Great Planes PT-E Trainer Electric Kit - GPMA0110 - Manual (Page 40)

steps, the hand launcher will thrust the airplane forward,
being careful to keep the wings level, and release it to
fly Immediately after the launch it will be necessary to
make slight corrections with the elevator and rudder to
keep the airplane flying level and straight into the wind
Continue flying level until the airplane has good
speed, then gently pull the elevator stick back until the
airplane starts a gradual climb (Here is where most begin-
ners make their first big mistake') Using the elevator
stick, make the plane climb gradually, while using the
rudder to keep the plane heading into the wind If you
climb too steeply right after takeoff (before the plane
has good flying speed), the wing will stall and the
plane will drop sharply. Continue to climb gradually,
even through the first turn, until the airplane reaches an
altitude of 200 to 300 feet above the ground, which will
give you some "maneuvering room" and time to make cor-
rections in the event that you make a mistake
FLYING WITH 3 CHANNELS
If you are using three channels of control (rudder,
elevator and motor on/off), you may periodically cut off
the motor power and glide your airplane In doing so, you
will find that it is possible to extend the flight time by
several minutes, especially if you fly into a "thermal" (an
updraft of air caused by wind currents or by heated air
rising from a dark colored area) When flying with three
channels, we like to save some of the battery power for
the landing, just in case we misjudge the landing approach
and need a little extra power to get back to the runway,
or to make another "go-around".
FLYING WITH 2 CHANNELS
Don't forget to switch on your transmitter and
receiver before switching on the motor! If you are only
using two channels of control (rudder and elevator), you
will switch on the power with the toggle switch, takeoff,
and fly the entire flight with full power This method of
control works just fine, but we must caution you about the
landing Based on the ground testing you have done, you
should have a pretty good idea how long the motor will
run before it begins to lose power When flying, you should
gain plenty of altitude during the 2nd half of the flight
When the motor begins to lose power, you will no longer
be able to climb, but at that time the airplane will still be
flying too fast to make a safe landing But, if you have
plenty of altitude, the airplane will fly long enough after
it begins to lose power that the battery will be almost
completely discharged, allowing you to make a slow and
safe landing Remember: When flying with 2 channels
you must fly the airplane until the battery is almost com-
pletely discharged before attempting to land.
Remember, practice and practice You will have a
few setbacks, we all do when learning Just don't give up
and have fun while you learn Radio Control model
airplane flying is one of the most rewarding hobbies
around Itjust takes a little work and practice to get there
LANDING
Note: The landing is usually the most difficult aspect
of R/C flying For best results you should remain under
the training of an experienced R/C pilot until you have
developed confidence in your landing skills
Begin your landing approach by flying downwind at
an altitude of approximately 100 feet When the airplane
is approximately 300 feet past you, make the "final" 180-
degree turn and line up the airplane with the runway,
heading into the wind During the final turn, cut off the
motor power to begin the final descent toward the runway
Do not dive the airplane, as it will pick up too much
speed Instead, when you cut the power, the airplane will
assume a gradually descending glide You should concen-
trate mainly on using rudder control to keep the airplane
heading into the wind and toward the runway When the
airplane reaches an altitude of about 6 feet above the
ground, gently apply a little "up elevator" to make the
airplane fly level (be careful, as too much up elevator at
this point will cause the airplane to stall and drop sharply)
As you keep holding a slight amount of up elevator, the
airplane will slow down and slowly descend as it loses its
flying speed Let the airplane slowly approach the ground,
applying a little more up elevator just before touchdown
This may sound difficult and complicated, but rest
assured that after only a few flying sessions with an experi-
enced R/C instructor these things will begin to come natur-
ally to you
Good luck, and happy flying!
APPENDIX
PROPER CARE OF YOUR THRUSTMASTER
MOTOR
Break- in: To properly break in, run the motor with no
load (prop and prop hub removed) for at least 1/2 hour
when the motor is new, before using it in your airplane
Power source: A 6-cell, 7 2 volt, 1200 mAh battery pack
(with "Kyosho"-type connector) is recommended as the
ideal power source for good power and long motor life
However, for more power, you may use a 7-cell, 8 4 volt,
800 or 1200 mAh battery pack
Oiling: The bronze bearings are self lubricating, but you
may extend their life and improve motor performance by
applying a very small amount of light machine oil to the
points where the center shaft touches the bearings, after
each hour of running time Note A "drop" of oil is far too
much, so you should apply the oil with a toothpick Never
oil the inside of the motor.
Brushes: The Thrustmaster brushes (which transfer elec-
tricity to the commutator inside the motor) are mainte-
nance free and will last a long time under normal use
You may inspect the brush wear by looking through the
vent holes on the sides of the motor When the brushes
wear out it is time to replace the motor Note The use of
a 7-cell battery pack will shorten the life of the brushes
If you notice that your motor has lost power, but the
brushes are still good, it may help to spray some motor
cleaner (such as "Reedy in a Can") on the brushes
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