Current Status: Pre-Flight Tips
1. Roll test steering in a driveway or basement. If it doesn’t roll straight at home, it won’t rolls straight on a runway. Set control to the least sensitive position.
2. Put MonoKote (or other) small marks at the center of gravity on the wing to indicate balance location. It makes it easier to check at the field.
3. Balancing laterally (side to side) will help aircraft track better in maneuvers. Hold at the spinner and tail. Add wingtip weight as necessary.
4. Check receiver battery every two or three flights. Make a chart of how long you have flown versus voltage drop. Do not operate below 4.9 volts.
5. Range check your system before the first flight each time out. This should be performed with the engine running at b oth idle and full throttle.
6. When using the buddy box system, make sure both boxes are set identically. Never turn the buddy box power “on.”
7. Remove transmitter neck straps when starting engines.
8. If you don’t have a starter, at least use a “chick en stick.” Do not hit against the propeller; start your flip with the stick next to (touching) it.
9. Never jam a running starter onto the spinner. Back up the propeller and place the starter cone against the spinner before turning it on.
10. When you start your engine, keep track of time. After your flight, check the fuel level to judge maximum available flight time.
11. Do not reach over the propeller to adjust the needle valve. Do it from the rear. Do not position yourself or others to the side of a rotating blade. It could fail on run - up or kick up debris.
Battery Charging
The term 'Formation Charging' describes the initial charge/discharge 'forming' process that fully activates the 'chemical engine' and balances the cells in a new pack. NiMH packs have a particular need for repetitive c/10 charge/cycle conditioning, a 'break - in' procedure needed to get them to full rated capacity. Both NiMH and Nicad packs benefit from the process and the intent is to make sure hat any new pack has been verified to be fully operational and that a 'start - up' capacity number is established for the pack before it's put into service. To 'Form' a new NiMH pack do three 10% 6 - 24 hour charges followed by a 300 to 500 ma discharge routine between each charge. In other words: Do a slow charge at the slow charge rate (or as close to it as you can reasonably get with your equipment) as shown on the pack label. Charge till he pack is warm, followed by a controlled discharge with a cycler. Do it 3 times. The recommended Formation Charge/ Slow Charge rate for our packs is printed right on the label of the pack as well as on the data card the pack was shipped with. New Nicad packs should get at least one slow charge followed by a 300 to 500ma discharge. Record the capacity numbers reported by your equipment for comparison cycling as the pack ages.Never check your brain at he door! As one respected modeler put it, There's nothing more suspect than a new battery pack." Before you fly anybody's pack be certain it's fully operational and safe to fly.