Top Flite KittiWake - Manual (Page 15)

The last thing to do is balance the model. The C.G.
shown on the plans is exactly where we have been flying
our prototypes. We've gone as far as 1/2" fore and aft of
this location and still had a managable airplane but not
necessarily a "happy" airplane. Therefore, do whatever
is needed to achieve the C.G. location shown and recom-
mended.
After fully charging your radio system, you can head to
the pond!
FLYING
Assuming that you have followed the instructions and
made sure that the engine is performing well, let's head
for the lake! The flying site that you choose is very impor-
tant. It should offer you clear, unobstructed take-off and
landing room and it should also have access to the
water; a bank, stretch of sand, low pier, etc. Never, at any
time, should you operate your KittiWake when the water
is being used by swimmers or boaters. The last precau-
tion we'll throw in here is that it is extremely unwise to
operate your KittiWake out of salt water. Salt water can
and will attack almost all metals, including battery
packs, receiver P.C. boards and servos. And it does so in
a matter of seconds. Fresh water on the other hand real-
ly does not hurt the electronics of a radio system, as long
as the system is given the opportunity to dry out bet-
ween "dunkings". Our prototypes have not shown a
tendency to take on water and the fact that the radio
system is "suspended" in the upper part of the fuselage
does a great deal in protecting the system from sitting in
any pooled water that may get in.
It does pay to create the best possible fit between the
wing and fuselage to minimize leakage.
Fill your tank and start the engine. From the work you've
done at home, the radio system should have already
been checked for any problems with vibration. After
making sure that all of the controls are moving in the cor-
rect directions, launch the airplane onto the water.
First try the action of the water rudder. This rudder
system works best at low speeds. You will find that the
faster the aircraft is moving, the less effective the water
rudder is. Do you have enough movement? In other
words, can you steerthe model comfortably in any direc-
tion? Remember that wind will effect the steering of the
model and that some additional time turning into the
wind may be required. What we are trying to find out in
these taxi tests is if we have enough steerage to easily
handle the model but not so much as to render it
"touchy".
If you find you need more steerage, return the model to
shore and induce more movement into the flying rudder
by moving the clevis in, to the next hole. Try taxiing
again.
Once you're comfortable with the water handling char-
acteristics, turn the airplane into the wind and advance
the throttle smoothly to about 1/3 rd. You'll find, as you do
this, it may be necessary to hold a small amount of right
rudder to compensate for intitial torque. The idea is to
hold the aircraft in as straight a line as possible while
proceeding upwind. Watch your airplane carefully. At
1/3 rd throttle you should be able to notice that it wants to
come up on the step and, depending on your engine, it
may already be on the step. This is the point that a
seaplane must reach in order to take-off. It is possible
that your model is now planing on the step. Try this a
couple of times to get used to this transition phase of
your model. You should now be ready to try a take-off.
Again head the KittiWake into the wind, advance the throt-
tle smoothly and look for the transition of the model onto
the step. After a few yards on the step to build-up speed,
the model will essentially by flying. A little back
pressure on the elevator stick should lift the model off
the water. Do Not lift the model off before reasonable fly-
ing speed has been reached.
Once airborne, grab some altitude and start the process
of checking out the effectiveness of the flight con-
trols—remember that, if you have dual rate capability
with your radio system, you can increase or decrease
flight surface throws. Once you have the model settled
down and trimmed for straight and level flight, take the
time to idle back the engine and find out what a stall is
like while still at altitude. Our prototypes, balanced as
shown, stall rather cleanly with recovery almost instan-
taneous. The further back your C.G. is, the more the ten-
dancy will be to tip stall. Once you've seen some of the
low-speed characteristics of your KittiWake, you should be
a bit more comfortable with the landing.
Landing a seaplane is not too different from landing any
other type of model with the exception that it is import-
ant to keep the wings level. You want to land your air-
plane on the main float, not the tip floats. A couple of
feet off the water, start a gentle flare, to allow the main
float to just skim across the water—don't pancake the
float onto the water, you'll just ricochete back into the
air again. With the float skimming across the surface of
the water, chop the throttle and allow the model to settle
into the taxiing speed and return to shore.
Now is the time to relax a bit and think back about what
trim changes, if any, are needed. Make these now. Get
airborne again and start finding out the performance
capabilities of your KittiWake. We think you'll be truly im-
pressed.
We sincerely hope that you have enjoyed this project
and that your KittiWake will be the source of many happy
hours spent at the lake!
INDEX
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
WING CONSTRUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
TIP FLOAT CONSTRUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
MAIN FLOAT CONSTRUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
STABILIZERANDFIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
F U S E L A G E C O N S T R U C T I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
FINALASSEMBLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
COVERING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
RADIO INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
15