AeroflyRC 7 and Spektrum DX7/DX9 using USB Interface -- here's how to get it to work

    I’ve been trying to get Aerofly RC7 working on a Mac Book Pro Retina running Mac OS X 10.9.5.

    For transmitter, I was trying to use either a Spektrum DX7s or a DX9 with the USB Interface and the #3024040 adapter.

    For both transmitters I have created and selected a new model and set the Trainer mode to Slave. The transmitters are set to DSM2 and that seems to be important (although I’ve not found any reference to that with Google searches).

    I have seen some references to selecting PPM — however, there are no reference to PPM in either of the transmitter manuals so there is no hint of how to do this — the only choices in the Frame Rate menu are DSM2 or DSMX.

    For both transmitters I start with the transmitters powered off.

    I tried both the DX7s and the DX9. The results are the same — Aerofly RC7 detects the “USB Dummy Interface #1” but regardless of whether I have the DX7s or DX9 plugged directly into the USB Interface or connected via the #3024040 adapter, Aerofly fails to detect the transmitter.

    But I found a workaround and it appears to be that the USB Interface uses the wrong kind of jack to connect to the Spektrum transmitters.

    Before I go any further let me define a couple of terms:

    A jack — the male part of the connector.
    Tip/Shank jack — a jack with just two connectors, the tip and the shank (in the audio world, a monaural jack).
    Tip/Ring/Shank jack —a jack with three connectors, the tip, a separate ring, and the shank (in the audio world a stereo jack).

    While I was experimenting with the USB Interface and the #3024040 adapter, I noticed that occasionally I would very briefly see one, two, four or even eight channels suddenly appear if I gently waggled the 3.5mm TRS USB Controller jack in the back of the DX9.

    And that proved to be the problem — it appears to be the fact that the USB Dummy Interface uses the wrong kind of jack. The Spektrums expect a TS jack (mono) not the TRS jack that is on the end of the USB Interface cable.

    I proved the point by using a TRS/stereo socket (female) to a TS/mono jack adapter. Using this, and providing that the USB Dummy Interface jack is only partially plugged in (see attached image), I was able to get eight channels to register with Aerofly RC7 during the Configure procedure and managed to fly the simulator (note: The Mac Book Pro Retina is really not quite powerful enough -- the mouse "lags" behind a bit -- you also need to click the mouse in the simulator window to get the mouse pointer to appear).

    Once I got the configuration to work, I buzzed the cable with a continuity meter to figure out the wiring. It’s essentially a cross-over cable, with the Tip of the 3.5mm TS/mono jack that goes into the DX9 connected to the Shank of the smaller 2.5 TS/mono jack that plugs into the #3024040 adapter — and vice versa — the shank of the 3.5mm jack connects to the Tip of the 2.5mm jack.

    With all of that said, has anyone else had this same problem, please? I find it a bit hard to believe the Ikarus would make such a basic design error — if indeed it is an error — but I’m just reporting what I found.

    Appreciate any additional comments and/or information.
    Andy

    I'm so glad you posted this. I have NOT been able to get my Aerofly7 Ultimate to work for over a year now.

    I can't get the yellow USB adaptor to bind (continuous light) and don't get any channels on any of my Spektrum radios; DX5, DX6i, DX9.

    As a matter of fact I seem to need to rebind the receiver every time I try to use it. I'm sick as a dog right now and not really thinking to clearly - so I will revisit your thread when the head is clear and see what's up. I should say that the program worked fine a year ago with either the 5 or 6i... can't figure out what went wrong.

    More later, Thanks!

    Dennis