Great Planes PT-60 Kit - GPMA0119 - Manual (Page 41)

Remove the steering arm from the nose gear wire
and locate the mark left by the 6-32 x 3/16" machine
screw Now, with the mark facing up, clamp the nose
gear in a vise and use the side of a flat file or a Dremel'"
Moto-Tool with a narrow grinding wheel, to make a flat
spot at the mark
Reassemble the nose gear and install it into the
engine mount Tighten the steering arm screw directly
over the flat Your nose gear steering will always remain
positive, even on the roughest of surfaces.
Charge the batteries
Follow the battery charging procedures in your radio
instruction manual You should always charge your transmitter
and receiver batteries the night before you go flying, and at
other times as recommended by the radio manufacturer
Balance the Propeller
Balance your propellers carefully before flying An
unbalanced prop is the single most significant cause of
damaging vibration Not only will engine mounting screws
and bolts vibrate out, possibly with disastrous effect but
vibration will also damage your radio receiver and battery
Vibration will cause your fuel to foam, which will, in turn,
cause your engine to run rough or quit
Find a safe place to fly
The best place to fly your R/C model is an AMA
(Academy of Model Aeronautics) chartered club field Ask
your hobby shop dealer if there is such a club in your area
and join Club fields are set up for R/C flying and that
makes your outing safer and more enjoyable The AMA
also can tell you the name of a club in your area We
recommend that you join AMA and a local club so you can
have a safe place to fly and have insurance to cover you in
case of a flying accident (The AMA address is listed on
page 2 of this instruction book)
If a club and its flying site are not available, you need to
find a large, grassy area at least 6 miles away from any
other R/C radio operation, like R/C boats and R/C cars and
away from houses, buildings and streets A schoolyard may
look inviting but it is too close to people, power lines and
possible radio interference.
Ground check the model
If you are not thoroughly familiar with the operation of R/C
models, ask an experienced modeler to check to see that you
have the radio installed correctly and that all the control
surfaces do what they are supposed to The engine operation
also must be checked and the engine broken in on the
ground by running the engine for at least two tanks of fuel
Follow the engine manufacturer's recommendations for
break-in. Check to make sure all screws remain tight, that the
hinges are secure and that the prop is on tight
Range check your radio
Wherever you do fly, you need to check the operation
of the radio before every time you fly First make sure no
one else is on your f r e q u e n c y (channel) 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 someone
help you Have them stand by your model and, while you
work the controls, tell you what the various control surfaces
are doing
Repeat this test with the engine running at various
speeds with an assistant holding the model If the control
surfaces are not always acting correctly, do not fly! Find
and correct the problem first
We use a Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop
Balancer (TOPQ5700) in the workshop and keep a Great
Planes Fingertip Balancer (GPMQ5000) in our flight box
NOTE: 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 flames as fuel is very flammable Do not
smoke near the engine or fuel and remember that the
engine exhaust gives off a great deal of deadly carbon
monoxide Therefore do not run the engine in a closed
room or garage
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