Charge The Batteries; Range Check; Performance Tips; Balance The Propeller - GREAT PLANES Yard Stik Instruction Manual

Charge the Batteries

Follow the battery charging instructions that came with your
radio control system to charge the batteries in the
transmitter. You should always charge the batteries the night
before you go flying and at other times as recommended by
the radio manufacturer.

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.
IMPORTANT! Repeat this test with the motor 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, or a
damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash.

PERFORMANCE TIPS

Balance the Propeller

Use fine sandpaper to remove imperfections along the edges
of the propeller. Carefully balance the propeller and spare
propellers before flying. A balanced propeller on a lightweight
model such as this will improve efficiency and extend run
time and improve performance. A high-performance,
sensitive prop balancer such as the Top Flite
Magnetic Prop Balancer ™ (TOPQ5700) is recommended.
For optimum battery performance the battery should be
cycled occasionally. "Cycling" means to fully charge ("peak"
charge) the battery, then to discharge it. Many battery
chargers have peak charging and automatic discharging
capabilities. If you do not have a charger that is able to
discharge batteries, you can discharge the battery yourself
by running the motor with the propeller attached until the
propeller barely continues to turn. Be sure to allow the
battery to cool before recharging.

MOTOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Note: Failure to follow these safety precautions may result
in severe injury to yourself and others.
• Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to
operate motors.
• Use safety glasses when running motors.
• Do not run the motor 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 path of the propeller as you start and run the motor.
• Keep items such as these away from the prop: loose
clothing, shirt sleeves, ties, scarfs, long hair or loose
objects (pencils, screw drivers) that may fall out of shirt
or jacket pockets into the prop.
• The electric motor and motor battery used in the Yard Stik
are very powerful. The spinning propeller has a lot of
momentum; therefore, if you touch the propeller while it is
spinning it may inflict severe injury. Respect the motor and
propeller for the damage it is capable of and take whatever
precautions are necessary to avoid injury. Always
disconnect the battery until you are ready to fly again.
• Using multiple battery packs for successive flights may
cause the motor to become excessively hot, thus
causing damage. Allow the motor to cool for at least 10
minutes between flights.
® Precision
14

Cycle the Batteries