Great Planes Matt Chapman Eagle 580 46/EP ARF - GPMA1281 - Manual (Page 25)

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(don’t attach weight to the cowl–it is not intended to support
weight). Begin by placing incrementally increasing amounts
of weight on the bottom of the fuselage over the fi rewall until
the model balances. 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
fuselage and gluing it permanently inside.
Note: Do not rely upon the adhesive on the back of the lead
weight to permanently hold it in place. Over time, fuel and
exhaust residue may soften the adhesive and cause the
weight to fall off. Use #2 sheet metal screws, RTV silicone or
epoxy to permanently hold the weight in place.
❏
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
fuselage 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 wingtip. 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 31 and place it 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
If the engine is new, follow the engine manufacturer’s
instructions to break-in the engine. After break-in, confi rm
that the engine idles reliably, transitions smoothly and rapidly
to full power and maintains full power–indefi nitely. After you run
the engine on the model, inspect the model closely to make
sure all screws remained tight, the hinges are secure, the prop
is secure and all pushrods and connectors are secure.
Range Check
Ground check the operational range of your radio before the
fi rst fl ight 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 your 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 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.