Specifications

SONIC OWNERS MANUAL
20 Version 1.01
GENERAL TUNING HINTS
As your new Sonic is test flown prior to delivery, you can have reasonable confidence
that unless it has been damaged in transport it will arrive with standard factory trim.
This setting is achieved when the sum of the dynamic air pressures of the aerofoil
(centre of pressure) are centred in the same position on the glider as the sum of the
gravitational forces (centre of gravity).
The flight characteristics demonstrating this “trim” setting are as follows:
• The trim speed at which the glider will fly without pilot input is approximately 4
mph above stall speed.
• The glider will produce bar pressure to return to this trim setting whether it is
slowed below or accelerated above this speed.
• The glider will fly straight unless acted upon by variations in the air.
• The glider will bank evenly, both to the left and right, showing no differing
tendency to increase the bank (wind in to the turn) or to flatten out in the turn,
thus coordinating identically in both directions.
If your glider develops any variations from these trim characteristics, then some minor
tuning adjustments may be necessary to correct the problem. However, if the problem
seems serious or you feel hesitant to make the adjustments suggested, please seek
assistance from your Moyes dealer or at least a more experienced pilot.
Always check the simple things first:
Hang loops: (centre of gravity) Are the hang loops secure in their original position? Be
sure the loops can not slip fore or aft from the set position.
Battens Bungies: (tensions) Have any bungee cords slipped or worn enough to give less
tension? Check that the #7 battens are inserted correctly.
Once you have checked that the problem does not come from these sources, then a few
more checks should be made. Firstly, try to recall if you had any hard landings or if the
glider was flipped by the wind. If you can come up with a possible cause for the loss in
trim then you are on the track to correcting the problem.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should the reflex bridles be altered from original setting
and specifications. Alteration of these could affect the glider’s pitch stability and would
possibly go undetected in normal flight conditions.
If the glider has developed a turn (this will be detected in flight by a constant need to
hold your body to one side or by constant course correction) and trying your battens to
the template has not removed it, and if you can recall a hard landing, especially where
one wing took most of the impact, then there is a good chance that a leading edge is
bent or damaged.