19
Using a ruler, measure back from the leading edge of the wing
and mark the balance point on the bottom of the wing, next to the
fuselage. Make the same marks on both sides of the fuselage.
Place your fingertips within the balance range on both sides of
the airplane and carefully lift it off the table. No part of the model
should be touching anything except your fingertips! If the RAS-
CAL will sit on your fingertips in a level attitude, then it is properly
balanced and ready to fly.
If the airplane sits on your fingertips in an extreme nose down at-
titude, then it is nose heavy. You will have to add weight to the
rear of the airplane to get it to balance. NOTE: Before adding ad-
ditional weight to the model, try simply moving the battery pack
to a further aft location. The battery pack is relatively heavy and
therefore makes a good balancing tool. You might try switching
places between the battery and receiver; or move the battery right
in front of the servos; or in extreme situations, move it behind the
servos. If you can’t get your model balanced simply by re-locating
the battery pack, then you will have to purchase lead weights from
your hobby dealer and glue them into the tail end of the fuselage.
If the airplane sits on your fingertips with the tail down, it is tail
heavy. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLY IT! A tail heavy model is very
dangerous and will most likely crash!! Weight will have to be
added to the nose of the model to bring it into balance. The
weights can be glued to the front of the firewall; or inside the cowl-
ing. There are also “spinner weights” available for tail heavy mod-
els. Wherever you put the balancing weight, make sure it cannot
come loose in flight!
When it comes to test flying a new model, we always advise mod-
elers to choose a calm day with little or no wind. These conditions
allow you to better evaluate and more accurately adjust the trim
requirements for your airplane. As we’ve mentioned before, a
good running, reliable motor is a must for the ultimate success of
your airplane. Take the time to solve any power system problems
before you try to fly.
Always make it part of your pre-flight routine to check each control
on the airplane, making sure the surfaces are moving in the cor-
rect directions. Also check each control linkage to be sure they
are secure and that nothing is loose. With all the controls
checked, make a range check with your radio system, making
sure everything is working perfectly.
After starting and warming up the engine, taxi the RASCAL out
to the take-off position on the flying field, (holding up elevator dur-
ing the taxi will keep the tailwheel firmly to the ground). For take-
off, the airplane should be lined-up with the center of the field with
the nose pointed directly into the wind. Hold a little up elevator
and smoothly advance the throttle - do not slam the throttle full
open all at once. As the RASCAL begins moving forward, back
off of the up elevator input and use the rudder, only as needed, to
correct any engine torque and/or wind induced deviations from a
straight take-off run. Allow the airplane to lift off, using ailerons to
keep the wings level. Climb to a reasonable altitude before mak-
ing any trim changes.
Although not intended as a trainer, the RASCAL is a very forgiving
design that allows you to fly at relatively low speeds, giving plenty
of time to learn the basics of R/C flight. With the control move-
ments set at the measurements provided in this manual, the air-
plane should exhibit smooth, predictable control. Try a few loops
and rolls. You will find that the roll rate is not especially high at
the initial aileron settings but they can be very axial with practice.
Inverted flight is easy, requiring surprisingly little down elevator
for level flight. The RASCAL also performs nice inside and outside
loops, snap rolls, Immelmann turns, stall turns, Cuban eights, and
spins. As with any aircraft, getting consistently good results is a
matter of practice. In all of this, we’ll bet one of your favorite RAS-
CAL maneuvers will be a long low fly-by - what a great looking
airplane!
While still at altitude, throttle the engine back to idle. This will give
you a good idea of the glide characteristics. While still at idle,
steadily increase up elevator input to get a feel for the stall char-
acteristics. With practice and a little rudder input, the RASCAL
can be flown to a virtual standstill before stalling. Stalls tend to
be very gentle with one wingtip or the other dropping, followed al-
most immediately with resumed flight as soon as the elevator is
neutralized. This is great information to have when setting up your
first landings.
You will find that this airplane has a powerful rudder. As you gain
experience and confidence with the RASCAL, you will find that
you can get some great cross-control action, including almost
sideways flight, side-slips, and flat turns. With a little elevator input
and a strong motor, the RASCAL will knife edge very well.
Landing the RASCAL is typically a pleasure. We suggest using a
standard landing approach, beginning with a throttled back down-
wind leg and base turn to the final approach into the wind. During
final approach, keep just a little power on the engine until the air-
plane is exactly where you want it for touchdown. In crosswind
situations, a little rudder input will likely be needed to keep the air-
plane lined up with the runway. The RASCAL can be easily
landed on either main wheels or in the three-point position. After
landing, always remember to hold up elevator when taxiing to
keep the tailwheel firmly to the ground.
We sincerely hope that your RASCAL will provide you with many
enjoyable flights. Good luck and safe flying!
With its large wing area and light weight, the RASCAL 72 EG
makes a terrific float plane!
FLYING