Great Planes Giant Extra 330L Kit - GPMA0250 - Manual (Page 49)

Takeoff on “low” rates if you have dual rates on your
transmitter–even if you are taking off in a crosswind. For all
models it is good practice to gain as much speed as the
length of the runway will permit before lifting off. This will
give you a safety margin in case the engine quits. When you
initially advance the throttle and the tail begins to lift, the
Extra will begin to turn to the left (due to the torque of the
engine–a characteristic of all taildraggers). Be prepared for
this by applying sufficient right rudder to keep the Extra
running straight down the middle of the runway (or flying
field). The left turning tendency will decrease as the plane
picks up speed. Be sure to allow the tail to rise off the
ground before lifting the model into the air. Depending on
the surface you are taking off from, you will need to apply
little or no up elevator until flying speed is reached. Don’t
hold the tail on the ground with too much up elevator, as the
Extra will become airborne prematurely and may stall. When
the plane has gained enough flying speed to safely lift off,
gradually and smoothly apply up elevator and allow the
model to climb at a shallow angle (do not yank the model off
the ground into a steep climb!)
We recommend that you take it easy with your Extra 330L
for the first several flights, gradually “getting acquainted”
with this great sport model as your engine gets fully broken-
in. If you feel as though you have your hands full, keep this
one thing in mind: pull back on the throttle stick to slow
the model down. This will make everything happen a little
slower and allow yourself time to think and react. Add and
practice one maneuver at a time, learning how the Extra
behaves in each. For smooth flying and normal maneuvers,
use the low rate settings as listed on page 45. This low rate
elevator setting is intentionally very soft and smooth, and
was selected specifically to provide clean snaps and loops
and a smooth, fluid flight performance overall. High rate
elevator was selected specifically for low-speed aerobatic
maneuvers such as torque rolls. High rate aileron and/or
rudder may be required for crisp snap rolls and spins. For
good knife-edge performance, including gorgeous knife
edge loops, high rate rudder and sufficient flight speed are
the keys.
Sometime well before it’s time to land you should climb your
Extra to a safe altitude and cut the throttle to an idle and
check out the model’s low speed characteristics. Do this a
few times so you know what to expect upon landing.
When it’s time to land, fly a normal landing pattern and
approach. Keep a few clicks of power on until you are over
the runway threshold. For the first few landings, plan to land
slightly faster than stall speed and on the main wheels, as
this is the easiest way to land your Extra. Later, with a little
practice you will find you can make slow 3-point landings.
Have a ball! But always remember to think about your
next move and plan each maneuver before you do it.
Impulsively “jamming the sticks” without any thought is
what gets most fliers in trouble rather than lack of flying
skill.
Landing
Flight
Takeoff
49