SIG SUKHOI SU-31 ARF, Assembly Manual, Page: 21 / 26

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Holding up elevator, taxi the model to get a feel for how it handles on the ground. Make sure you have positive left and right turning
ability. If not, make any adjustments needed to achieve positive ground control. Once you are satisfied with the taxi tests, line the model
up with the centerline of the runway, nose into the wind. Hold a little up elevator and advance the throttle smoothly - do not throw the
throttle open all at once! The airplane should roll forward smoothly, tailwheel on the ground. As speed builds, slowly back off the
elevators and use just a little rudder, only as needed, to maintain a straight takeoff run. The tail will come up as flying speed is reached
and a little up elevator will lift the SUKHOI off the ground.
Maintain a straight outbound flight path, climbing at a shallow angle until a safe maneuvering altitude is reached. If the model requires
trim, fly it to a reasonable altitude first before trimming. Initially, make your control inputs smooth and avoid jerking the sticks.
At altitude, make any trim changes needed to achieve hands off, straight and level flight. From our experience, this will take very little
trim input, if the model was assembled and balanced properly. Once you're comfortable, make a few circuits around the field to get the
feel of the controls. The airplane should demonstrate smooth flight characteristics without jumpiness or over-sensitivity. At altitude, try
a roll. Then try another roll to the opposite side. Properly trimmed, the SUKHOI will roll smoothly and very axially in either direction.
Now try a loop. The SUKHOI should pull cleanly through loops, without wandering to either side. Once you're comfortable, try knife-
edge flight. You will quickly find that the SUKHOI has little or no pitch/roll coupling and that it easily maintains altitude with just a little
rudder input! You will also discover that your SUKHOI has outstanding inverted flight characteristics. Our prototypes require only the
smallest amount of down elevator to maintain level inverted flight!
Assuming you're comfortable and getting used to the airplane, take it to a safe altitude and throttle back to get a feel for the slow flight
and stall characteristics. Properly balanced and trimmed, your SUKHOI should demonstrate fairly sedate, no fuss stall characteristics.
Once flying speed and up elevator input is bled off, the SUKHOI should just drop its nose and resume flying as speed picks up. All of
this is great information to have when you are setting up the first landing.
Landing the SUKHOI is a pleasure. We like to keep a little power on the engine during final approach, down to a few feet off the ground.
Back completely off the throttle once the airplane is low to the ground with a good rate of descent established.
Flair the
airplane as the ground approaches for a smooth 3-point landing and rollout. Hard landings are not necessary, sound piloting skills are.
The second flight should be even more fun because you have by now inputted any required trims learned from the first flight. Before
flying again, check the airplane for anything that may have come loose, become disconnected, etc. This is good practice and tends to
insure a long life for the model.
As you become more familiar with your SUKHOI, you are going to discover its ability to perform aerobatics. The SUKHOI is an
elegant aerobatic machine with seemingly endless capabilities.
For those of you interested in using your SUKHOI for 3-D
aerobatics, set up your radio to take advantage of the huge control movements available from this model. However, we would urge you
to "sneak up" on such control throws, making very sure you have them available to you only on your high rate switches!
We hope you will enjoy your SUKHOI SU-31 for a long time to come. Please fly the model safely with constant regard to other fliers,
spectators, and property.
GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FLYING!