Futaba 12FG

I've just received a Futaba 12FG, on loan for a forthcoming review in RC Model World.

Also received were two BLS 352 servos. These have brushless motors and are very impressive units.

It's early days, but the 12FG looks very interesting (the lack of more emotive language is deliberate, simply because I have not had a chance to do more than play with it.)

The radio supports PPM, PCM 1024 and PCM G3, as well as 2.4 GHz via an optional alternative RF module. It also sports 8 flight modes, several built in mixers and 10 programmable mixers. A 5114 (PCM G3) receiver is included.

The on-board memory stores up to 30 models, but push a 1GB SD card into a slot, and a mind boggling 1800+ free models shows on the display.

All this is very clever, but what Joe Flyer wants to know is: Can it fly my glider/i-c plane/e-flyer/turbine? Does it required a PhD to program? And is the manual any good? It's no good having advanced features if they are largely inaccessible to the target audience. These are some of the issues I'll be exploring in the review.

Today, I successfully hooked it up to my real time data monitor, which I originally built to explore the programming on the Multiplex mc4000. The screenshot on the left shows all channels with the Futaba 12FG in PPM 12 mode. (Note the servo centres are 1.52 ms instead of the more usual 1.5 ms - the monitor software is now modified for the 1.52 ms centres).