Top Flite TOPA0955 - Manual (Page 30)

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mounting screws and bolts loosen, possibly with
disastrous effect, but vibration may also damage
your radio receiver and battery . Vibration can also
cause your fuel to foam, which will, in turn, cause
your engine to run hot or quit .
We use a Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer
(TOPQ5700) in the workshop and keep a Great
Planes Fingertip Prop Balancer (GPMQ5000) in our
flight box .
GROUND CHECK
If the engine is new, follow the engine
manufacturer’s instructions to break-in the
engine. After break-in, confirm that the engine idles
reliably, transitions smoothly and rapidly to full power
and maintains full power—indefinitely . After you run
the engine on the model, inspect the model closely
to make sure all screws remained tight, the hinges
are secure, the prop is secure and all pushrods and
connectors are secure .
RANGE CHECK
Ground check the operational range of your radio
before the first flight of the day . With the transmitter
antenna collapsed and the receiver and transmitter
on, you should be able to walk at least 100 feet
away from the model and still have control . Have an
assistant stand by your model and, while you work
the controls, tell you what the control surfaces are
doing . Repeat this test
with the engine running at
various speeds with an assistant holding the model,
using hand signals to show you what is happening .
If the control surfaces do not respond correctly,
do
not fly! Find and correct the problem first . Look for
loose servo connections or broken wires, corroded
wires on old servo connectors, poor solder joints in
your battery pack or a defective cell, or a damaged
receiver crystal from a previous crash .
ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Failure to follow these safety precautions
may result in severe injury to yourself
and others.
Keep all engine fuel in a safe place, away from high
heat, sparks or flames, as fuel is very flammable . Do
not smoke near the engine or fuel; and remember
that engine exhaust gives off a great deal of deadly
carbon monoxide . Therefore
do not run the engine
in a closed room or garage .
Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to
operate engines .
Use safety glasses when starting or running engines .
Do not run the engine in an area of loose gravel or
sand; the propeller may throw such material in your
face or eyes .
Keep your face and body as well as all spectators
away from the plane of rotation of the propeller as
you start and run the engine .
Keep these items away from the prop: loose clothing,
shirt sleeves, ties, scarfs, long hair or loose objects
such as pencils or screwdrivers that may fall out of
shirt or jacket pockets into the prop .
Use a “chicken stick” or electric starter to start the
engine . Do not use your fingers to flip the propeller .
Make certain the glow plug clip or connector is secure
so that it will not pop off or otherwise get into the
running propeller .
Make all engine adjustments from behind the rotating
propeller .
The engine gets hot! Do not touch it during or right
after operation . Make sure fuel lines are in good
condition so fuel will not leak onto a hot engine,
causing a fire .
To stop a glow engine, cut off the fuel supply by closing
off the fuel line or following the engine manufacturer’s
recommendations . Do not use hands, fingers or any
other body part to try to stop the engine . To stop a
gasoline powered engine an on/off switch should be
connected to the engine coil . Do not throw anything
into the propeller of a running engine .
AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)
Read and abide by the following excerpts from the
Academy of Model Aeronautics Safety Code . For
the complete Safety Code refer to Model Aviation
magazine, the AMA web site or the Code that came
with your AMA license .
GENERAL
1) I will not fly my model aircraft in sanctioned events,
air shows, or model flying demonstrations until it
has been proven to be airworthy by having been
previously, successfully flight tested .
2) I will not fly my model aircraft higher than
approximately 400 feet within 3 miles of an airport
without notifying the airport operator . I will give right-
of-way and avoid flying in the proximity of full-scale
aircraft . Where necessary, an observer shall be
utilized to supervise flying to avoid having models fly
in the proximity of full-scale aircraft .
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 .
5) I will not fly my model unless it is identified with
my name and address or AMA number, on or in the
model . Note: This does not apply to models while
being flown indoors .
7) I will not operate models with pyrotechnics (any
device that explodes, burns, or propels a projectile
of any kind) .