Lemon Rx StabilizerPLUS LM0042 - First Flight; Setting up the Stabilizer PLUS in more Advanced Models

Lemon RX Stabilizer PLUS Receiver – Essential Instructions v.1.5
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13. You may also wish to add 20% Expo, or somewhat more, to soften control responses around neutral,
but keep in mind that stabilization has an expo-like effect.
First Flight
1. Power up first the transmitter and then the receiver.
2. Wait 20 seconds or so until initialization is complete, and the transmitter has control of the servos.
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3. Once again check the directions of (1) control and (2) stabilization movement. Aileron can be confusing
– to deliberately bank to the right, the right aileron goes UP, whereas in correcting for a disturbance that
causes the right wing to drop, the stabilizer makes that aileron go DOWN! Think this through carefully.
4. Set Stabilizer Mode switch (channel 5/Gear) to OFF.
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5. Take off and climb to a safe height.
If you have a two-position switch giving access only to Off and Autolevel, go to step 8 below.
6. Turn ON Gyro mode (Position 1 on a three-position switch). Expect Gyro mode to cause the model to fly
more smoothly, resist wind gusts, and be somewhat less sensitive to control inputs than with the
stabilizer OFF. If there are any unexpected reactions, immediately turn OFF the stabilizer (Position 0)
and land to trouble-shoot.
7. If you see oscillation on any axis, slow down and land (or slightly turn down Master Gain, if you have it).
Turn the relevant pot(s) down (CCW) by an “hour” or so. See Adjusting Gain on page 10 for detail on
adjusting gain and the Reference Guide for further advice.
8. Switch to Autolevel mode (Position 2). In Autolevel mode, you should find the model much more docile,
with a strong tendency to return to level when you neutralize the sticks. You will still have control, but
turns may require significantly more input and maximum bank and pitch will be limited. To increase
control authority, you can use High Rate and/or change to Advanced Autolevel mode in the stabilizer
configuration, which allows steeper bank angles (see page 14). Be ready to switch to OFF or Gyro if you
encounter a problem.
9. If the model (with throttle set appropriately) does not maintain level flight in Autolevel mode, switch to
OFF or Gyro mode, land and reset Stabilizer Level and Stick Neutrals, as explained below.
If you are a beginning flier looking to use the Lemon Stabilizer PLUS to assist you in developing your
piloting skills, we strongly recommend enlisting the help of an experienced pilot for the first flights.
Setting up the Stabilizer PLUS in more Advanced Models
For fast and/or highly responsive models, it is generally advisable to use the Stabilizer PLUS in rate (Gyro)
mode for normal flying. In this mode the stabilizer responds only to angular displacements by applying
corrective movement of the appropriate control surface(s). For example, if a wind gust lifts one wing and
pitches the nose of the model up, the stabilizer would apply a quick shot of opposite aileron and down
elevator to counteract the disturbance. The result of using Gyro mode is that the model flies more
smoothly, especially in turbulent conditions. In practice, many fliers say it feels like flying a much bigger
model less affected by turbulence.
In contrast to AutoLevel, in Gyro mode the model does not seek to recover to level flight but responds
essentially “naturally” to control inputs. This is exactly what is needed for “normal” flying with the pilot fully
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A flashing orange light in DSM2 mode indicates that there has been an interruption of receiver power. This could be
because receiver power was reconnected without first cycling transmitter power. This “Brown-out Detection” feature is
not present for DSMX mode. To stop the flashing, power down both receiver and transmitter and repeat power-up.
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Don’t use stabilization for the initial takeoff unless you are absolutely confident that you have set the response
directions correctly. Then use only Gyro mode.