?

[ggunners]

The short answer is no, a fifth channel is not supported. However, with some creative mixing, you could increase lift with less throttle and increase drag with less throttle to simulate "flaps happening".

As an example, my blimp uses 2 horizontal props to hover the blimp at zero throttle and they are mixed to be negative throttle. Mixing DRAG and a horizontal prop at the CG or slightly behind the CG would simulate the use of flaps.

-- ggunners

[ennobee]

My understanding is that FMS has up to 8 channels available in its 'calibration' window, but that you need an 8-channel RC transmitter to actually enjoy them. Modern 3-d joysticks have 4 channels and old-time basic joysticks only 2. You can 'upgrade' your joystick with the keyboard inputs, but the keyboard only lists basic keys for rudder-aileron-stabilo and engine. (When I started out, I had a 2-axis joystick mapped to aileron and stabilo and used the keys for engine control. Although I had keys for the rudder also I never used them.) Anyhow, an 8-channel transmitter with the right USB connection might give you 8 channels to play with, but I don't have one, so I never tried

As for landing gear, right now FMS only supports fixed gear. So even if you had a separate channel for extending/retracting landing gear, the current version of FMS will still mot let you do anything with it. (Hey Muller bros'... Wink!!)

Flaps are a different story. They can be programmed into your *.par file with ease. On a whim I once deleted the rudder on one of my models and used that channel to put extra flaps in the wing. After some trying, I got really good in landing on ridiculously short surfaces. If I ever finish that scenario with the aircraft carriers, I might offer some 'upgrade' of my Grumman Avenger to go along with it

Still, I wish I had some more channels for flaps, spoilers, air brakes and all the other stuff people put into today's extreme 3-d foamies. May be the next version will have a way to assign keys to extra channels, or may be use the different 'fire' buttons of a modern joystick to on/off switches. (again, Wink!!)

To me that would be more valuable then retractable landing gear.

'Niklas

[KEW]

Hi Ennobee,

There are only four channels of control available in FMS. The top four channels you see in the FMS calibrate screen are for fixed wing aircraft and the bottom four, which use the same four transmitter functions, are for helicopters.

FMs does not support landing gear or other options. As you mention, you can set up flaps on a plane but it is at the expense of one of the four channels available.

Regards,

KEW

[ggunners]

You could simulate flaps by increasing DRAG and having a motor increase lift
and tie this to reduced throttle. So less throttle, more DRAG and more lift.

See my for an example. Neutral buoyancy is achieved with two downward
facing motors mixed to inverse throttle. But alas, no animation and no real
support for flaps or gear.

-- ggunners