Top Flite TOPA0705 - Manual (Page 36)

36
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 39
and place it on or inside your model.
CHARGE THE BATTERIES
Follow the battery charging instructions that came
with your radio control system and ignition 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.
Use a “chicken stick” or electric starter to start the
engine. Do not use your fi ngers to fl ip the propeller.
Make certain the glow plug clip or connector is secure
so that it will not pop off or otherwise get into the
running propeller.
Make all engine adjustments from behind the rotating
propeller.
The engine gets hot! Do not touch it during or right after
operation. Make sure fuel lines are in good condition
so fuel will not leak onto a hot engine, causing a fi re.
To stop a gasoline powered engine an on/off switch
should be connected to the engine coil. Do not throw
anything into the propeller of a running engine.