Mercy! Mercy! That Dang Nabed PERCY!

Self Evidence

I'm writing these RC blogs in order to keep in mind initial perceptions that come from learning to do something. What I'm finding is that the expert pilots take too much for granted and often overlook the obvious. I know that most of this seems self-evident to an experienced RC flyer but to a Newbie, these matters are not quite so transparent. From my conversation with John the following minimum essential elements came to mind in setting up my refurbished airplane.

1. Turn on the Transmitter and set to neutral the four basic trim function tabs. You do this by clicking the trim tab buttons for each until the scale mark centers. These are ailerons, elevator, rudder and throttle.

2. Plug in the servo connectors to the proper slot in the receiver. Power up the receiver so the servos set to neutral. The horns need to be at ninety degrees on the proper side.

3. Now eyeball the servos into neutral for the control surfaces and center for the throttle. Make sure the horns are at 90 degrees and tighten down the horns to the servo.

4. With everything buttoned down the control surfaces should move up and down and the throttle move full range from open to closed.

5. Standing behind the aircraft the rudder should move to the right when the left stick on the transmitter is moved right. The rudder should move left when the same stick is moved to the left.

6. Looking into the carburetor move the left stick forward and backward. The air sleeve should move from fully open to fully closed. If the stick is down the hole should be barely open. In the full up position the hole is wide open, or full throttle.

7. Moving to the right side stick on the transmitter, test the elevator. Pulling back on the stick the elevator should rise. This allows the aircraft to climb. Pushing forward on the stick lowers the elevator and causes the airplane to nose down.

8. Finally are the ailerons. I don’t care how experienced someone is, there’s nothing self evident about the ailerons. Moving the control right and left causes the ailerons go up and down but in opposition to one another. The rule is that when the stick is moved right, the right aileron goes up and the wing drops. Concurrently the left wing aileron goes down and the left wing rises. The airplane then turns or banks to the right. The opposite is the case when the stick is moved to the left.

So, the ground school should at a minimum, cover the basics on how to accomplish the above pre-flight preparations.