Trainer switch challenge

[rcgyuk]

Been using the Taranis as a training system a lot recently, and I find holding the switch on for 10 minutes a pain.

I had an idea, and wanted to know if it is a) possible, and b) a good idea.

This is how I would want it to work:

With the plane flying straight and level, hands off, I flick and release the trainer switch, transferring control to the slave transmitter.

Control remains with the slave, unless I move either of my two sticks in any direction, at which point it reverts to me.

Bit like cruise control in a car, which cancels as soon as you touch the break or accelerator.

Any thoughts?

[NI0X]

a) Seems to be possible, I programmed it by disabling Trainermode on Ele/Ail only, I think this will do the Job

CS1 |a|>x Ele 5
CS2 |a|>x Ail 5
CS3 OR CS1 CS2
CS4 a>x GV1 0

CFN1 CS3 Adjust GVar 1 Value 0
CFN2 SH[Down] Adjust GVar 1 Value 1
CFN3 CS4 Trainer

Hope it has no bugs

b) I like the idea very much, a shame it didn't thought about it

[jhsa]

Nice.. I think this should be integrated on the code.. The devs could call it "intelligent trainer"
Bertrand? Mike? Are you there??
I do like the idea as well..

João

[NI0X]

Tried to use a second globalvar to store the throttle stick position and compare it to the Throttle stick, but that didn't work

[rcgyuk]

If you have to grab the plane back fast, its likely to be ele / ail you move first...

You might want the option to set throttle with out cancelling control to the slave, so I think it only needs to work on primary stick (in mode 2, at least )

Although this wouldn't work for the trainer in our club, he says he always hold opposite to whatever the student is doing, so if he releases trainer switch, controls are already moving, says it saves a split second and a lot of models

[GeoffSleath]

Thanks for that. I also came up with a (poor) solution but not as elegant as yours. I'm a beginner with the Taranis and I haven't yet used Global Variables but I learned a lot from following and testing your example. Instead of Trainer I made a sound

Just one thing. Couldn't the trims affect the operation of the take-over condition? It may be necessary to ensure the model is trimmed out on the instructors transmitter before using. A good thing to do in any case and I suppose it's fail safe in that, in the event of a trim affecting operation, control passes to the instructor.

Geoff

[NI0X]

I made it to work with both sticks

CS1 |a|>x Ele 5
CS2 |a|>x Ail 5
CS3 |a|>x Rud 5
CS4 |d|>=x Thr 2
CS5 OR CS1 CS2
CS6 OR CS3 CS4
CS7 OR CS5 CS6
CS8 a>x GV1 0

CFN1 CS7 Adjust GVar 1 Value 0
CFN2 SH[Down] Adjust GVar 1 Value 1
CFN3 CS8 Trainer

Have fun

[jhsa]

Nice.. But a lot of custom switches
As I said before, implemented in the code would be nice also for the 9x :p

[MikeB]

Lets get the current set of enhancements tested and released shall we?
The code does have a 'stick moved' operation for turning on the backlight.
Mike.

[gohsthb]

You would also need an option to keep it working the way it does now also. I tend to keep flying the plane while holding the switch. Then when it gets too out of control I just release the switch, and I'm just still flying the plane. I think it would be really hard to be the instructor and not move the sticks while teaching.
-Gohst

[jhsa]

and I just thought of another problem.. how would we give the control back to the student automatically?

[rcgyuk]

You wouldn't want to do that automatically, you would want to get the plane stable before you hand it back?

But it would be nice to decide in advance which method you want, with some one fairly experienced, I might not touch the sticks for the whole flight, which is what I was trying to achieve

[ShowMaster]

Maybe remap the trainer to a left side toggle. Yes they aren't spring loaded but it would keep down fatigue for long sessions. For shorter sessions, or ones involving low level flying or landings then use the spring loaded switch again.
Having the trainer sw on the right side is a mode 1 left over I think and it's not the best location for mode 2 flyers.
Some have moved it to the left side.
Trainer buttons can really hurt your thumb or finger if too hard to push but some have added one to the left side or back left side.
Having control on a master stick is an interesting idea but what about assigning the trainer control to the left slider pot?
Either full forward or full back would decide who's flying the plane.
I'll have to check, is that assignable now in the current opentx?
The most painful trainer button/switch to date for me it the one on the DX7. That's all our club owns and uses, ouch.
I have been teaching with a RDS8000 setup and that button seems to not hurt my left thumb.

Great subject,
The best trainer button or switch and location.

[MikeB]

Don't forget that in the trainer setup, you can have the option of the students inputs ADDED to the master controls rather than replace them. Assign a non-spring loaded switch to the trainer function.
Perhaps give the student controls only 75% movement then the master can always override the student without moving the trainer switch.

Mike.

[ShowMaster]

I did forget the add function. Got to try it on the bench.
Thanks Mike.

[Rob Thomson]

I always use it.

Much easier all round

Sent from my Vodafone 975 using Tapatalk 2

[Daedalus66]

I do a lot of training in our club flight school. I wouldn't dream of having anything other than a spring loaded switch arrangement to regain control, as when you need to take over, there's no time to think about it. The thing to do is to make the trainer switch as comfortable as possible (e.g., use fuel tubing as a cushion). Some trainer switches are truly terrible (e.g., the old DX7 with slide switch for trainer).

A further consideration is that an experienced instructor, at least in the early stages, "flies along" with the student. So it's not feasible to use the sticks as the way of taking over control.

[rcgyuk]

I agree completely with the above, it would be good to have a choice, I am thinking more of the final stages of training, where you hardly ever need to take control back, you are just there as a backup

[rtfm]

a) Seems to be possible, I programmed it by disabling Trainermode on Ele/Ail only, I think this will do the Job

CS1 |a|>x Ele 5
CS2 |a|>x Ail 5
CS3 OR CS1 CS2
CS4 a>x GV1 0

CFN1 CS3 Adjust GVar 1 Value 0
CFN2 SH[Down] Adjust GVar 1 Value 1
CFN3 CS4 Trainer

Hope it has no bugs

b) I like the idea very much, a shame it didn't thought about it

Hi,
This is fascinating, but I have the latest versipns (2.0.8) and all the names of things have changed. For example, Custom Switches (CS) are now Logical Switches (L). That much I can handle. But "CFNx..." What are these? I can only imagine they are "Custom Functions". These are now "Special Functions" in 2.0.8 but now Special Functions does not offer Logical Switches as arguments.

Confused...

Duncan

[rtfm]

As far as the logistics of how to "hover" as an instructor, when I was training for my PPL, my instructor sat next to me with his hands cuped around the control stick, but never touched it. Plenty of verbal help, but I flew the plane from take-off to landing. All he had to do was to grab the stick and take control if he needed to. In the RC context, having the instructor shadow the student, and take control simply by grabbing the stick is exactly what is required.

Duncan

[BustedWing]

I too love to use the add functionality when training with taranis as master, and dx5 as alave, set to low rates on the slave, and bingo.. I can override any wrong movement by at least 30%