11
Perform a range check your radio before each
fl ight. Switch on the airplane and then switch on
the transmitter. Have a helper hold the airplane.
With the transmitter waist high and the antenna
collapsed, walk 75 feet away from the airplane,
holding the transmitter with the antenna pointing
up. Move the control stick, checking that the control
surfaces respond. Also, turn the motor on and check
the range. If you still have control of the airplane,
it is safe to extend the transmitter antenna and fl y
the airplane. 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. Also, make
sure the wire antenna is extended out the back of
the airplane.
With the throttle slide moved fully upwards, hand
launch the SkyFly 2 into the wind, at a slight
upward angle.
Note:
For the fi rst couple of fl ights,
we recommend having a helper hand launch the
airplane. After you become familiar with the fl ight
characteristics of the airplane, it can be fl own off a
hard surface instead of being hand launched.
Pull the right stick toward you so that the plane
climbs at a 20 to 30 degree angle. Allow the airplane
to climb a few seconds before turning it.
When your airplane is moving away from you,
moving the 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. By adding a little up
elevator (moving the right stick towards you) during
the turn, the airplane will turn much tighter. To stop
the turn, move the stick the opposite direction
until the airplane is fl ying straight.
Caution:
It only
requires a small amount of up elevator.
When the airplane is coming toward you, moving
the right 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 rudder stick left,
the plane will go to your left.
Now that you have gained some altitude, it is time to
trim the plane for straight, level fl ight. If the airplane
wants to climb when the elevator stick is released,
move the elevator trim lever up. If the airplane
wants to dive, move the elevator trim lever down. It
should require very little trim. Your goal is to have the
airplane fl y level with the elevator stick centered.
Now, with the airplane fl ying level, check to see if the
airplane is fl ying straight. If it wants to turn when the
rudder stick is centered, move the rudder trim lever
opposite the direction the airplane is turning. The
airplane should be trimmed so that if you take your hands
off of the control stick, the airplane will fl y straight and
level on its own. Having the airplane trimmed properly
makes fl ying much easier and more enjoyable.
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.
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.
IT’S NOW TIME TO LAND
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. For your fi rst couple of fl ights we recommend
that you attempt to land before the motor stops. Your
SkyFly 2 comes with an auto cut-off feature which
reserves battery power for safe landings. During your
fi rst fl ight, while at a high altitude, turn the motor off and
notice how the SkyFly 2 reacts. This will give you an
idea of how the airplane will react during a landing.
To land the SkyFly 2, fl y down wind, past the landing
area. Gently turn into the wind and reduce the throttle
so that the airplane starts to come down. Adjust the
throttle as needed to reach the landing area, but not
fl y past it.
Just before landing, at about 1 foot above the
ground, apply a little up elevator to fl are (raise the
nose of the airplane). This will cause the airplane to
slow and settle to the ground.
