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ontinuing my intrigue with “button pushing”, I decided to pull out two items from my collection. As it would be in our great hobby during the days of escapements and “button push- ing”, manufacturers searched for tools that would make this a simpler task. I mentioned in my last column that I had flown my Mini Mambo on single channel using the F&M Echo transmitter that I had converted to 2.4 GHz. I have since had several more flights on this great little plane and my skill at but- ton pushing has gotten much better. You will remember that I was flying a “com- pound” configuration so I didn’t have to re- member which control was coming up next. The Mini Mambo had been launched at mid-throttle which was selected to provide a slight climb. Low throttle gave me a nice slow descent on the TD .049 using a rotary throttle control. High throttle would give me more than enough power to climb very quick- ly and perform loops and barrel rolls. How- ever, I have had a real problem with the throttle control “quick blip” feature. Seems like I would be okay until I decided to go to high throttle and then the trouble developed. Several times I was unable to get the darn engine out of high speed and things got a bit hairy. It seems to me that someone produced a special button switch for quick blips and I need to find one for my F&M transmitter. Thinking there might be one in my collec-
tion of “stuff” I began searching. I did find one on an old Controlaire Mule transmitter and will be installing it on the F&M trans- mitter. While looking for the quick blip switch I came upon two devices in which I became interested. One is the Aristo-Craft Code-A-Matic Controller and the other is another version to accomplish the same thing. I can’t seem to read the printing on the case of the second one but the case is light blue anodized aluminum. If anyone knows the manufacturer of this unit I would
by bob noll You can reach Bob Nollvia e-mail at
bobrc@aol.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: BOB NOLL
This controller was produced by Aristo-Craft to simplify single-channel flying. It eliminated the need to do the “button pushing” for escapement flying.
appreciate hearing from you. The objective of these controllers is to eliminate the need for button pushing. They would simply do the “button pushing” for you with the use of a control stick.
The Code-A-Matic Controller uses a series of gears and special linkages to move an arm with contacts across a PC board. The arm is energized when the control stick is moved left, right or up and down. The tricky link-
age is designed so that the contact arm moves to different positions depending on which control is called for. A simple spring returns the control arm to “home” position when the spring loaded stick is returned to center. There is a button on this unit for quick blip throttle control.
The “blue box” controller is much different than the Code-A-Matic. It uses a clock spring to drive an escapement mechanism
The insides of the Aristo-Craft Code-A-Matic (above left) had a unique system of levers, gears, springs, contacts and a pc board. The controller (above right)
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was also used for single-channel escapement flying and replaced the need for “button pushing”.
DECEMBER 2012
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