Top Flite TOPA0215 - Manual (Page 35)

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You may add tail weight by sticking on Great Planes
(GPMQ4485) stick-on lead weights on the bottom of
the fuselage under the tail. Later, if the balance
proves to be OK, you can glue these in permanently.
Our prototype required 12 oz. [340g] of weight to be
added to the nose.
PREFLIGHT
Identify your model
No matter if you fly at an AMA sanctioned R/C club
site or if you fly 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 flying sites and AMA
sanctioned flying events. Fill out the identification
sticker included in the manual and place it on or
inside your model.
Charge your 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 your propellers
Carefully balance your propellers before you fly. An
unbalanced prop is the single most significant 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
flight box.
Find a safe place to fly
The best place to fly your model is an AMA chartered
R/C club flying field. Contact the AMA (their address
is on page 3) or your hobby shop dealer for the club
in your area and join it. Club fields are intended for
R/C flying, making your outing safer and more
enjoyable. The AMA also provides insurance in case
of a flying accident. If an R/C flying field is not
available, find a large, grassy area at least six miles
from buildings, streets, and other R/C activities. A
schoolyard is usually not an acceptable area because
of people, power lines and possible radio interference.
Ground check your model
If you are not thoroughly familiar with the operation
of R/C models, ask an experienced modeler to
inspect your radio installation and control surface
set-up. Follow the engine manufacturer’s instructions
to break-in your engine. After you run the engine on
your model, inspect your model closely to make sure
all screws remain tight and your pushrods and
connectors are secure.
Range check your radio
Ground check the range of your radio before the first
flight 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 fly!
Find and correct the problem first. 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 in your battery pack,
or a damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash.
CHECK LIST CHECK LIST
During the last few moments of preparation your
mind may be elsewhere anticipating the
excitement of your first flight. Because of this, you
may be more likely to overlook certain checks
and procedures that should be performed after
your model is built. To help avoid this, we’ve
provided a checklist to make sure you don’t
overlook these important areas. Many are covered
in the instruction manual, so where appropriate,
refer to the manual for complete instructions. Be
sure to check the items off as you complete them
(that’s why we call it a check list!).
❏
1. Fuelproof all areas exposed to fuel or
exhaust residue such as the firewall, engine
compartment, fuel tank compartment, wing
saddle area, trailing edge of the wing and the
flap area and wheel wells (if your model has
flaps and retracts), etc.
❏
2. Check the C.G. according to the
measurements provided in the manual.