27
E-flite Shoestring 15e ARF Assembly Manual
Take-off
With the high Kv motor and a small 8-inch propeller,
there is a ton of torque coming from your motor, so
be prepared on your first takeoff. The airplane will
easily come off the ground at 1/2 throttle, so if you
stop yourself from going full bore and wait to apply
full power until well airborne, your takeoffs will be
easier and a thing of beauty. While the tailwheel is
on the ground it provides good authority against any
torque-induced yaw, but once the tailwheel lifts off, be
prepared to apply additional right rudder to keep the
airplane on a straight path. With an 8-inch pitch prop,
it takes a full 15 seconds for the airplane to gain full
speed.
Racing tips
The key to going fast and maintaining your speed is to
induce the least amount of drag while you are flying
the airplane. Every time you move a flight control you
increase the drag, so use very little control surface
movement to help with this. Get used to using a lot of
stick movement on your transmitter (on all axes) and
your ability to make smooth corrections and fly a faster
line through the air will increase tremendously.
I like to set up my transmitter so almost full elevator
stick movement is required to complete a turn around a
pylon. Ailerons are set up so a complete full roll takes
2–3 seconds (the distance from one end of a racing
course to the other). I usually also set up my rudder so
that full right rudder will provide a straight takeoff run
with a wide open throttle. I also mix in a little rudder
with aileron movement (about 4%); just enough so you
can roll from right knife edge to left knife edge and
back again without gaining any altitude.
Some tips on passing your racing friends. Stay above
their racing line. There is a tremendous amount of
what we call bad air (turbulence) right behind and
below them. While it might seem cool and exciting
to execute a pass below, at these speeds there is
rarely any time to correct from turbulence before your
beloved racer is in the ground. Take heed!
Landing
Landing your model is identical whether you are using
the Sport (Power 15) or Racing (Power 25) setups.
With the wing loading at about 21 ounces per square
foot, the landing speeds for this airplane are actually
very slow … if you can get it to slow down. It is a
very clean airplane and if you let the nose drop on
approach, it will pick up all the speed you just worked
so hard to lose. Just go to high rate to make sure you
have adequate elevator once you get the airplane
slowed down when it is least effective. Plan your
approach and be prepared to make a go-around on
the first few tries. You’ll get the hang of it very quickly.
Happy Landings!
Daily Flight Checks
1. Check the battery voltage of the transmitter
battery. Do not fly below the manufacturer’s
recommended voltage. To do so may cause your
aircraft to crash.
When you check these batteries, ensure you have the
polarities correct on your expanded scale voltmeter.
2. Check all hardware (linkages, screws, nuts, and
bolts) prior to each day’s flight. Ensure the control
surfaces and linkages are not binding and all parts
are properly secured.
3. Ensure all surfaces are moving in the
proper manner.
4. Perform a ground range check before each day’s
flying session.
5. Prior to starting your aircraft, turn off your
transmitter, then turn it back on. Do this each time
you start your aircraft. If any critical switches are on
without your knowledge, the transmitter alarm will
sound a warning.
6. Check that all trim levers are in the
proper location.
7. All servo pigtails and switch harness plugs should
be secured in the receiver. Make sure the switch
harness moves freely in both directions.
