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As a new owner of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), you 

are responsible for the operation of this vehicle and the safety 
of those around you. Please contact your local authorities 
to fi nd out the latest rules and regulations.

In the United States, please visit:

          knowbeforeyoufl y.org                   faa.gov/uas

AMA

We urge you to join the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) 

and a local R/C club. The AMA is the governing body of model 
aviation and membership is required to fl y at AMA clubs. 

Though joining the AMA provides many benefi ts, one of the 

primary reasons to join is liability protection. Coverage is not 
limited to fl ying at contests or on the club fi eld. It even applies 
to fl ying at public demonstrations and air shows. Failure 
to comply with the Safety Code may endanger insurance 
coverage. Additionally, training programs and instructors are 
available at AMA club sites to help you get started the right 

way. There are over 2,500 AMA chartered clubs across the 

country. Contact the AMA at the address or toll-free phone 
number below.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302-9252

Ph. (800) 435-9262
Fax (765) 741-0057

Or via the Internet at: www.modelaircraft.org

IMPORTANT:

 Two of the most important things you can do 

to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby are to avoid 
fl ying near full-scale aircraft and avoid fl ying near or over 
groups of people.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Protect Your Model, Yourself & Others…

Follow These Important Safety Precautions

 1.  Your Edge 540 model should not be considered a toy, but 

rather a sophisticated, working model that functions very 
much like a full-size airplane. Because of its performance 
capabilities, this model, if not assembled and operated 
correctly, could possibly cause injury to yourself or 
spectators and damage to property.

 2.  You must assemble the model according to the instructions. 

Do not alter or modify the model, as doing so may result in 
an unsafe or unfl yable model. In a few cases the instructions 
may differ slightly from the photos. In those instances the 
written instructions should be considered as correct.

 3.   You must take time to 

build straight, true and strong

.

 4.  You must use an R/C radio system that is in fi rst-class 

condition.

 5.  You must correctly install all R/C and other components 

so that the model operates correctly on the ground and in 
the air.

 6.   You must check the operation of the model before every 

fl ight to ensure that all equipment is operating and that the 

model has remained structurally sound. Be sure to check 
clevises or other connectors often and replace them if they 
show any signs of wear or fatigue.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AMA

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ELECTRIC SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

REQUIRED ITEMS

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Radio Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Glow Engine Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Electric Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Adhesives and Building Supplies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Optional Supplies and Tools  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CONTENTS

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

PREPARATION

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

WING ASSEMBLY

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Join the Wing Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Install the Main Landing Gear  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Install the Tail Surfaces  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Install the Rudder Servo  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Install the Elevator Servo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Assemble the Motor Box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Glow Engine Installation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Install the Fuel Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Install the Cowl  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Apply the Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Check the Control Directions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Set the Control Throws  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Install the Propeller and Spinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Balance the Model Laterally  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Balance the Model (C.G.)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

PREFLIGHT

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Identify Your Model  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Charge the Batteries  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Ground Check and Range Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

FLYING

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Fuel Mixture Adjustments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Flight  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Landing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

LIMITED WARRANTY

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

LIMITED SERVICES

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

THROTTLE PUSHROD TEMPLATE

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Summary of Contents for EDGE 540

Page 1: ...age to the product personal property and cause serious injury This is a sophisticated hobby product It must be operated with caution and common sense and requires some basic mechanical ability Failure to operate this Product in a safe and responsible manner could result in injury or damage to the product or other property This product is not intended for use by children without direct adult superv...

Page 2: ...ed correctly could possibly cause injury to yourself or spectators and damage to property 2 You must assemble the model according to the instructions Do not alter or modify the model as doing so may result in an unsafe or unflyable model In a few cases the instructions may differ slightly from the photos In those instances the written instructions should be considered as correct 3 You must take ti...

Page 3: ...ncils or screwdrivers that may fall out of shirt or jacket pockets into the prop Stop the engine before making any engine adjustments The engine and muffler get hot Do not touch them during or right after operation Make sure fuel lines are in good condition so fuel will not leak onto a hot engine causing a fire To stop a glow powered engine set up a throttle cut on your transmitter to completely c...

Page 4: ...the plane immediately after landing NEVER allow the battery to short circuit by touching exposed wires together This may cause a fire NEVER operate or store batteries below 40 F or above 110 F 4 43 C REQUIRED ITEMS Refer to the separate sheet for a list of the recommended items Radio Components A transmitter and receiver with 4 channels is required The Tactic TTX660 6 channel and Spektrum DX6 6 ch...

