24
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 the back cover and place it on or 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 battery 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 the Propeller
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.
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 motor 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.
MOTOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Failure to follow these safety precautions may result
in severe injury to yourself and others.
• Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to operate
electric motors.
• Use safety glasses when running electric motors.
• Do not operate the motor in an area of loose gravel or sand;
the propeller may throw such material in your face or eyes.
• Keep your face and body as well as all spectators away
from the plane of rotation of the propeller as you operate
the motor.
• Keep these items away from the prop: loose clothing, shirt
sleeves, ties, scarfs, long hair or loose objects such as
pencils or screwdrivers that may fall out of shirt or jacket
pockets into the prop.
• The motor gets hot! Do not touch it during or right after operation.
AMA SAFETY CODE (
EXCERPTS
)
Read and abide by the following excerpts from the Academy
of Model Aeronautics Safety Code. For the complete Safety
Code refer to
Model Aviation
magazine, the AMA web site or
the Code that came with your AMA license.
General
1) I will not fl y my model aircraft in sanctioned events, air
shows, or model fl ying demonstrations until it has been
proven to be airworthy by having been previously,
successfully fl ight tested.
