25
❑
6)
You should complete a successful range check
of your radio equipment prior to each new day of flying,
or prior to the first flight of a new or repaired model.
❑
7)
You should perform your initial turn after take-
off away from the flightline and/or spectator area.
❑
8)
You should not knowingly operate your R/C ra-
dio system within 3 miles of a preexisting model club
flying field without a frequency sharing agreement with
that club.
If you've come this far, now you're ready to prepare
for the maiden voyage of your new airplane. Before pro-
ceeding, we highly recommend double checking all of your
work. Make sure there is no detail you missed and that
you understand all of the airplane's functions. We hope
you find the following sections helpful, making your first
flights successful.
Since you've chosen the Cub 400EP, you've avoided
the most common mistake beginners make: choosing a
high performance airplane like the P-51 Mustang or the
F-16 jet as a trainer. Just as you wouldn't learn to drive a
car using an Indy car, you shouldn't use a high perfor-
mance airplane to learn to fly R/C model airplanes. The
second mistake new pilots make is not seeking out the
help of an experienced modeler. While it is certainly true
that some people have learned to fly without help, having
the help of an experienced R/C model pilot will help make
those first few flights much more successful and enjoy-
able. We highly recommend seeking out a club or a flying
field near you. You'd be surprised just how many clubs
there are that help beginners.
Once at the field, even before removing your airplane
from the car, introduce yourself to some of the other pi-
lots. Find out what safety procedures and frequency
control system are in place. In short, learn and follow the
field etiquette. Doing so will ensure safe flying for you
and others. You will also be able to find out who might
be the right person to help you learn to fly.
Sometimes it is just impossible to find anyone to help.
In that case it would be wise to seek out some additional
information about flying. R/C Modeler Magazine, Harry
Higley and Model Airplane News Magazine all publish
very good basic flight training books that explain flying
in greater depth. You may also wish to seek out a com-
puter simulator. There are several different brands of flight
simulators available that can be very effective at teaching
the basic coordination of R/C flight.
If you do decide you have no choice but to learn to
fly on your own, choosing the place to fly your new air-
plane is of the utmost importance. Select your potential
flying field with the following considerations:
1)
Look for a site that has a soft landing area. The
best sites are large grassy fields.
ABC'S OF FLYING
2)
The fewer ground obstructions the better. No
trees, buildings or large rocks should be nearby.
3)
No people or houses should be nearby. While
R/C flying is generally safe, it can lead to harm or injury.
Do not try to fly your model if there are houses or people
close by.
4)
There should be no high-lines, telephone lines
or electrical lines anywhere near where you are flying. If
your airplane accidentally does fly into wires of any kind,
do not try to retrieve it yourself. Serious injury or even
death could result. Contact the local police or fire depart-
ment to help you retrieve your airplane.
To begin you should know how your airplane oper-
ates. First, there are four forces operating on a flying
aircraft: Lift, Weight, Thrust and Drag. The motor will
create thrust to overcome the drag. In times when the
motor is off, gravity pulling the airplane down can act as
thrust. This is how the airplane flies when the motor is
turned off. The wing flies through the air as a result of
the thrust and causes lift to overcome the weight of the
aircraft.
BASICS OF FLIGHT
Flying is three dimensional, therefore all aircraft op-
erate on three axes: roll, yaw and pitch. Roll is the wing
tips raising and lowering. Yaw is the nose moving from
right to left. Pitch is seen as the nose moving up and
down. Maintaining flight is the act of overcoming weight
and drag with lift and thrust while properly controlling all
three axes.
Lift
Weight
Pitch
Th
rust
Drag
Yaw
Roll
