Top Flite TOPA0155 - Manual (Page 65)

Balance propellers
Carefully balance the propeller and spare propellers
before flying. An unbalanced prop can be the single
most significant 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 the radio receiver and
battery. Vibration can also cause fuel to foam, which
will, in turn, cause the 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 flight box.
Ground inspection
If the engine is new, follow the engine manufacturer’s
instructions to break-in the engine. After break-in,
confirm that the engine idles reliably, transitions
smoothly and rapidly to full power and maintains full
power—indefinitely. After running the engine on the
model, inspect the model closely to make sure all
screws remained tight, and the hinges, prop and all
pushrods and connectors are secure.
Range check
Ground check the operational range of the radio
before the first flight of the day. With the transmitter
antenna collapsed and the receiver and transmitter
on, you should be able to walk at least 100 feet away
from the model and still have control. Have an
assistant stand by the model and, while you work the
controls, tell you what the control surfaces are doing.
Repeat this test with the engine running at various
speeds with an assistant holding the model, using
hand signals to show you what is happening. If the
control surfaces do not respond correctly, do not fly!
Find and correct the problem first. Look for loose
servo connections or broken wires, corroded wires
on old servo connectors, poor solder joints in the
battery pack or a defective cell, or a damaged
receiver crystal from a previous crash.
ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Keep all engine fuel in a safe place, away from high
heat, sparks or flames, as fuel is very flammable. 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 fingers to flip 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 fire.
To stop a glow engine, cut off the fuel supply by closing
off the fuel line or following the engine manufacturer’s
recommendations. Do not use hands, fingers or any
other body part to try to stop the engine. 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.
AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)
Read and abide the following Academy of Model
Aeronautics Official Safety Code:
GENERAL
1. I will not fly my model aircraft in sanctioned events,
air shows, or model flying demonstrations until it has
been proven to be airworthy by having been previously,
successfully flight tested.
2. I will not fly my model aircraft higher than
approximately 400 feet within 3 miles of an airport
without notifying the airport operator. I will give right-of-
way and avoid flying in the proximity of full-scale
aircraft. Where necessary, an observer shall be utilized
to supervise flying to avoid having models fly in the
proximity of full-scale aircraft.
3. Where established, I will abide by the safety rules for
the flying site I use, and I will not willfully and
deliberately fly my models in a careless, reckless
and/or dangerous manner.
7. I will not fly my model unless it is identified with my
name and address or AMA number, on or in the model.
9. I will not operate models with pyrotechnics (any
device that explodes, burns, or propels a projectile of
any kind).
Failure to follow these safety precautions may
result in severe injury to yourself and others.
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