Carl Goldberg GPMA1966 Tiger 2 ARF - Manual (Page 23)

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2. With the wing attached to the fuselage, all parts of the
model installed (ready to fl y) and an empty fuel tank, place
the model upside-down on a Great Planes CG Machine,
™ or
lift it upside-down at the balance point you marked.
3. If the tail drops, the model is “tail heavy” and the battery
pack and/or receiver must be shifted forward or weight must
be added to the nose to balance. If the nose drops, the model
is “nose heavy” and the battery pack and/or receiver must be
shifted aft or weight must be added to the tail to balance. If
possible, relocate the battery pack and receiver to minimize or
eliminate any additional ballast required. If additional weight is
required, nose weight may be easily added by using a “spinner
weight” (GPMQ4645 for the 1 oz. [28g] weight, or GPMQ4646
for the 2 oz. [57g] weight). If spinner weight is not practical or
is not enough, use Great Planes (GPMQ4485) “stick-on” lead.
A good place to add stick-on nose weight is to the fi rewall
(don’t attach weight to the cowl—it is not intended to support
weight). Begin by placing incrementally increasing amounts
of weight on the bottom of the fuse over the fi rewall until the
model balances. Once you have determined the amount of
weight required, it can be permanently attached. If required,
tail weight may be added by cutting open the bottom of the
fuse and gluing it permanently inside.
Note: Do not rely upon the adhesive on the back of the lead
weight to permanently hold it in place. Over time, fuel and
exhaust residue may soften the adhesive and cause the
weight to fall off. Use #2 sheet metal screws, RTV silicone or
epoxy to permanently hold the weight in place.
4. IMPORTANT: If you found it necessary to add any
weight, recheck the C.G. after the weight has been installed.
BALANCE THE MODEL LATERALLY
1. With the wing level, have an assistant help you lift the
model by the engine propeller shaft and the bottom of the
fuse 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 wing tip. An airplane that has been
laterally balanced will track better in loops and other
maneuvers.
FLYING
The Tiger 2 ARF is a great-fl ying model that fl ies smoothly
and predictably. The Tiger 2 does not, however, possess the
self-recovery characteristics of a primary R/C trainer and
should be fl own only by experienced R/C pilots.
FUEL MIXTURE ADJUSTMENTS
A fully cowled engine may run at a higher temperature than
an un-cowled engine. For this reason, the fuel mixture should
be richened so the engine runs at about 200 rpm below
peak speed. By running the engine slightly rich, you will help
prevent dead-stick landings caused by overheating.
TAKEOFF
If you have dual rates on your transmitter, set the switches
to “high rate” for takeoff, especially when taking off in
a crosswind. Although this model has good low-speed
characteristics, you should always build up as much speed
as your runway will permit before lifting off, as this will give
you a safety margin in case of a “fl ame-out.” When you fi rst
advance the throttle the plane will usually turn left slightly.
Correct by applying suffi cient right rudder to hold it straight
down the runway. When the plane has suffi cient fl ying speed,
lift off by smoothly applying up elevator (don’t pull it hard into
a steep climb!), and climb out gradually.
FLIGHT
We recommend that you take it easy with your Tiger 2 ARF
for the fi rst several fl ights, gradually “getting acquainted”
with this realistic model as your engine gets fully broken-
in. Add and practice one maneuver at a time, learning how
she behaves in each. For ultra-smooth fl ying and normal
maneuvers, we recommend using the “low rate” settings
as listed on page 22. Well before it’s time to land, fl y your
Tiger 2 ARF to a safe altitude. Cut the throttle to an idle
and check out the model’s low-speed characteristics. Do
this several times to become familiar with how the Tiger
2 ARF handles stalls. This also helps you learn what to
expect when landing.
LANDING
When it’s time to land, fl y a normal landing pattern and
approach. For your fi rst landings, plan to approach slightly
faster than stall speed and fl are a few inches off the runway
onto the main wheels.