FMA Direct
7
Skysprite instruction manual
Flying Skysprite the first time
Preflight check.
It’s a good idea to perform a preflight check
before each flight to make certain everything is working:
a. Turn on the Transmitter and extend the antenna.
b. Check the Status Lights to make sure it’s okay to fly.
c. Hold Skysprite firmly in one hand. Squeeze the Motor
Trigger to make sure the propeller turns very fast.
d. Press the Direction Switch to make sure the Tail Fan turns
fast.
If everything checks out, you are ready to fly.
Taking off from the ground.
If your flying area has a
smooth, flat surface, it’s easiest to take off from the ground.
a. Place Skysprite on the ground or pavement, with its nose
pointed into the wind.
b. Squeeze and hold the Motor Trigger.
c. After rolling about 20 feet, Skysprite should lift off and be-
gin to climb.
Launching by hand.
If your flying area is grass or has a
rough surface, you must hand-launch Skysprite.
a. Hold Skysprite from below the fuselage, just behind the
wing. Hold the Transmitter in the other hand.
b. Point Skysprite into the wind.
c. Squeeze and hold the Motor Trigger.
d. Gently toss Skysprite straight out with the wings level.
You don’t need to throw Skysprite hard—it should just fly
out of your hand from a gentle toss. Also, you don’t need
to throw Skysprite up—if the Airplane Battery is fully
charged, Skysprite will maintain altitude and slowly climb.
Controlling Skysprite in the air.
z
Keep squeezing the Motor Trigger. If you trimmed the rud-
der as recommended, Skysprite should fly gradually up and
to the left. Fly Skysprite until it is at least 50 feet above the
ground before you try turning it yourself.
z
Release the Motor Trigger. Notice that Skysprite begins to
glide downward.
Important point:
Squeeze the Motor Trigger to make
Skysprite go up. Release the Motor Trigger to let
Skysprite come down.
z
Squeeze the Motor Trigger, then press the Direction Switch
to one side for a short time (just a few seconds, at most).
Skysprite should make a gentle turn in that direction. If
you hold the Direction Switch too long, Skysprite will be-
gin to descend, even if you are still squeezing the Motor
Trigger.
z
Using the Direction Switch, practice making gentle turns to
the right and left.
Important point:
When Skysprite is flying toward you,
the Direction Switch will seem reversed—you want
Skysprite to turn to your left, but it turns the other way.
This is one of the challenges of flying radio-controlled air-
craft. We recommend lots of practice until you can make
Skysprite turn the direction you want, whether it’s flying
away from you or toward you.
z
Try making Skysprite fly straight without rising by alternat-
ing short left and right bursts with the Direction Switch.
Important point:
When properly trimmed, Skysprite
goes up when it is flying straight ahead, and it goes down
when it is turning. By turning a little left, a little right, a
little left, a little right, and so forth, you can keep
Skysprite from rising while it moves straight ahead.
How long can you fly?
If the Airplane Battery starts with a
full charge, you can fly for about 5 minutes. As the Airplane
Battery starts to run down, Skysprite will not climb when you
squeeze the Motor Trigger. When you notice this, you should
land the airplane.
Tip:
To fly longer, use the optional Lithium Polymer Air-
plane Battery. This battery is described later in the
manual.
Landing.
a. Turn Skysprite so it is flying into the wind.
b. Release the Motor Trigger to let Skysprite glide down. If
Skysprite is coming down too fast, squeeze the Motor Trig-
ger in short bursts to maintain a gentle glide path.
After the flight.
CAUTION:
The Airplane Battery becomes very hot dur-
ing a flight. Let it cool down for about 30 minutes before
you remove it from the airplane.
a. Turn off the Transmitter and collapse the antenna.
b. After the Airplane Battery cools down, remove it from the
airplane.
