Extreme Aviation: 48" Extra EXP_

We are flying the Extra every day and logging more and more time on these ProModeler DS85 Prototype servos. This plane and it's equipment have been so utterly reliable I almost never work on it. I just fly it day after day with only an occasional check of the servo arm bolts to assure they stay tight....don't want any of those falling off.

Aura Rethink
I'm taking advantage of this program and it's extended flight time by tinkering with my Aura settings. Knowing noting about ESS units, it's not surprising I got some of my initial set up wrong. From the beginning I noticed the Aura was interfering with some of my tumbles, and it was taking all the steam out of pop tops. Initially I was still satisfied because I was still delighted with the plane overall, and if I had to sacrifice pop tops I could live with it. I tried to fly around it, but if you didn't hit the pop top perfectly the plane would just wallow out of it, almost like you were releasing the rudder. This gave me the clue I needed to look at my rudder settings.

I'm already running my gains at 10, which is pretty low. I didn't want to turn those back, so I had to look somewhere else. I figured out this had nothing to do with gains and more to do with running the high stick priority (SP) from the "Generic 3D" template found in the Aura config tool.

Those SP are 40ailerons/25elevator/100 rudder. At 100% the Aura was telling the rudder to correct the yaw, and essentially fight me. Now I needed to override the Aura by turning the rudder SP back. I guessed that 50% would be a good place to start and it was. One flight was enough to convince me that was the right move because as you can see in the videos, the plane pop tops like it used to without the Aura. So, I keep the benefit of the Aura, and now when I hammer the rudder it stay out of the way. Right now I am so pleased with the plane overall that I think this might be my final configuration.

Extra EXP__HS85 Durability Testing from Doc Austin on Vimeo.

My overriding observation of the whole package is that the Extra EXP was 10 years ahead of it's time, and with premium equipment we are finally unlocking it's potential. With premium servos and an Aura, this plane is better than ever, and nearly as good as a 60" plane. The added stability makes it fly like a bigger plane, and the laser like centering of the servos makes it track like a big plane. Essentially, you give up nothing to the larger plane, but keep the small plane agility advantage. Add to that you still use inexpensive batteries and it fits in the trunk assembled, this plane has everything going for it.

All of this is just in time for the upcoming 48" Extra V2, and you know we will be on top of that.