Smoke System
Should you choose to install a smoke tank, it may
be installed underneath the engine hatch. A 40 oz.
Dubro tank is shown here.
Fabricate four ply hold downs from scrap ply and
Aeropoxy two on each side of the tank. Position the
tank far enough aft to clear the front main fuel tank.
Assemble the Dubro tank per the instructions, using
the brown gas stopper.
Using a few dots of silicone glue and tie straps, affix
the smoke tank to the hatch as shown.
Install smoke system components and plumb.
It is recommended that you use quick disconnects
for the lines from the tank to allow removal of the
hatch.
Weight and Balance
Test fuel the airplane and check for leaks. Drain,
leaving residual fuel in the UAT and tanks.
Set the CG at
195 - 210
mm aft of the wing leading
edge
for the first flight.
Throws should be at least 40 mm on the elevator up
and down, and at least 20 mm up and down on the
ailerons. Set as much rudder throw as possible.
Set approximately 40 degrees of flap. Make sure to
slow the plane down before deploying. Use the
slider switch for the first flight for flap deployment.
It is recommended that you also add crow to the
ailerons at full flaps for landing. The crow setting
should initially be set on a separate switch for the
first few flights to remove it if necessary.
Test Flight
For the test flight, try to find a field with a lot of “outs” in
case of problems. Do not attempt the test flight if there
are known issues with the plane. It will be helpful not to
have a lot of spectators, and a spotter familiar with the
aircraft would be best.
Quickly check the CG and throws in the first few minutes
of flight, then drop the gear and flaps and practice slow
flight and approaches. You want to make sure you are
comfortable with the first landing and that you have plenty
of fuel to troubleshoot issues and become familiar with
the approach characteristics of the plane. Do not force a
bad landing ... go around if necessary. Have your spotter
keep time, and plan to land with plenty of fuel. Good luck!
FEI BAO T45
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