Page 5: ...0 637 6050 If any parts are missing or damaged consult Tower Hobbies Order Assistance See phone numbers below IMPORTANT All parts are one per kit unless otherwise stated CONTENTS 1 Fuselage 2 Hatch 3 Cowl 4 Right Wing 5 Left Wing 6 Stabilizer Elevators 7 Fin Rudder 8 Main Landing Gear 9 Wheel Pants 10 Nylon Engine Mount 11 Tail Gear 12 Tail Wheel 13 Hinges 14 Spinner 15 Hook Loop Straps 16 Wing Bo...

Page 6: ...apply a couple drops of thin CA and check again 2 Follow the instruction included with your servos to install the rubber grommets and metal eyelets 3 Install a servo extension on the aileron servo 4 Center the aileron servo a Connect the servo to the receiver b Switch on the transmitter and temporarily connect the ESC and motor battery or a receiver battery to the receiver c Center the aileron tri...

Page 7: ...re install the screw 7 Route the aileron servo leads out of the holes in the bottom of the wing halves 8 Assemble the aileron pushrod 9 Attach the clevis to the nylon control horn 10 Position the control horn on the aileron and mark the two mounting holes 11 Drill 1 16 1 5mm pilot holes at the marks over the plywood mounting plate Do not drill completely through the wing 12 Mount the control horn ...

Page 8: ...he pushrod on the servo arm Return to step 1 page 6 and install the aileron servo in the left wing Join the Wing Panels 1 Glue the two plywood wing joiners together 2 Glue the 3mm wing alignment pin centered in the right wing half 3 Without glue check the fit of the wing joiner in the wing halves Make sure both wing halves fit together at the root without any gaps or misalignment Make small adjust...

Page 9: ...e wing Use paper towels dampened with denatured alcohol to remove the excess epoxy that squeezes out Install the Main Landing Gear 1 The front of the main landing gear is straight 2 Install the wheel and wheel pant Tighten the 5mm lock nut on the axle 3 Install the wheel collar 4 Install the second wheel pant on the main landing gear 5 Attach the main landing gear to the fuselage Install the Tail ...

Page 10: ...arallel with the wing If it is not lightly sand the stabilizer slot until it is parallel 5 Glue the stabilizer in the fuselage Use the vertical fin to temporarily position the stabilizer Wipe off any excess epoxy with a paper towel and denatured alcohol Remove the vertical fin before the epoxy cures 6 Trim the covering in the leading edge of the rudder for the tail gear wire Insert a T pin in the ...

Page 11: ...he tail gear bracket to the bottom of the fuselage Harden the screw holes with thin CA 10 Install the tail wheel Install the Rudder Servo Note The elevators will be installed after the rudder control horn is installed 1 Glow only We recommend the receiver battery tray be glued in the fuselage aft of the servo tray Before installing the battery tray make a hook and loop strap as shown Install the s...

Page 12: ...p strap 5 Glow only Plug the receiver battery into the receiver switch and the receiver switch into the receiver Secure the connection between the receiver battery and receiver switch with tape or locking safety clips 6 Assemble and install the rudder pushrod and servo following the same method used for the aileron pushrod The screws to mount the rudder control horn pass completely through the rud...

Page 13: ...ll the rudder control horn Elevator Servo Decision The elevators can be controlled by two elevator servos plugged into separate channels on the receiver or by one servo with the two elevator servo pushrods connected with two wheel collars Single Elevator Servo 1 Install the elevator servo Harden the servo mount screw holes Install the two 4mm wheel collars Bend and cut the pushrods to fit 2 Tighte...

Page 14: ...o the front and back plates 4 Glue the four x 6mm x 20mm triangle sticks inside the motor box between the joints between the sides top and bottom 5 Remove the cooling air intake from the bottom of the firewall The easiest method is to drill 3 32 2 5mm holes at the six tabs 6 Use a 3 16 drill bit to drill the appropriate mounting holes for the motor box Refer to the sketch on page 16 and make sure ...

Page 15: ...tery 12 Glue the two 10 x 10 x 60 mm hardwood sticks to the back of the firewall to prevent the motor battery from sliding forward and hitting the screws 13 With the propeller not installed switch on the transmitter with the throttle stick in the lowest position Connect the motor battery to the ESC and check that the motor rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front when the throttle is ad...

Page 16: ...s 2 Press the 6 32 blind nuts into the holes in the back of the firewall 3 Cut the spreader bar from both halves of the included nylon engine mount and trim off any remaining material so that they fit together well 4 Temporarily mount the engine mount on the firewall Do not tighten the screws completely 5 Test fit the engine on the engine mount Slide the mount halves together against the sides of ...

