Table Of Contents; Introduction; Ama; Safety Precautions - Top Flite Cessna 182 ARF User Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
AMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Building Stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Radio Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Engine Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Scale Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Hardware & Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Adhesives & Building Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Optional Supplies & Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Replacement Parts List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
KIT INSPECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Kit Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
PREPARATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ASSEMBLE THE WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Hinge the Ailerons And Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Install the Aileron Servo & Linkage . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Install the Flap Servo & Linkage . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Finish the Wing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
INSTALL THE TAIL, LANDING GEAR & SERVOS. . . 13
Install the Horizontal Stabilizer,
Elevators & Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Install the Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Install the Tail Servos & Pushrods . . . . . . . . . . . 16
INSTALL THE POWER SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Glow Engine Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Brushless Motor Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
FINISH THE MODEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Install the Receiver & Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Install the Cowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Install the Cockpit Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Install the Cockpit Kit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Install the Spinner & Propeller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Final Touches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Apply the Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Install & Connect the Motor Battery . . . . . . . . . 30
Check the Control Directions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Set the Control Throws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Balance the Model (C.G.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Balance the Model Laterally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
PREFLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Identify Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Charge the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Balance Propellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Range Check. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 33
AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts). . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Radio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
FLYING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Fuel Mixture Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Takeoff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Flying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the Top Flite
Cessna 182 ARF! The Cessna 182 ARF is built using
virtually the same airframe as the very successful
Top Flite Cessna kit. With the time consuming tasks
of building, covering, and painting already done for
you, you can be flying your scale Cessna after as
little as 15 to 20 hours of assembly! A pre-painted
ABS cockpit kit is included for added realism. The
corrugated control surfaces, functional pre-installed
flying lights, and generous use of fiberglass are details
you typically won't find in other scale ARF planes.
Although the Cessna 182 ARF already includes an
impressive list of these "extras" right out of the box,
the sky is the limit for the amount of additional scale
detail you can create while assembling the Cessna to
be truly admired at the flying field or in competition.
Because of its 81" wingspan, the Top Flite Cessna 182
ARF is eligible to be entered at IMAA events. In order
to be IMAA-legal, some of the control components
and hardware may need to be replaced to conform
to Giant Scale rules even though this model does not
require heavy duty hookups.
2
For the latest technical updates or manual corrections
to the Cessna 182 ARF visit the Top Flite web site at
www.top-flite.com. Open the "Airplanes" link, then
select the Cessna 182 ARF. If there is new technical
information or changes to this model, a "tech notice"
box will appear in the upper left corner of the page.

AMA

If you are not already a member of the AMA, please
join! The AMA is the governing body of model
aviation and membership provides liability insurance
coverage, protects modelers' rights and interests and
is required to fly at most R/C sites.
Academy of Model Aeronautics
5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302-9252
Tele. (800) 435-9262
Fax (765) 741-0057
Or via the Internet at:
http://www.modelaircraft.org
IMPORTANT!!! Two of the most important things you
can do to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby
are to avoid flying near full-scale aircraft and avoid
flying near or over groups of people.
PROTECT YOUR MODEL,
YOURSELF & OTHERS.....FOLLOW
THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS
1. Your Cessna 182 ARF should not be considered
a toy, but rather a sophisticated, working model that
functions very much like a full-size airplane. Because
of its performance capabilities, the Cessna, if not
assembled and operated correctly, could possibly
cause injury to yourself or spectators and damage
to property.
2. You must assemble the model according to the
instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as
doing so may result in an unsafe or unflyable model.
In a few cases the instructions may differ slightly from
the photos. In those instances the written instructions
should be considered as correct.