Hookll U-Glider motor

The U-Glider is a wonderful foamy thermal and slope motor glider, one of my favourites. 

But it needs some mods to optimise the performance and longevity.

The central aileron servo and other servos are very weak, and it's best to swap for individual servos in the wings.

The ESC does not have brake function so it's best to replace with something like the Turnigy 12A ESC with programming

U-Glider on AliExpress 

The motor is listed as 2208 2500kv or 3300kv BUT BEWARE! That 2208 refers to the outer dimensions of the can, not the stator (like quad motors)

If you are buying a replacement motor make sure you find the actual U-Glider replacement or something like a 1608 quad motor with 22mm outer can diameter.

My U-Glider videos

EdgeTX Transmitter Firmware Update

EdgeTX and the RF Module can be updated directly from the SD card, without having to use EdgeTX companion. 

Remove the SD card from the transmitter and insert it in to a card reader on your computer.

Or connect the transmitter to your computer via USB, and the SD card will appear as a removable drive.

EdgeTX and Bootloader Update

Download the latest EdgeTX firmware by clicking on -

"EdgeTX Firmware direct download" at https://edgetx.org/getedgetx/

Unzip the downloaded file. EdgeTX firmware for all transmitters will be included in the unzipped folder. 

Copy the file for your transmitter to the FIRMWARE folder on the SD card 

eg. boxer-3673c51.bin for the Radiomaster Boxer

First step - Update the Bootloader

The bootloader is a small program that allows the transmitter to update its own operating system, and is included in the EdgeTX firmware file.

On the transmitter, navigate to the SD card FIRMWARE folder via the SYSTEM Menu

Click and hold on the firmware file.

Choose Flash bootloader

Second step - Update EdgeTX

Turn the transmitter off.

Hold the rudder and aileron trim switches inwards while briefly pushing the power button.

Choose Write Firmware and select the firmware file

RF Module Update (4in1 multi module)

Download the RF module firmware file from https://downloads.multi-module.org/

Use the "Select a module" drop down list to find the firmware for your transmitter. 

IMPORTANT - With small mono screen transmitters, like the Zorro, Boxer and Pocket, the filename must be shortened to less than 32 characters before it shows on the screen.

Copy the firmware file to the FIRMWARE folder on the SD card. 

Turn the transmitter on normally.

Navigate to the FIRMWARE folder, then click and hold on the RF module firmware file.

Choose Flash Int. Multi

INAV Configurator - Installing on a Mac

Mac computers will give an error message when a newly installed INAV Configurator is opened for the first time.  INAV devs don't have access to an Apple Developer account and can't add the required app file attributions.

To get around this problem we need to open Terminator utility and enter a command line to change the attributions of the INAV app

The command is:  xattr -cr 'file-path-to-the-INAV app'

Normally INAV Configurator.app is stored in the Applications folder, so the command should be as follows:

xattr -cr  '/Applications/INAV Configurator.app'

Enter the command, including the spaces and single quotation marks, then hit return.

INAV Configurator should now open normally.

Here is the Important warning on the INAV GitHub downloads page.

FLYSKY FS-i6 Flaperons / Spoilerons

Flaperons / Spoilerons using the SWC switch 

FS-i6 radio has 3 mixes available.

Important: SAVE = LONG PRESS of the Cancel button 

Short press of Cancel will go back to the previous screen and discard any changes

Connections to the receiver. 

Ch1 - Left Aileron

Ch2 - Elevator

Ch3 - ESC / Throttle

Ch4 - Rudder

Ch5 - Right Aileron 

Long Press OK to access the MENU Screen

Press UP or DOWN to highlight System setup

Press OK to open SYSTEM

Press OK to choose Model select

Press UP or DOWN to locate your model (20 model slots available)

LONG PRESS Cancel to Save 

Press Cancel to return to MENU

Aux Channels

Press UP to highlight Function setup

Press OK 

Press Down to go to Aux Channels

Press OK

Scroll through Aux Channels by pressing OK

Scroll through Source by pressing Up or Down

Select Source = None for Ch5

Select Source = SwC for Ch6

LONG PRESS Cancel to save

The FS-i6 does not allow a switch to be used as the Master for mixing, but we can use the switch as the source for a channel then use that channel as the Master for the mix.

