Great Planes F-16 Falcon EDF ARF - GPMA1801 - Manual (Page 2)

2
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Great Planes F-16 EDF (electric
ducted fan) ARF. With average speeds approaching 100mph,
your jet will have onlookers’ full attention as it cuts across
the horizon like a full-scale F-16 on patrol. Execute a Split-S
to come in for a low, high-speed pass across the fl ight line.
The EDF’s whine at full-throttle will echo off nearby buildings,
reminding you to keep your fi ngers tight on the sticks — this
bird is moving fast! Fortunately, the F-16 is a very stable fl ier
and doesn’t require expert fl ying skills to pilot, but it’s not a
beginner’s jet. The recommended battery provides just the
right amount of fl ight time for a plane of this size and speed…
and when you do bring it in for a landing, it will slow nicely
on approach and simply “settle in” on the grass when it’s
done fl ying.
For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to the
F-16 visit the Great Planes web site at www.greatplanes.com.
Open the “Airplanes” link, then select F-16 ARF. If there is new
technical information or changes to this model a “tech notice”
box will appear in the upper left corner of the page.
Academy of Model Aeronautics
If you are not already a member of the AMA, please join! The
AMA is the governing body of model aviation and membership
provides liability insurance coverage, protects modelers’ rights
and interests and is required to fl y at most R/C sites.
Academy of Model Aeronautics
5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302-9252
Tele. (800) 435-9262
Fax (765) 741-0057
Or via the Internet at: http://www.modelaircraft.org
IMPORTANT!!! Two of the most important things you can
do to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby are to avoid
fl ying near full-scale aircraft and avoid fl ying near or over
groups of people.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Protect Your Model, Yourself & Others…
Follow These Important Safety Precautions
1. Your F-16 should not be considered a toy, but rather a
sophisticated, working model that functions very much like a
full-size airplane. Because of its performance capabilities, the
F-16, if not assembled and operated correctly, could possibly
cause injury to yourself or spectators and damage to property.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Academy of Model Aeronautics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Battery and ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Servos, Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Battery Chargers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Adhesives and Building Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Optional Supplies and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
KIT INSPECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
KIT CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Assemble the Stand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Prepare the HyperFlow Fan Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Test Run the Motor/Fan Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Surface Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Install the Fan Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Assemble the Wing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Install the Wing Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Install the Tail Section and Servos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Finish the Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Apply the Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Set the Control Throws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Balance the Model (C.G.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Balance the Model Laterally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PREFLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Identify Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Charge the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Assemble the Bungee Launch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Radio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Ground Check and Range Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Hand-Launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Bungee-Launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24