Centre Of Gravity; Control Throws - Carf-Models Ultra Lightning Instruction Manual

Depending on your turbine and battery choice, and what accessories you use, your completed
Lightning (dry) should weigh between 13 - 14.5kgs. The 1st (rather heavy!) Lightning prototype
with a Jetcat P160, dual 5-cell receiver Nicads (2400 mAH) and a full Powerbox system weighed
just over 14kg. It needed about 300g (10 ounces) ounces of lead in the nose for correct C of G.
Static wing incidence when using the C-ARF landing gear, fuelled, is about +0.5 degree at the
wing root.
The throws and rate settings below are taken from the first 2 production planes to be flown exten-
sively, by Ray Labonte (USA) and Marc Froehn (Germany). Marc's plane was set-up by
Sebastiano Silvestri for aerobatics, and Ray's settings are a little 'softer', with 2 different rates.
You can use either of these different set-ups as a guide for your initial flights - depending on how
you like to fly.

Centre of Gravity

Set the Centre of Gravity at 45 - 50mm in front of the centre
of the wing spar tube hole, without the wings on the fuse-
lage, and with empty main tanks and full hopper tank.
An easy way to do this to to balance the completed model
(without wings) on the wing tube on a flat table. This can
easily be done single-handed, and is far easier than trying to
set the C of G with the wings on!

Control Throws

NB: All control throws are measured at the root - trailing edge of each surface
Elevator:
For neutral the elevator trailing edge should be set about 2mm 'up' at the root.
Marc: 28mm 'up' and 30mm 'down'. 55% Exponential.
Ray: High rate:
Low rate:
Aileron:
Marc: 30mm 'up' and 32mm 'down'. 45% Exponential.
Ray: High rate:
Low rate:
Rudder:
Marc: 45mm both directions. 0% Expo for normal flight, 30% exponential when landing gear
is down. Rudder to aileron mix: 6%. Rudder to elevator mix: 2% 'up'.
Ray: 40mm both directions. 25% Exponential.
Flaps:
Set on a 3-position switch.
Marc: 1st position 25mm 'down', Landing position 85mm 'down'. 5% down elevator trim in
Setting Up Your Aircraft
24mm 'up' and 26mm 'down'. 40% Exponential.
19mm 'up' and 21mm 'down'. 30% Exponential.
23mm 'up' and 25mm 'down'. Exponential 55%
18mm 'up' and 19mm 'down'. Exponential 40%
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