Flyzone FLZA4004 - Manual (Page 14)

14
FLYING THE CESSNA SKYLANE
The Cessna Skylane is in the confi guration of a standard
trainer (light weight, tricycle landing gear, high wing).
The Cessna is easy to fl y even for pilots with moderate
experience. If you have not previously fl own a trainer it is
strongly suggested that you learn to fl y with the assistance
of an experienced pilot to help you with the fi rst few fl ights.
Find a Suitable Flying Site
Find a fl ying site clear of buildings, trees, power lines and
other obstructions. Until you know how much area will be
required and have mastered fl ying your Cessna, a site at least
the size of two or three football fi elds should be adequate—a
fl ying fi eld specifi cally intended for R/C planes is best. Don’t
fl y within six miles of R/C fl ying fi elds and never fl y near
people—especially children who can wander unpredictably.
Know Your Frequency
Unless you are using 2.4GHz
CAUTION: The transmitter used to control your Cessna
Skylane transmits signals on one of several frequencies
that are available. To fi nd out your frequency (or “channel”),
look on the transmitter. If your “channel” happens to be the
same as another model that is being fl own nearby (even
within a few miles), one or both models will crash. Know
your frequency and be aware of the frequency of other
models that are fl ying nearby—especially if you are fl ying at
a radio control fl ying site. All fl ying sites have some sort of
frequency control system to avoid this kind of interference,
so learn how to use their frequency control system. Never
turn on your transmitter until you are certain that you will
be the only one operating on your frequency.
Perform a Range Check
As a precaution, an operational ground range test should be
performed before the fi rst fl ight each time out. Performing a
range test is a good way to detect problems that could cause
loss of control such as low batteries, defective or damaged
radio components or radio interference. This usually requires
an assistant and should be done at the actual fl ying site you
will be using.
First turn on the transmitter. Then, install the fully charged
battery into the fuselage and hold it in place with the hook-
and-loop strap. Connect the battery and install the hatch.
Remember, use care not to “bump” the throttle stick.
Otherwise, the propeller will turn, possibly causing
damage or injury.
With the antenna on the transmitter collapsed (not extended),
begin walking away from the model operating the controls in
a predictable pattern (for example: Up, then down elevator.
Right, then left aileron. Right, then left rudder). While
moving the control surfaces, also vary motor rpm. Have your
assistant alert you if the controls fail to respond or if they
move suddenly or erratically. You should be able to maintain
control up to a distance of approximately 100’ [30m].
If the controls respond erratically or if anything else seems
wrong, make certain all the servo wires are securely
connected to the receiver and that the transmitter and receiver
batteries are fully charged. If you cannot fi nd a mechanical
problem with the model, it is slightly possible that there is
radio interference somewhere in the area. One option would
be to try another range check at an alternate fl ying site.
After the range check, fully extend the antenna.
Monitor Your Flight Time
Monitor and limit your fl ight time using a timer such as the
one on your wrist watch. When the batteries are getting low
you will usually notice a performance drop before the ESC
cuts off motor power, so when you notice the plane fl ying
slower you should land. Often (but not always!), power can
be briefl y restored after the motor cuts off by holding the
throttle stick all the way down for a few seconds.
To avoid an unexpected dead-stick landing on your fi rst fl ight
set your timer to a conservative 8 minutes. When the alarm
sounds you should land your model.
When you learn how much fl ight time you are getting you
can adjust your timer accordingly. Always be conservative so
the motor won’t quit unexpectedly and you will have enough
battery to land under power.
Take Off
Until you have become comfortable with fl ying your
Cessna Skylane, do not fl y if the wind speed is greater
than 10 mph [16 kilomoters/hr].
One fi nal check before takeoff: always double-check the
fl ight control response to your inputs from the transmitter
before every fl ight. Be certain the ailerons, elevator and
rudder respond correctly and that none of the controls have
inadvertently become reversed.
Don’t forget to fully extend the transmitter antenna.
If the surface is smooth (such as pavement or blacktop)
the Cessna can take off from the ground. But most grass is
probably too tall, so if fl ying from grass the model will have
to be hand launched.