FLYING THE PLAYMATE
1. Perform a range check on your radio system before each
fl ight. Switch on the transmitter and then connect the battery
to the plane. Have a helper hold the airplane.
CAUTION:
Keep
your hands behind the propeller. Walk 50' [15m] away from
the airplane (or the maximum distance your fl ying site allows),
holding the transmitter with the antenna pointing up. Move the
right control stick, checking that the control surfaces respond.
Move the throttle stick up to check the motor. If you still have
control of the airplane, it is safe to fl y. If you do not have control
of the plane, make sure the batteries in the transmitter are fresh
and the battery in the plane is charged.
2. With the throttle stick in the full up position, hand launch the
Playmate into the wind (or if inside, launch in a direction that
will provide you with the largest available space to make your
fi rst turn), at a slight upward angle.
NOTE:
For the fi rst couple of
fl ights, we recommend having a helper hand launch the airplane.
3. Your transmitter controls the altitude, direction and speed of
the airplane. The right control stick controls the direction and
altitude and the left stick controls the throttle. After you become
comfortable with the fl ight characteristics fo the Playmate, the
plane can fl y comfortably at 1/2- to 3/4-throttle.
4. When your airplane is moving away from you, moving the
right control stick to the left will make your plane turn to the left.
Moving the stick to the right will make the airplane turn to the
right. To stop the turn, move the stick the opposite direction until
the airplane is fl ying straight.
5. When the airplane is coming toward you, moving the right
control stick left still causes left rudder, but your airplane goes to
your right. In short, you have to reverse the way you control the
rudder. Here’s a good way to familiarize yourself with the controls:
When the airplane is coming toward you, turn your body so that
you are facing the same direction the airplane is going, looking
over your shoulder at the airplane. Now when you move the right
control stick left, the plane will go to your left.
6. Don’t let the airplane get too far away from you. The farther
away it is, the harder it is to see what the airplane is doing.
7. When learning to fl y, it is best to keep the airplane high enough
so that if you make a mistake, you have enough altitude to correct
the mistake.
8. When you have become comfortable with the fl
ight
characteristics of the Playmate, it can takeoff from the ground. A
smooth surface is required for the wheels to roll.
LANDING THE PLAYMATE
It’s a known fact among fellow R/C pilots that your airplane will
land. It is up to you as to where and how it lands.
1. For your fi rst couple of fl ights we recommend that you attempt
to land before the motor stops. When the battery voltage becomes
low during fl ight, the motor will stop rotating to protect the battery
from being discharged to an unsafe voltage. Flight speed will
begin to decrease before this occurs. Land the Playmate when
you notice a decrease in fl ight speed.
2. When the transmitter battery power gets low, the LED will
become dim. When this happens, it’s time to land your Playmate.
3. During your fi rst fl ight, while at a high altitude, turn the motor
off by moving the left control stick down and note how the
Playmate reacts. This will give you an idea of how the airplane
will react during a landing without power.
4. To land the Playmate, fl y downwind, past the landing area.
Gently turn into the wind and gradually reduce the throttle so that
the airplane starts to slow into a smooth, descending path. Adjust
the throttle as needed to reach the landing area, but not fl y past it.
5. Just before landing, at about 1 foot [0.3m] above the ground,
move the throttle control stick all the way down and apply some
up elevator (right control stick down) to land the Playmate safely
on the landing gear and tail skid.
CAUTION: If, during a rough landing, the propeller on the
Playmate should become jammed and cannot rotate with
the throttle in the run position, the battery and airplane
electronics could become damaged. Immediately lower the
throttle to stop the motor.
AFTER THE FLIGHT
Disconnect and remove the battery from the airplane. Then,
switch the transmitter off. Allow the motor and battery to cool
before recharging. Check the airplane over to make sure nothing
has come loose or may be damaged.
REPAIRS
Even the best R/C pilots in the world damage their airplanes every
now and then. In the unfortunate event that you damage your
airplane, repairs are fairly simple to make yourself. If there are
any cracks in the wing or fuselage, apply 6-minute epoxy, white
glue, or foam-safe CA glue to the broken areas and hold them
together with clear packaging tape. Let the glue cure, leaving the
tape in place for added strength.
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