Page 17: ...the threads in the plywood servo tray 9 Cut the outer throttle pushrod tubes and roughen them with sandpaper 10 Glue the short outer pushrod tube flush with the back of the firewall in the throttle pushrod hole 11 Bend the M2 x 500mm throttle pushrod as shown on page 27 12 Insert the throttle pushrod through the small outer pushrod tube 13 Slide a silicone clevis retainer on a nylon clevis Then th...

Page 18: ...tor Screw Retainer Screw lock Connector Servo Arm 17 Install a M3 x 5 machine screw in the screw lock connector With the throttle stick centered position the carburetor barrel so that it is half open Tighten the screw in the screw lock connector Adjust the throttle throw as needed We adjusted the throttle endpoints so that the engine idles reliably with the throttle stick all the way down and can ...

Page 19: ...arburetor Install the muffler and attach the fuel line with the plug pressure line to the muffler Insert the plug you just removed into the third fuel line This will be used as the fill line and routed out of the bottom of the cowl Install the Cowl For electric installation skip to step 2 1 Use a piece of paper or cardstock to make a template for the exhaust tubes 2 Make and attach templates to lo...

Page 20: ...fler exhaust tubes or stock muffler Use the same method to trim access holes for the glow plug and the needle valve Route the fuel fill line with plug out of the bottom of the cowl Apply the Decals 1 Cut the decals from the decal sheet 2 Be certain the model is clean and free from oily fingerprints and dust Prepare a dishpan or small bucket with a mixture of liquid soap and warm water teaspoon of ...

Page 21: ...mitter and then the receiver or connect the flight battery to the ESC Center the trims on the transmitter and the servo arms on the servos 2 Center the control surfaces FULL THROTTLE RUDDER MOVES RIGHT ELEVATOR MOVES DOWN RIGHT AILERON MOVES UP LEFT AILERON MOVES DOWN 3 Make certain that the control surfaces and carburetor or motor respond in the correct direction as shown in the diagram If any of...

Page 22: ...ommended control surface throws ELEVATOR HIGH RATE LOW RATE 3 4 19mm 12 Up 3 4 19mm 12 Down 1 2 13mm 8 Up 1 2 13mm 8 Down 5 8 16 mm 13 Up 5 8 16 mm 13 Down 3 8 9 mm 8 Up 3 8 9 mm 8 Down 2 1 2 63mm 26 Right 2 1 2 63mm 26 Left 1 1 2 38mm 15 Right 1 1 2 38mm 15 Left RUDDER AILERONS IMPORTANT With the propeller removed and the control throws set set and check the fail safe on the transmitter Once you ...

Page 23: ...on where it would be mounted inside until the model balances A good place to add stick on nose weight is to the firewall Do not attach weight to the cowl this will cause stress on the cowl and could cause it to crack at the screw holes Once you have determined if additional weight needs to be installed permanently attach the weight with glue or screws 4 IMPORTANT If you found it necessary to add a...

Page 24: ...ssive free play in servo gears Insecure servo mounting and flying an over powered model at excessive speeds Takeoff If using a brushless motor it is a good idea to have a timer set on your transmitter wrist watch or cell phone We found that the plane can fly for 5 1 2 to 6 minutes or more on a 4S 3800mAh LiPo battery Set the timer for 5 minutes for the first few flights When recharging the battery...

Page 25: ...ight rudder to counteract torque Climb out to make another attempt When the model is a foot or so off the deck smoothly increase up elevator until it gently touches down Once the model is on the runway and has lost flying speed hold up elevator to place the tail on the ground regaining tail wheel control FINAL NOTE Have a goal or flight plan in mind each time you fly This may be learning or improv...

Page 26: ...e WARRANTY SERVICES Questions Assistance and Services Your local hobby store and or place of purchase cannot provide warranty sup port or service Once assembly setup or use of the Product has been started you must contact your local distributor or Horizon directly This will enable Horizon to better answer your questions and service you in the event that you may need any assistance For questions or...

Page 27: ... choice and at the sender s expense Horizon will hold non compliant Product for a period of 60 days from notification after which it will be discarded 10 2015 Country of Purchase United States of America Horizon Service Center 1608 Interstate Dr Champaign IL 61822 USA servicecenter horizonhobby com RequestForm REPAIRS REPAIR REQUESTS Horizon Product Support 1608 Interstate Dr Champaign IL 61822 US...

Page 28: ...s Tactic and the Tower Hobbies logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby LLC The Spektrum trademark is used with permission of Bachmann Industries Inc All other trademarks service marks and logos are property of their respective owners ...

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