MIXING Setup

Press Down until you get to Mixes

Press OK

Press UP or DOWN to change Mix number to Mix #1

Mix #1 (Mixing right aileron to left aileron)

Press OK to move down to Mix Is OFF

Press UP or DOWN to change to MIX is ON

Press OK to go down to Master Ch

Press UP or DOWN to change to Master Ch1

Press OK to go down to Slave Ch

Press Up or Down to change to Slave Ch5

Press OK to move down to Pos. Mix

Press UP or DOWN to change to 100%

Press OK to move down to Neg. Mix

Press UP or DOWN to change to 100%

LONG PRESS Cancel to save

Press Down until you get to Mixes

Press OK

Change to Mix #2 as above

Mix #2 (Flaperon / Spoileron mix for L Aileron)

Press OK to move down to Mix Is OFF

Press UP or DOWN to change to MIX is ON

Press OK to go down to Master Ch

Press UP or DOWN to change to Master Ch6

Press OK to go down to Slave Ch

Press Up or Down to change to Slave Ch1

Press OK to move down to Pos. Mix

Press UP or DOWN to change to 50%

Press OK to move down to Neg. Mix

Press UP or DOWN to change to 50%

LONG PRESS Cancel to save

Change to Mix #3 as above

Mix #3 (Flaperon / Spoileron mix for R Aileron)

Press OK to move down to Mix Is OFF

Press UP or DOWN to change to MIX is ON

Press OK to go down to Master Ch

Press UP or DOWN to change to Master Ch6

Press OK to go down to Slave Ch

Press Up or Down to change to Slave Ch5

Press OK to move down to Pos. Mix

Press UP or DOWN to change to -50%

Press OK to move down to Neg. Mix

Press UP or DOWN to change to -50%

LONG PRESS Cancel to save

Control surface movements

Make sure your receiver is bound to this model.

Now connect servos and power to the receiver and check control surface movements.

If any control surface movements are reversed, go to the Functions > Reverse screen and make the necessary changes.

Be careful not to reverse the Throttle Channel Ch 3.

LONG PRESS Cancel to save

If the flaperon / spoileron action is reversed go back in to the Mixes menu and change Pos and Neg Mix values from +50% to -50% or vice versa.

Note that any of the weights used above can be reduced or increased to suit your model. For expample you could reduce aileron weights to something like 75% and flaperon / spoileron weights to 40%.

How to use

Flaperons (5 to 20º) can add lift for shorter takeoffs and slower flight

Extreme flaperons (70º) can act as air brakes for landing or hand catching (DLG) but they need to go down a long way for this to work, and have elevator compensation.

Spoilerons (just a few degrees) reduce lift for extra speed 

More spoilerons (20º) can reduce lift and reduce speed for shorter landings.

INAV configuration for Spektrum Radios

 I don't have any Spektrum gear to check this but INAV setup is the same as any other radio system apart from channel order and Serial Receiver Provider.

Spektrum radios use TAER channel order and Serial Receiver Provider is SRXL2 (or SBUS if available). Make these selections in the INAV Receiver page. 

SRXL2 signal wire connects to the T pin of your selected Serial Receiver UART.

Configure the INAV Model Mix in the radio with 100% for the first 4 channels (TAER), and the Arming and Mode switches. This may be the Multirotor premix in Spektrum radios.

In the INAV Receiver page, check that the channel graph bars move to the right when you move the sticks up and right. Check that channel bars go from 1000 to 2000, specially the the throttle channel. 

Output end points may need to be adjusted in the radio to get this range.

If all this is working but Arming is still not possible check this Troubleshooting checklist

Crow braking

EdgeTX mix for a glider with Flaps and Crow Braking on the S1 slider

I like to shorten flap pushrods so the flaps go from Level with wing to Full down using full servo movement.

Start with a basic mix. 

Note: "IAil" is the Input named "Ail" from the Inputs Page. 

Ch1 100 IAil - Aileron L
Ch2 100 IEle - Elevator
Ch3 100 IThr - Throttle
Ch4 100 IRud - Rudder
Ch5 100 IAil - Aileron R
Ch6 100 S1 - Flap L
Ch7 100 S1 - Flap R

Check control surface movements and change weight to -100 if throw direction is reversed
Reduce rates from 100 if desired, but it's better to move the pushrods to an inner servo arm hole to reduce throws.

Now add mixer lines to Ch1 and Ch5 
Source S1, Weight 30 (or -30 if required), Curve Func x>0, Multiplex Add (+=) 

Mixer lines should now look like this

Ch1 100 IAil 

+= 30 S1 x>0

Ch5 100 IAil 

+= -30 S1 x>0

Change the weight from 30 to -30 to reverse the movement if required. Ailerons should move up as flaps go down.  30% weight is just a suggestion, adjust as required.

Func x>0 means the Ailerons will only move UP for the bottom half of S1 rotation. Otherwise Offset will be required to re-level the ailerons when the flaps are up.

If Elevator compensation is required to prevent pitching up when flaps are dropped

Add mixer line to Ch2 .

Source S1, Weight 5 (or -5 if required), Curve Func x>0, Multiplex Add (+=) 

Ch2 100 IEle

+= 5 S1 x>0

Make sure the elevator moves down with S1.  Fly and test whether weight of 5 is suitable. Adjust as required.

If Expo is required, add it in the INPUTS page

Curve Expo 30

If Differential is required, add it in the Mixer page for each Aileron channel

Curve Diff 50 (or -50 as required)