Instruction manual

TAKEOFF
Your first flight should be made in little or no wind. If you have
dual rates on your transmitter, set the switches to “low rate” for
takeoff. Taxi into position, pointing directly into the wind.
Although this model has good low speed characteristics, you
should always gain as much speed as your runway will permit
before lifting off, as this will give you a safety margin in case of
a “flame-out”. Advance the throttle smoothly to the wide-open
setting. When the plane has sufficient flying speed (you won’t
know until you try), lift off by smoothly applying a little up
elevator (don’t force it off into a steep climb!), and climb out
gradually, trying to keep it straight and the wings level. Climb
to about 100 feet before starting a VERY gentle turn by moving
the aileron stick. Apply a little more backpressure on the
elevator stick as the model turns. Stop the turn by moving the
aileron stick in the opposite direction until the wings are level,
then return the stick to the neutral position. Pull the power
back to 1/2 throttle.
FLYING
We recommend that you take it easy with your model for the
first several flights and gradually “get acquainted” with the
plane as your engine becomes fully broken-in. Trainers are
designed to fly level with neutral elevator trim at approximately
1/3 – ½ throttle – this is the best speed for learning to fly. On
later flights, if you want your model to maintain level flight at full
throttle, you will need to give it a little down trim.
Your first flights should consist of mostly straight and level flight
with gentle turns to keep the model over the field. These flights
will give you practice at coordinating your control inputs and
maintaining the proper orientation of the airplane. As
mentioned earlier, turns are accomplished by banking the
aircraft with the ailerons then gently adding some back stick
(up elevator). Enough back stick should be held in to keep the
aircraft at a constant altitude. To stop turning, apply opposite
aileron to level the wings, then release the stick. There is a
memory aid that may help keep you out of trouble when the
plane is flying toward you –“put the stick under the low wing.”
In other words, move the aileron stick in the direction of the low
wing to raise that wing. When you are comfortable flying the
aircraft, you can practice using the rudder along with the
ailerons to “coordinate” the turns – usually, a small amount of
rudder applied in the direction of the turn will keep the tail
following in the exact same track as the nose.
The most common mistake when learning to fly is “over
control.” Think of pressure instead of large movements of the
control sticks. Remember, most trainers will recover from
almost any over-control situation (given enough altitude) if you
simply let go of the sticks.
Add and practice one maneuver at a time, learning how
your model behaves in each one. For ultra-smooth flying
and normal maneuvers, we recommend using the “low-
rate” settings. High rate control throws will give your model
enough control for loops, barrel rolls, and many other basic
aerobatic maneuvers.
LANDING
When it’s time to land, fly a normal landing pattern and
approach as follows: Reduce the power to about ¼ throttle
and fly a downwind leg far enough out from the runway to
allow you to make a gentle 180-degree turn. As you make the
turn into the wind for your final approach, pull the throttle back
to idle. Most trainer planes have a lot of lift, so you will need a
slow, reliable idle in order to achieve a nice, slow landing. Allow
the plane to keep descending on a gradual glide slope until you
are about 3 feet off the runway. Gradually apply a little up
elevator to flare for landing. You should apply just enough up
elevator to hold the plane just off the runway while the excess
speed bleeds off. The model should settle onto the runway for
a slow slightly nose-high landing.
After you have several flights on your model, it’s time to reward
yourself with your first aerobatic maneuver – a loop. Climb to a
safe altitude and turn into the wind. Apply full throttle, level the
wings, then slowly pull back on the elevator stick to about ½
to ¾ up elevator (depending on your throws), and hold this
control input. After you go over the top and start down the
backside of the loop, pull the throttle back to about half. This
will keep the stresses on the airplane low and the airspeed
relatively constant. Keep holding “up” elevator until the plane
is level, and then slowly release the stick. You’re done! It’s really
that easy!
Fuel Mixture Adjustments
The fuel mixture should be richened so the engine runs at
about 200 rpm below peak speed. By running the engine
slightly rich, you will help prevent dead-stick landings
caused by overheating and will keep your engine
lubricated well during the break-in period.
Have a ball! But always stay in control and fly in a safe
manner. GOOD LUCK AND GREAT FLYING!
CAUTION (THIS APPLIES TO ALL R/C AIRPLANES): If,
while flying, you notice any unusual sounds, such as a
low-pitched “buzz,” this may indicate control surface
flutter. Because flutter can quickly destroy components
of your airplane, any time you detect flutter you must
immediately cut the throttle and land the airplane!
Check all servo grommets for deterioration (this may
indicate which surface fluttered), and make sure all
pushrod linkages are secure and free of play. If the
control surface fluttered once, it probably will flutter
again under similar circumstances unless you can
eliminate the free-play or flexing in the linkages. Here
are some things which can cause flutter: Excessive
hinge gap; Not mounting control horns solidly; Poor fit
of clevis pin in horn; Side-play of pushrod in guide tube
caused by tight bends; Excessive play or backlash in
servo gears; and Insecure servo mounting.
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