This revolutionary 14-channel system opens a new era in RC flying

As an all-around RC flier with decades of experience in the hobby, I was understandably thrilled to have the opportunity to review Futaba’s new groundbreaking 14MZ radio. The new 14MZ crosses a threshold that advances RC flying to a new “interactive” level of functionality, precision and fun. This radio is more than just a tool that connects the pilot to the aircraft; the 14MZ is a multi-media system that enhances the quality of your flying experience, taking it beyond what was possible with any previous radio.

Dave Baron flies the Great Planes U-Can-Do electric conversion (Kontronik brushless motor and ElectriFly Li-Poly batteries) using the 14MZ radio. Dave says, “The radio has a great balance. I especially like the silky-smooth sticks, which have a great feel to them.”

The 14MZ, which is the result of over two million dollars in R&D (10 patents pending), takes advantage of the latest in computer technology. It has dual internal processors. The Windows CE operating system is used on one chip for all non-flight functions, including setup and programming of models, as well as management of digital image and audio files on the included compact flash (CF) card. A Futaba Custom Processor with its own proprietary operating system handles all critical flying functions separately. This combination gives the radio remarkable versatility. It includes a simplified PDA-like interface coupled with the reliability of the best of Futaba technology.

To describe the power and versatility of the radio, we will devote more than one article to the 14MZ. In our first installment, we will detail the primary features and benefits of the 14MZ and begin to fly the radio in a Great Planes U-Can-Do 3D airplane. You will see how Futaba has developed user-friendly menus with unmatched programming capability. In future issues, we will install and fly the system in different kinds of powered aircraft as well as helis and gliders. You will see the interesting ways in which this radio enhances both the quality of the flying experience and the performance envelope of your models.

The receiver is of reduced size based on modern computer chip design. A layered PC board and Ball Grid Array (BGA) construction eliminates space-wasting pins and reduces the receiver’s overall size.

My first impression was one of outrageous excess, but once I understood the premise of this radio, I began to wonder if 14 channels were enough for the modern modeler. Every time we eliminate a Y-harness, we are eliminating a potential problem (connections can go bad, and some Y-harness applications require filters and amplifiers, especially with digital servos). Ideally, every servo should have a dedicated port in the receiver to plug into—and its own channel.

How many channels? If you have three servos to actuate control surfaces on each wing panel, you have already consumed six channels. Add two more servos for the elevator and you are up to eight. Adding two ganged servos for the rudder brings you to ten channels. Add throttle and your preferred subset of smoke, retracts, gear door sequencers, sliding canopies, spoilers, speed brakes or wheel brakes and you are already well beyond the capabilities of any previous radio—without the need for any Y-harnesses or related matching and sequencing accessories!

On a turbine jet, you often split the ailerons for two channels; split flaps for two channels, elevators for another channel. Many of these models also have additional single channels for each of the following functions: rudder, nose gear steering, sliding canopy, retracts, ordnance drop, speed brakes, lights, drogue chute, wheel brakes and, in some cases, leading edge devices or slats, and finally, throttle. We’re already at 16 channels. How have the jet jocks been getting by?

A NEW APPROACH TO GANGING SERVOS

Consider the modern giant, a 30% or larger model, with ganged servos on multiple functions. Those of us flying giant scale have all learned to accept the burden of dealing with this situation. We match our servos with all types of peripheral devices so that the servos do not fight each other and consume precious battery power. With the 14MZ, the balancing of the servos in centering, speed and throw is simple, and entirely built into the transmitter.

This sailplane wing diagram illustrates the amazing programming power of the 14MZ. Control surfaces can be coupled and mixed in ways that were not possible before the arrival of this radio. For instance, you can now deploy two sets of ailerons and flaps, which would use a total of eight channels. These control surfaces can be adjusted in unison to increase or decrease camber, or they can be configured as conventional flaps and ailerons. You can set up crow however you wish—or even configure drag-inducing “air brakes” at the tips of the wings for yaw input on a flying wing. The radio supports seven different wing types, 4 tail types, and 3 motor types.

A function page allows you to assign the input channels from the transmitter directly to any one of the channels of the receiver. Let’s say you are ganging three servos for rudder control on a large model. You would already have your rudder channel assigned to rudder use, and would then assign two of the auxiliary channels to the rudder as well. Then, using the 14MZ’s programming, you individually adjust the centering, speed and throw limits of the three different servos. The result is a simple and trouble-free system that, again, needs none of the peripheral devices we previously couldn’t fly without.