Balance Your Propellers; Find A Safe Place To Fly; Ground Check Your Model; Range Check Your Radio - GREAT PLANES Extra 300S Instruction Manual

Balance Your Propellers

Carefully balance your propellers before you fly. An
unbalanced prop is the single most significant cause of
vibration that can damage your model. Not only will engine
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.

Find a Safe Place to Fly

The best place to fly your model is an AMA chartered R/C
club flying field. Contact the AMA (their address is on page 2)
or your hobby shop dealer for the club in your area and join
it. Club fields are intended for R/C flying, making your
outing safer and more enjoyable. The AMA also provides
insurance in case of a flying accident. If an R/C flying field
is not available, find a large, grassy area at least six miles
from buildings, streets, and other R/C activities. A
schoolyard is usually not an acceptable area because of
people, power lines and possible radio interference.

Ground Check Your Model

If you are not thoroughly familiar with the operation of R/C
models, ask an experienced modeler to inspect your radio
installation and control surface set-up. Follow the engine
manufacturer's instructions to break-in your engine.
After you run the engine on your model, inspect your model
closely to make sure all screws remain tight and your
pushrods and connectors are secure.

Range Check Your Radio

Ground check the 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 in
your battery pack, or a damaged receiver crystal from a
previous crash.
During the last few moments of preparation your mind
may be elsewhere, anticipating the excitement of your
first flight. Because of this, you may overlook certain
checks and procedures you should perform after your
model is built. To help you avoid this, we've provided a
check list to make sure you don't overlook these
important areas. Many are covered in the instruction
manual so, where appropriate, refer to the manual for
complete instructions. Be sure to check the items off as
™
you complete them (that's why we call it a check list!)
1. Fuelproof all areas exposed to fuel or exhaust residue
such as the firewall/engine compartment, fuel tank
compartment, wing saddle area, etc.
2. Check the C.G. according to the measurements
provided in the manual.
3. Secure the battery and receiver with a strip of balsa
or plywood. Simply stuffing them into place with foam
rubber is not sufficient.
4. Extend your receiver antenna and make sure it has a
strain relief inside the fuselage to keep tension off the
solder joint inside the receiver.
5. Balance your model laterally as explained in the
instructions.
6. Secure critical fasteners with thread locking
compound (the screws that hold the carburetor arm, screw-
lock pushrod connectors, etc.).
7. Apply a drop of oil to the wheel axles so the wheels
will turn freely.
8. Make sure all hinges are securely glued in place.
9. Reinforce holes with thin CA for wood screws where
servos are mounted.
10. Confirm that all controls operate in the correct direction
and the throws are set up as specified on page 20.
11. Make sure that there are silicone retainers on all of
the clevises.
21

Check List