3 Pilots 1 Plane

by FliteTest | March 3, 2014 | (27) Posted in Just Fun



Josh, Alex and Eric attempt to fly "together"...literally! Each of them will be operating one set of controls on the same airplane!

Josh will be controlling the elevator.

Alex will be operating the aileron.

Eric will be operating the rudder and throttle.

This was a fun challenge we wanted to try and it turned out to be a blast! The ParkZone T-28 Trojan turned out to be a great airplane for this fun challenge.

The guys attempted low passes, inverted flight and other maneuvers and didn't crash!

Flying with just the elevator and the rudder, the T-28 Trojan was stable and we were able to fly it well.

Trying out fun challenges like this is an entertaining way to change things up at fly-ins and backyard events.

Thanks for watching and thanks for your support. Stay tuned for more details on Flite Fest 2014! 

 

- Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -

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COMMENTS

bensgreentrain on March 4, 2014
Just getting back into the hobby after being absent for 12 years. Last sat I flew at local flying field my new scratch built cub(60 " ws foam board plane). I did not realize that the aileron servo locked in a slight left turn until I got home with it. When I flew in the past I always used rudder, and last sat I was actually flying the cub with 3 controls. I consider myself very lucky to have survived the first maiden flight of the new cub. Thanks for another great video from the guys at FT.
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FlyingMonkey on March 3, 2014
They actually did this at SEFF last year, titled the FMP, or five man plane. Each aileron was operated by a different person, elevator was another, as well as throttle and then rudder.

Still, well done!
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Nobel0 on March 4, 2014
Wow very nice job ... you are pro guys ...

Excuse me , can i know how the 3 TX's works as one ? i just know 2 TX's can be but 3 not get it straight :) :) ...

nice job ...
Best Regards
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XFlyer on March 4, 2014
They use 3 different receivers in the plane
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tomsun on March 4, 2014
Love the overhead shot with the shadows, worked great in this context - GoPro on a boom?
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earthsciteach on March 3, 2014
Nice job, Eric! Hope to see you in more episodes. At last they let you show your face on video. LOL!
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ravenkan on March 4, 2014
Wow, that was some new fun!
Now let me challenge you. You mentioned elevons, but... let one guy control the left elevon, and the second guy control the right one. If you manage to do a loop, roll and successful landing in that configuration... I owe you a beer :D
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RC Cola on March 4, 2014
Add somebody in charge of FPV Goggles and blindfold the other Pilots and that will be impressive.
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boggers12 on March 13, 2014
Great way to introduce new people into the hobby. I could see clubs rigging something like this to get younger kids into the hobby. I have a four year-old son who is dying to try to fly, but everytime I switch the trainer on, its a disaster. Letting him control just one surface would allow him to get used to what is happening.
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airdustin on March 4, 2014
Love it guys, very entertaining! I've done that in a full scale (level D sim) where we can separate the control columns so one guy has elevator and the other guy has aileron. It's a rush in real life and it looked like you guys had fun.
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thatjoshguy on March 5, 2014
Is it just me, or did anyone else mistake Alex for Bam Margera?
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RC Wonder on March 5, 2014
great video i am trying this with my friend this week end. we will try it with a 3d plane beginner plane and a pattern plane.
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Captain Crash on March 3, 2014
this is great now try it with a b-17

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Acarlos on March 3, 2014
How did Flitetest connect the 3 rx?
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aurc on March 4, 2014
They probably didn't. Did you notice that they had three transmitters? Those probably controlled three separate rx with independent batteries. Sorry if I'm wrong, I was just thinking..........
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Acarlos on March 4, 2014
As I said: 3 rx (three receivers) because they have 3 tx (three transmitters)! ;)
But how do they power them?

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brettp2004 on March 4, 2014
Y harness from the ESC and male to male servo wires going from the Y harness to the RX is my guess. They mentioned that is all they used. You would need 2 Y harnesses to split the ESC three ways.
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Acarlos on March 4, 2014
Brettp spliten the ESC (Channel 3) all of them should have throttle control!
I guess a battery splitter to power 3 ESCs connected to 3 RXs, two of the ESCs could be small ones (just for servos) with no motor connected to them.
It would work.
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aurc on March 4, 2014
Why did they remove you comment
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Acarlos on March 5, 2014
They don't! I did it, I´ve removed it because I was unable to change/correct it.
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bensgreentrain on March 4, 2014
Great idea!!! Who is going to wear the goggles. If you guys are really going to push the envelope don't stop now!!!! _I dare ya_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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StasinG on April 12, 2014
I like it! I think it's very fun. What about 1 pilot 3 or 5 airobatic planes flying unison like real air show.

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FT-MFrank on September 1, 2014
Splitting controls between pilots is a very cool feature. It is a variation on the trainer mode. Certain versions of Spektrum transmitters, like my DX7s, support giving selected control to the trainee.

The new part for me is wireless trainer. In the video it looks like Josh has the DX9 (stiff, square antenna) while Alex and Eric have maybe a DX8 or similar with the normal round, tilting antenna. The DX9 is a fairly new transmitter with lots of new features including one really cool feature I didn't know about until I looked on the Spektrum web site... Wireless Trainer Links:

http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=SPMR9900

"WIRELESS TRAINER LINKS
While the DX9 does have a trainer cord jack, it gives instructors the option to wirelessly "buddy box" with another DSM2®/DSMX® transmitter. Once bound to another transmitter, ModelMatch® technology will allow the DX9 to re-link without having to go through the bind process again."

So not magic, not multiple receivers, just more cool technology, in this case from Spektrum. :)

Keep up the great work FliteTest!
-Mike
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3 Pilots 1 Plane