Flying tips – E-flite UMX Radian BNF User Manual

Page 8

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8

EN

NOTICE: Always
decrease throttle
at propeller strike.

Flying Tips

Consult local laws and ordinances before choosing
a location to fl y your aircraft.

We recommend fl ying your aircraft outside in no
greater than moderate winds or inside in a large
gymnasium. Always avoid fl ying near houses,
trees, wires and buildings. You should also be
careful to avoid fl ying in areas where there are
many people, such as busy parks, schoolyards or
soccer fi elds. For additional tips on fl ying, refer to
the product page at horizonhobby.com.

Hand Launching

When hand-launching your aircraft alone, hold
the aircraft in one hand and the transmitter in the
other.

Apply about 1/2–3/4 throttle. Hold the aircraft
on the underside and throw the aircraft directly
into the wind, angled slightly up (5 to 10 degrees
above the horizon). Climb to check the trim. Once
the trim is adjusted, begin exploring the fl ight
envelope of the aircraft.

Soaring

Your aircraft can ascend on thermals and other
updrafts to prolong its fl ight. There are many ways
to stay aloft with a sailplane, such as ridge lifts and
thermals. A thermal is simply a column of rising
warm air. Once you get your aircraft into the air,
watch your aircraft for a response to thermals.
If the airplane randomly rolls on its own, it is
likely that you only fl ew through the edge of the
thermal, causing one side of the airplane to rise,
rather than the entire airplane. Enter the thermal
by turning your aircraft directly into it, circling
to stay in the center of the thermal. Slow your
forward speed by increasing up elevator trim so
that your aircraft is moving just faster than stall
(minimum sink speed). Make easy banking turns
to fi nd the area of highest lift (the thermal’s core).
When you fi nd the core of lift, tighten your turns
to stay near this position. Sometimes thermals

drift downwind. It is best that you search for
thermals upwind, so that you can follow a thermal
downwind if it is pushed downwind.

With practice, you will fi nd it easier to locate and
anticipate the movement of thermals. Although
thermals cannot be seen, you can see dust, insects
or birds riding an updraft. Air movement of a
thermal may be felt, so movement in an otherwise
calm spot may show you the location of a nearby
thermal. A shift in the wind (in a light breeze) can
be airfl ow into a thermal.

Landing

Make sure to land into the wind. Due to the high
lifting effi

ciency of the sailplane design, landing

requires a large landing area. While on your
downwind leg, remember that the sailplane glides
much better than other aircraft. You will need to
setup for landing lower and with a more shallow
descent than you may be used to. As you are on
approach for landing, ensure that the model is
descending slowly, but also not accelerating.
Maintain this descent and speed, and, as the
model nears the ground (approximately 6 inches
(15 cm)), slowly apply a small amount of up
elevator. Before the aircraft touches down, always
fully decrease throttle to avoid damage to the
propeller, motor, ESC or other components.

CAUTION: Never catch a fl ying aircraft in
your hands. Doing so could cause personal

injury and damage to the aircraft.

Failure to lower the throttle
stick and trim to the lowest
possible positions during
a crash could result in
damage to the ESC in the
receiver unit, which may
require replacement.

NOTICE: Crash damage
is not covered under
warranty.

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