20
working on them!). The model turns more tightly at idle
speeds, so if you need to do a U-turn, throttle back to bring
the model around. At higher speeds during a takeoff run
the water rudders have the correct amount of effectiveness
to steer the model on its intended path. Takeoffs can be
long and graceful or short and steep—either way the fl oats
handle the water well. If the winds are really high the model
can still be fl own from water, but avoid turning it directly
across the wind. Otherwise, the wind can get under the
wing and fl ip the model over. In the air, the only effect of
the fl oats is that the model fl ies slightly slower.
Flying “normally” (using half-throttle for general cruising and
full-throttle only when required) the Turbo Beaver model can
get as much as 8 minutes of fl ight time using a 2200mAh
battery. Flying more aggressively using consistently higher
throttle settings will increase the current draw from the
battery and reduce fl ying time.
To fi nd out for yourself how long you can fl y, set your timer
to a conservative 5 minutes. Fly until the timer sounds, then
land. Use a charger with a digital display to fi nd out how
much capacity it took to recharge the battery (indicating how
much capacity was used). To avoid over discharging your
LiPos use only 80% of your battery’s capacity, so multiply
your battery’s capacity by .8 to fi nd out how much you
have available. Compare the capacity used to 80% of your
battery’s capacity and adjust your fl ight time accordingly.
For example:
If using the recommended 2200mAh battery,
your target capacity to use for a fl ight is 1760mAh (2200mAh
x .8 = 1760mAh). If you fl y for fi ve minutes and it takes
1400mAh to recharge your battery, you still have 360mAh to
go before you should land, so adjust your timer to increase
your fl ight time accordingly until you reach your 1760mAh
target. (You could also divide 1400mAh by fi ve minutes to
fi gure a current consumption rate of 280mAh/minute. Divide
1760mAh by 280mAh/minute to conclude that you can fl y
for 6.3 minutes—but round down to 6 minutes.)
When powering off,
always
unplug the battery from
the plane
before
turning the transmitter OFF.
It’s also a great idea to use a LiPo battery checker such
as the E-fl ite LiPo Vell Voltage Checker (EFLA111) to
check the battery
before
each fl ight (to make sure you
haven’t inadvertently grabbed a discharged battery) and
to check the battery
after
fl ight to make sure you haven’t
over discharged your battery by fl ying too long. A safe,
conservative, minimum voltage is 3.65V – 3.7V per cell
right after a fl ight.
REPAIRS
Parts damaged beyond repair can be purchased separately.
The full replacement part list is printed in the front of the
manual on page 4. Often though, parts can be repaired
and you can get your plane back into the air with a little
glue and ingenuity.
This model is made from injection-molded EPO (expanded
polyolefi n) foam which can be glued with just about anything.
Most people use regular CA. With CA no clamping is required,
but some prefer softer, more fl exible adhesives such as
white glue or canopy glue. These will require clamps or
tape to hold the parts together while the glue dries.
One fi nal note about fl ying your model. Have a goal or fl ight
plan in mind for
every
fl ight. This can be learning a new
maneuver(s), improving a maneuver(s) you already know,
or learning how the model behaves in certain conditions
(such as on high or low rates). This is not necessarily to
improve your skills (
though it is never a bad idea!)
, but more
importantly so you do not surprise yourself by impulsively
attempting a maneuver and suddenly fi nding that you’ve
run out of time, altitude or airspeed. Every maneuver should
be deliberate, not impulsive. For example, if you’re going
to do a loop, check your altitude, mind the wind direction
(anticipating rudder corrections that will be required to
maintain heading), remember to throttle back at the top,
and make certain you are on the desired rates (high/low
rates). A fl ight plan greatly reduces the chances of crashing
your model just because of poor planning and impulsive
moves.
Remember to think.
Have a ball! But always stay in control
and fl y in a safe manner.
GOOD LUCK AND GREAT FLYING!
