Top Flite TOPA0704 - Manual (Page 42)

42
bottom of the fuselage over the location where it would
be mounted inside until the model balances. Our model
required nearly a pound of weight on the nose which we
mounted to the fi rewall box. Do not attach weight to the
cowl—this will cause the mounting screws to open up the
holes in the cowl. 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: If mounting weight where it may be exposed to
fuel or exhaust, do not rely upon the adhesive on the
back to permanently hold it in place. Over time, fuel and
exhaust residue may soften the adhesive and cause
the weight to fall off. Instead, permanently attach the
weight with glue or screws.
❏
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.
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 47 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 and receiver
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 engine mounting screws and bolts
loosen, possibly with disastrous effect, but vibration may
also damage your radio receiver and battery. Vibration
can also cause your fuel to foam, which will, in turn,
cause your engine to run hot or quit.
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.
GROUND CHECK AND RANGE CHECK
Run the engine for a few minutes to make sure it idles
reliably, transitions smoothly and maintains full power
indefi nitely. Afterward, shut the engine off and inspect
the model closely, making sure all fasteners, pushrods
and connections have remained tight and the hinges
are secure. Always ground check the operational range
of your radio before the fi rst fl ight of the day following
the manufacturer’s instructions that came with your
radio. This should be done once with the engine off
and once with the engine running at various speeds. 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.
ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Failure to follow these safety precautions may
result in severe injury to yourself and others.
● Keep all engine fuel in a safe place, away from high
heat, sparks or fl ames, as fuel is very fl ammable. Do
not smoke near the engine or fuel; and remember
that engine exhaust gives off a great deal of deadly
carbon monoxide. Therefore
do not run the engine
in a closed room or garage .
● Get help from an experienced pilot when learning
to operate engines.
● Use safety glasses when starting or running engines.
● Do not run the engine in an area of loose gravel or
sand; the propeller may throw such material in your
face or eyes.
● Keep your face and body as well as all spectators
away from the plane of rotation of the propeller as
you start and run the engine.
● Keep these items away from the prop: loose clothing,
shirt sleeves, ties, scarfs, long hair or loose objects
such as pencils or screwdrivers that may fall out of
shirt or jacket pockets into the prop.