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V-Tail Servo Installation

Most planes have a standard horizontal and vertical stabilizer. This configuration is easy to set up and simple to understand. Airplanes with a V-tail are considered exotic because they are rare and use hybrid terms like "ruddervator" to describe the control surfaces. The servo installation and set up is a bit tricky but definitely worth the effort.

Things You'll Need

A computerized RC transmitter with a V-tail mixer
RC transmitter owner's manual
Two servos
Servo mounting screws
Pushrods

Instructions

- 1
  Install the rudder and elevator servos in the fuselage of the airplane. The servos should be side by side and the servo arms must be able to move without contacting each other or binding. Secure the servos to a hardwood or nylon servo tray with mounting screws; the servo tray should already be installed in the plane.
- 2
  Connect a pushrod to each servo arm. Then, connect each pushrod to a ruddervator. Plug the servo that is connected to the right ruddervator (when looking at the plane from the front) to Channel 2 on the receiver. Plug the other servo into Channel 4.
- 3
  Enable the V-tail mixing function on your RC transmitter. Each manufacturer uses a different menu system; refer to your transmitter's owner's manual for exact instructions.
- 4
  Test the ruddervator movements by powering on the transmitter and the receiver (always in that order) and moving the elevator stick up and down. When the elevator stick is pushed down, the ruddervators should move up in unison. Next, use the rudder stick to apply full right rudder and look at the ruddervators from the rear of the plane, the left ruddervator should move up and the right ruddervator down. Consult your transmitter manual to reverse the throws if necessary.

Aviation