EN
13
Flying Tips and Repairs
WARNING:
Always
decrease throttle at
propeller strike.
Consult local laws and ordinances before choosing a flying location.
Flying Field
Always choose a wide-open space for flying your aircraft. It is recommended you
fly at a designated RC flying field. Always avoid flying near houses, trees, wires
and buildings. Avoid flying in areas where there are many people, such as parks,
schoolyards, or soccer fields.
Range Check your Radio System
Before you fly, range check the radio system. Refer to your specific transmitter
instruction manual for range test information.
Takeoff
For your first flights, set your transmitter timer or a stopwatch to 7 minutes. Adjust
your timer for longer or shorter flights once you have flown the model.
Place the aircraft in position for takeoff (facing into the wind). Select low rates for
first takeoff and gradually increase the throttle to 3/4 to full and steer with the
rudder. Pull back gently on the elevator and climb to a comfortable altitude.
Flying
Fly the airplane and trim it for level flight at 3/4 throttle. After landing, adjust the
linkages mechanically to account for trim changes and then reset the trims to
neutral. Ensure the aircraft will fly straight and level with no trim or sub-trim.
Landing
To land the aircraft, fly the airplane down to about a foot above the ground. Reduce
power and add back pressure on the elevator to flare the airplane. Touch down
with the main wheels first by holding the nosewheel off the ground. Avoid holding
too much elevator after touchdown to prevent the plane from becoming airborne
again. Gently steer with the rudder until the plane has slowed. Avoid sharp turns on
the ground until the plane has slowed enough to prevent scraping the wing tips.
NOTICE:
If a crash is imminent, reduce the throttle and
trim fully. Failure to do so could result in extra damage to
the airframe, as well as damage to the ESC and motor.
NOTICE:
After any impact, always ensure the receiver
is secure in the fuselage. If you replace the receiver,
install the new receiver in the same orientation as the
original receiver or damage may result.
NOTICE:
Crash damage is not covered under warranty.
NOTICE:
When you are finished flying, never leave the
aircraft in direct sunlight or in a hot, enclosed area such
as a car. Doing so can damage the aircraft.
Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC)
When a Li-Po battery is discharged below 3V per cell, it will not hold a charge. The
ESC protects the flight battery from over-discharge using Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC).
Before the battery charge decreases too much, LVC removes power supplied to the
motor. Power to the motor pulses, showing that some battery power is reserved for
flight control and safe landing. Disconnect and remove the Li-Po battery from the
aircraft after use to prevent trickle discharge. Charge your Li-Po battery to about
half capacity before storage. During storage, make sure the battery charge does
not fall below 3V per cell. LVC does not prevent the battery from over-discharge
during storage.
NOTICE:
Repeated flying to LVC will damage the battery.
Tip
: Monitor your aircraft battery’s voltage before and after flying by using a
Li-Po Cell Voltage Checker (SPMXBC100, sold separately).
Repairs
Thanks to the foam material this aircraft is constructed of, repairs to the foam
can be made using virtually any adhesive (hot glue, regular CA, epoxy, etc).
The
horizontal tail is not made of the same material, so use only foam-compatible
CA on the horizontal tail.
When parts are not repairable, see the Replacement Parts List for ordering by item
number. For a listing of all replacement and optional parts, refer to the list at the
end of this manual.
NOTICE:
Use of CA accelerant on your aircraft can damage paint. DO NOT handle
the aircraft until accelerant fully dries.
Post Flight
1 Disconnect the flight battery from the ESC (Required for Safety and battery life).
2 Power OFF the transmitter.
3 Remove the flight battery from the aircraft.
4 Recharge the flight battery.
5 Repair or replace all damaged parts.
6 Store the flight battery apart from the aircraft and monitor the battery charge.
7 Make note of the flight conditions and flight plan results, planning for future flights.
SAFE Select Flying Tips
(
BNF Basic
)
When flying in SAFE Select mode the aircraft will return to level flight any time the aileron and
elevator controls are at neutral. Applying aileron or elevator control will cause the airplane to
bank, climb or dive. The amount the stick is moved will determine the attitude the airplane flies.
Holding full control will push the aircraft to the pre-determined bank and roll limits, but it will not
go past those angles.
When flying with SAFE Select, it is normal to hold the control stick deflected with moderate aileron
input when flying through a turn. To fly smoothly with SAFE Select, avoid making frequent control
changes and don’t attempt to correct for minor deviations. Holding deliberate control inputs will
command the aircraft to fly at a specific angle, and the model will make all corrections to maintain
that flight attitude.
When flying with SAFE Select, throttle will make the aircraft climb or descend. Full throttle will cause
the aircraft to pitch up and climb slightly. Mid throttle will keep the airplane flying level. Low throttle
will cause the airplane to descend slightly nose-down.
Return the elevator and aileron controls to neutral before switching from SAFE Select mode
to AS3X mode. If you do not neutralize controls when switching into AS3X mode, the control
inputs used for SAFE Select mode will be excessive for AS3X mode and the aircraft will react
immediately.
Differences between SAFE Select and AS3X modes
This section is generally accurate but does not take into account flight speed, battery charge
status, and other limiting factors.
SAFE Select
AS3X
Control Input
Control stick is
neutralized
Aircraft will self level
Aircraft will continue to fly
at its present attitude
Holding a small
amount of
control
Aircraft will bank or pitch to a moder-
ate angle and maintain the attitude
Aircraft will continue to
pitch or roll slowly
Holding full
control
Aircraft will bank or pitch to the
predetermined limits and maintain the
attitude
Aircraft will continue to roll
or pitch rapidly
Throttle
Full throttle: Climb
Neutral: Level flight
Low throttle: Descend
Throttle will not affect flight
response.