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2)
Radical Turns. Keeping the wings level and
making standard turns are big steps in preventing the air-
plane from getting out of control. If the airplane seems
too fast or is getting into too steep a turn, try letting all of
the controls go to neutral, then reduce the throttle and make
corrections to level the wings and then level the airplane.
3)
Overcontrolling. Most new pilots try to fly like
they are playing a video game. Most likely you will never
need full stick movement for any correction. Typically,
you will need very little down elevator either. Remember
to move the control stick only small amounts at a time.
The radio control system is proportional, meaning the
amount you move the control stick is in direct proportion
to the amount the control surface moves. Full deflection
of the control surfaces is typically reserved for correcting
a major mistake or trying an aerobatic maneuver.
Planning the First Flight
After reading through the maneuvers, you need to plan
your first flight. For your first flight pick a day that is
clear and not windy. Too much wind will complicate your
first flight. Take the time to envision the flight path. The
flight will, of course, begin with hand launching and climb-
out. Once a safe altitude has been reached, make a turn
down wind and continue to climb. Level off at about 100
feet of altitude. Try to perform a basic figure 8 pattern.
Learn to make small corrections to keep the airplane
pointed in the direction you want it to fly. After 3 or 4
minutes, begin your descent to land. Turn into the wind
to land. If your first landing gets the airplane down in
one piece and it's located somewhere on the flying field,
that's pretty good!
We hope that this information will help you make
those first few flights successful.
Adjustable Connector: Connects to the servo arm. The
pushrod wire passes through the connector and is held in
place with a set screw. The screw can be loosened to
allow the pushrod wire to be adjusted to the correct length.
Blind Nut: A special type of nut that is used when you
can't reach to install or tighten a standard nut. A blind nut
has prongs that secure it into place.
C/A Glue: An acronym for Cyanoacrylate. It dries very
fast like "Super Glue." It comes in many different formu-
las for different uses.
Center of Gravity: Most commonly referred to as the
CG or balance point, it is the point at which the airplane is
in complete balance in all three axes.
Clevis: Part of the control system, either made out of
nylon or metal. It connects the pushrod wire to the con-
trol horn mounted on the control surface.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Clevis Attachment Holes: The molded holes in the con-
trol horn. The clevis attaches to these holes.
Control Horn: Part of the control system, the control
horn is mounted to the control surface. It allows the push-
rod to be connected to the control surface. Almost all
control horns are adjustable to allow for more or less con-
trol surface movement.
Covering: Made out of vinyl or polyester. Covering has
heat sensitive adhesive that, when heated, sticks to the
wood frame of the airplane. The Cub 400EP uses heat
sensitive polyester covering.
Covering Iron: A small hand-held iron, usually Teflon®
coated. It is used to heat and apply covering material.
Cycling: The act of fully charging and discharging the
flight battery. Cycling the battery increases performance
and duration.
Dihedral: The upward angle of each wing half. Dihe-
dral creates more stability which makes learning to fly
much easier.
Dihedral Brace: Made out of plywood, aluminum or
steel, the dihedral brace strengthens the joint between dif-
ferent wing sections.
Elevator: The elevator is the control surface on the back
of the airplane that moves up and down. This surface
controls pitch.
EPA: An acronym for End Point Adjustments. This is a
feature found on some radio systems that allows you to
electronically adjust the end-travel in servos.
Epoxy: A two-part glue containing a resin and a hard-
ener. Epoxy is available in several drying times and is
stronger than C/A glue. Epoxy is used in high stress ar-
eas such as joints of wing halves.
ESC: An acronym for Electronic Speed Control. See
Motor Controller.
Hinges: Usually made out of plastic or nylon, the hinges
connect the control surfaces to the stabilizers or wing.
They pivot, allowing the control surface to move.
Horizontal Stabilizer: Mounted in the rear of the air-
plane, the stabilizer works with the elevator to control
pitch.
Landing Gear Strap: Usually made out of nylon, it se-
cures the landing gear wires to the wing or fuselage.
