Futaba 4EXA User Manual

Page 15

Advertising
background image

15

15

FLYING SAFETY GUIDELINES

FLYING SAFETY GUIDELINES

Find a suitable flying site

Find a suitable flying site (for USA)

(for USA)

If you are a beginning modeler and not yet a member of an R/C club, joining a club and flying at a site specifically intended for

R/C model aircraft is

highly recommended

highly recommended. In addition to joining a club, we strongly recommend joining the AMA (Academy

of Model Aeronautics). AMA membership is required to fly at AMA clubs. There are over 2,500 AMA-chartered clubs across

the country. Among other benefits, the AMA provides insurance to its members who fly at sanctioned sites and events.

Additionally, training programs and instructors are available at AMA club sites to help you get started the right way. Contact

the AMA at the address or toll-free phone number below:

Academy of Model Aeronautics

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive

Muncie, IN 47302-9252

Tele. (800) 435-9262

Fax (765) 741-0057

Or via the Internet at: http://www.modelaircraft.org

IMPORTANT:

IMPORTANT:

If you do insist on flying on your own, you

must

must be aware of your proximity to R/C club sites. If there is an R/C site within six

miles of where you are flying, and if you are operating your model on the same frequency as somebody else, there is a

strong

strong possibility that one or both models will crash due to radio interference. There is great

great potential for an out-of-control

model to cause property damage and/or severe personal injury. We

strongly

strongly urge you to fly at an R/C club site where

frequency control is in effect so you can be confident you will be the only one flying on your channel.

Charge the batteries

Charge the batteries

Second to the pilot's flight skills, one of the most important factors that can determine a model

s longevity is the

state-of-charge of the batteries - especially the on-board receiver pack. Inadequate charging and failing to monitor a battery's

voltage may lead to low battery power, causing loss of control and a crash. To avoid this, always charge the batteries the night

before you go flying. If ever uncertain how much "charge" is left in a battery, it is wiser to err on the side of caution, rather than

trying to get in one last flight! Due to the number of factors that determine receiver battery power consumption (such as the

number and type of servos in your model, the type of flying you do, how much resistance is built into the controls, the size of

the model, etc.), it is not possible to recommend how many flights one can get on a charge. The best way to monitor battery

power and calculate how much flight time you have left is to use a volt meter to check the batteries after each flight. This can

be done through the battery charging plug coming from the switch. There are many small, hand-held volt meters available

specially intended for R/C use. The Hobbico

®

Digital Voltmeter MKIII

(HCAP0356) is one such unit. An on-board volt meter

mounted directly on the model (HCAP0330) can also be used.

Advertising