Great Planes Factor 3D ARF - GPMA1552 - Manual (Page 16)

16
❏
2. With the wing attached to the fuselage, all parts of the
model installed (ready to fl y) and the battery installed, lift it
at the balance point you marked.
❏
3. If the tail drops, the model is “tail heavy” and the battery
pack and/or receiver must be shifted forward or weight must
be added to the nose to balance. If the nose drops, the model
is “nose heavy” and the battery pack must be shifted aft or
weight must be added to the tail to balance. If additional weight
is required, use Great Planes (GPMQ4485) “stick-on” lead. A
good place to add stick-on nose weight is to the motor box
(don’t attach weight to the cowl—it is not intended to support
weight). Begin by placing incrementally increasing amounts of
weight on the fuse over the motor box until the model balances.
Once you have determined the amount of weight required, it
can be permanently attached.
Note: Do not rely upon the adhesive on the back of the lead
weight to permanently hold it in place. Over time the adhesive
may soften and cause the weight to fall off. Use #2 sheet
metal screws, RTV silicone or epoxy to permanently hold
the weight in place.
❏
4. IMPORTANT: If you found it necessary to add any weight,
recheck the C.G. after the weight has been installed.
Balance the Model Laterally
❏
1. With the wing level, have an assistant help you lift the
model by the engine propeller shaft and the bottom of the
fuse under the TE of the fi n. Do this several times.
❏
2. If one wing always drops when you lift the model, it means
that side is heavy. Balance the airplane by adding weight to the
other wing tip. An airplane that has been laterally balanced
will track better in loops and other maneuvers.
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 page 19 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 batteries the night before you go fl ying,
and at other times as recommended by the radio manufacturer.
Charge the motor battery following the instructions that came
with the battery. Be sure to use the appropriate charger that
is recommended for the battery.
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. The problem may be the location of the
antenna. The antenna should be as far away from the ESC
and battery as possible.
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 run 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 run
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.
● When working on your plane, remove the propeller if the
motor battery will be connected.
● Always remove the motor battery from the plane
when charging.