Great Planes SlowPoke Sport 40 Kit - GPMA0492 - Manual (Page 28)

Balance your propellers carefully before flying. An
unbalanced prop is the single most significant cause of
damaging vibration. Not only will engine mounting screws
and bolts vibrate out, possibly with disastrous effect, but
vibration will also damage your radio receiver and battery.
Vibration will cause your fuel to foam, which will, in turn,
cause your engine to run rough or quit.
We use a Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer
(#TOPQ5700) in the workshop and keep a Great Planes
Fingertip Balancer (#GPMQ5000) in our flight box.
If you have dual rates on your transmitter, set the switches
to “high rate” for takeoff, especially when taking off in a
crosswind. Although this model has excellent low speed
characteristics, you should always build up as much speed
as your runway will permit before lifting off, as this will give
you a safety margin in case of a “flame-out.” Start your
takeoff roll pointing directly into the wind if possible. When
you first advance the throttle and the tail begins to lift, the
plane will start to turn left (a characteristic of all “tail
draggers”). Be ready for this and correct by applying
sufficient right rudder to hold it straight down the runway.
The left-turning tendency will go away as soon as the tail is
up and the plane picks up speed. Be sure to allow the tail
to come up. Don’t hold the tail on the ground with too much
up elevator, as the SlowPoke Sport 40 will become airborne
prematurely and will possibly stall. When the plane has
sufficient flying speed, (this should only take 50’ or so on a
paved surface, about 100’ off short grass!) lift off by
smoothly applying up elevator (don’t “jerk” it into a steep
climb!) and climb out gradually.
We recommend that you take it easy with your SlowPoke
Sport 40 for the first several flights, gradually “getting
acquainted” with this classic sport plane as your engine
gets fully broken-in. Add and practice one maneuver at a
time, learning how she behaves in each. For ultra-smooth
flying and normal maneuvers, we recommend using the
“low rate” settings as listed on page 26. “High rate” elevator
may be required for rolls, spins and tight loops.
When it’s time to land, fly a normal landing pattern and
approach into the wind. Always try to land directly into the
wind as directional control is much easier and you don’t
have to worry about the wind getting under one of those
huge wing panels and possible flipping it over. Keep a few
clicks of power on until you are over the runway threshold.
For your first landings, plan to land slightly faster than stall
speed and on the main wheels, as this is the easiest way to
land your SlowPoke Sport 40. Later, with a little technique,
you will find you can make slow, 3-point landings.
Have a ball! But always stay in control and fly in a safe
manner.
GOOD LUCK AND GREAT FLYING!
Landing
CAUTION (THIS APPLIES TO ALL R/C AIRPLANES): If,
while flying, you notice any unusual sounds, such as a low-
pitched “buzz,” this may be an indication of control surface
“flutter.” Because flutter can quickly destroy components of
your airplane, any time you detect flutter you must
immediately cut the throttle and land the airplane! Check all
servo grommets for deterioration (this will indicate which
surface fluttered) and make sure all pushrod linkages are
slop-free. If it fluttered once, it probably will flutter again
under similar circumstances unless you can eliminate the
slop or flexing in the linkages. Here are some things which
can result in flutter: Excessive hinge gap; Not mounting
control horns solidly; Sloppy fit of clevis pin in horn; Elasticity
present in flexible plastic pushrods; Side-play of pushrod in
guide tube caused by tight bends; Sloppy fit of Z-bend in
servo arm; Insufficient glue used when gluing in the elevator
joiner wire or aileron torque rod; Excessive flexing of aileron,
caused by using too soft balsa aileron; Excessive “play” or
“backlash” in servo gears; and insecure servo mounting.
Flight
Takeoff
Balance the Propeller