19
Balance the Model Laterally
❏
1. With the wing level, have an assistant help you lift the
model by the motor propeller shaft and the bottom of the
fuselage under the TE of the fi n. Do this several times.
❏
2. If one wing always drops when you lift the model, it
means that side is heavy. Balance the airplane by adding
weight to the other wingtip. An airplane that has been laterally
balanced will track better in loops and other maneuvers.
PREFLIGHT
Identify Your Model
No matter if you fl y at an AMA sanctioned R/C club site or if
you fl y somewhere on your own, you should always have your
name, address, telephone number and AMA number on or
inside your model. It is required at all AMA R/C club fl ying sites
and AMA sanctioned fl ying events. Fill out the identifi cation
tag on page 22 and place it on or inside your model.
Charge the Batteries
Follow the battery charging instructions that came with your radio
control system to charge the batteries. You should always charge
your transmitter batteries the night before you go fl ying, and at
other times as recommended by the radio manufacturer.
CAUTION: Unless the instructions that came with your
radio system state differently, the initial charge on new
transmitter and receiver batteries should be done for 15
hours using the slow-charger that came with the radio
system. This will “condition” the batteries so that the next
charge may be done using the fast-charger of your choice.
If the initial charge is done with a fast-charger the batteries
may not reach their full capacity and you may be fl ying with
batteries that are only partially charged.
Balance Propellers
Carefully balance your propeller and spare propellers before
you fl y. An unbalanced prop can be the single most signifi cant
cause of vibration that can damage your model. Not only
will motor mounting screws and bolts loosen, possibly with
disastrous effect, but vibration may also damage your radio
receiver and battery.
We use a Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer
(TOPQ5700) in the workshop and keep a Great Planes
Fingertip Prop Balancer (GPMQ5000) in our fl ight box.
Range Check
Ground check the operational range of your radio before the
fi rst fl ight of the day. With the transmitter antenna collapsed
and the receiver and transmitter on, you should be able
to walk at least 100 feet [30m] away from the model and
still have control. Have an assistant stand by your model
and, while you work the controls, tell you what the control
surfaces are doing. Repeat this test with the motor running
at various speeds with an assistant holding the model, using
hand signals to show you what is happening. If the control
surfaces do not respond correctly, do not fl y! Find and correct
the problem fi rst. Look for loose servo connections or broken
wires, corroded wires on old servo connectors, poor solder
joints in your battery pack or a defective cell, or a damaged
receiver crystal from a previous crash. The problem may be
the location of the antenna. The antenna should be as far
away from the ESC and battery as possible.
MOTOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Failure to follow these safety precautions may result
in severe injury to yourself and others.
Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to operate
electric motors.
Use safety glasses when running electric motors.
