Top Flite TOPA0110 - Manual (Page 57)

3. Where established, I will abide by the safety
rules for the flying site I use, and I will not willfully
and deliberately fly my models in a careless,
reckless and/or dangerous manner.
RADIO CONTROL
1. I will have completed a successful radio
equipment ground check before the first flight of a
new or repaired model.
2. I will not fly my model aircraft in the presence
of spectators until I become a qualified flyer,
unless assisted by an experienced helper.
3. I will perform my initial turn after takeoff away
from the pit, spectator and parking areas, and I
will not thereafter perform maneuvers, flights of
a n y s o r t o r l a n d i n g a p p r o a c h e s o v e r a p i t ,
spectator or parking area.
FLYING
The Top Flite P-51D is a great flying sport
scale airplane that flies smoothly and predictably,
yet is highly maneuverable. It does not have the
self-recovery characteristics of a primary trainer.
Therefore you must either have mastered the
basics of R/C flying or seek the assistance of a
competent R/C pilot to help you with your first
flights.
TAKEOFF: If you have dual rates on your
transmitter, set the switches to “high rate” for
takeoff, especially when taking off in a cross
wind. Although this P-51 has good 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." 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 after the tail is up and the plane
picks up speed. Be sure to allow the tail to come
up. Depending on the surface you are flying
from, you will need to apply very little to no up
elevator until flying speed is obtained. Holding
the tail on the ground with too much up elevator
will cause the Mustang to become airborne
prematurely. When the plane has sufficient flying
speed, lift off by smoothly applying up elevator
(don’t “jerk” it off to a vertical climb!), and climb
out gradually.
FLYING: We recommend that you take it easy
with your Mustang for the first several flights and
gradually “get acquainted” with this fantastic ship
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 55. “High rate”
elevator and rudder may be required for crisp
snap rolls and spins. “High rate” rudder is best
for knife-edge. Speed is the key to good knife-
edge performance.
LANDING: When it’s time to land, fly a normal
landing pattern and approach. The Mustang will
probably bleed off airspeed more rapidly than the
sport planes you are used to. For this reason,
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 Mustang. Later, with a little technique, you
will find you can make slow, 3-point landings.
Full flaps make the Mustang feel like a trainer
in the landing pattern. Just carry a little extra
power to make up for the extra drag. The extra
drag of the flaps also allows you to make shorter,
steeper approaches. Touch and go’s and go-
arounds can be accomplished with full flaps, but
just be ready to use a little more up elevator.
Have a ball! But always stay in
control and fly in a safe manner.
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
t i m e y o u d e t e c t f l u t t e r y o u m u s t
immediately cut the throttle and land the
airplane! Check all servo grommets for
deterioration (this will indicate which
s u r f a c e f l u t t e r e d ) , a n d m a k e s u r e a l l
p u s h r o d l i n k a g e s a r e s l o p - f r e e . I f i t
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.
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