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3. If necessary, remove the servo arms from the servos,
then remount them so they are centered.
4. Now that the servos and the servo arms are centered,
center the rudder and elevator by adjusting the position of
the aft wire pushrod ends inside the pushrod tubes.
Permanently glue the pushrod ends in the pushrod tubes
with thin CA. If you have built the Tutor with ailerons,
carefully bend the aileron torque rods or the pushrods until
both ailerons are centered.
5. Operate the controls with the transmitter and use a
ruler to measure the throws. Use the ATV function in the
transmitter to set the control throws according to the chart
that follows. Note: If necessary, the control throws may be
increased by moving the pushrod to the inner hole on the
control horn on the elevator and rudder.
These are the recommended control throws:
Elevator:
5/8" [16mm] up
Rudder:
7/8" [22mm] right
Ailerons:
3/8" [9mm] up
IMPORTANT: The Tutor has been extensively tested. These
are the control throws at which it flies best. If, after you
become comfortable with the way the Tutor flies, you would
like to adjust the throws to suit your taste, that is fine.
However, remember that too much throw can make the plane
more difficult to control and force it into a stall or a snap roll,
so remember, "more is not always better."
6. Switch off the transmitter and disconnect the battery.
PREFLIGHT
Charge the Batteries
Follow the instructions that came with your radio to charge
the batteries the evening before you plan to fly. You should
always charge the transmitter batteries before flying and at
other times as recommended by the radio manufacturer.
5/8" [16mm] down
7/8" [22mm] left
3/8" [9mm] down
21
Identify Your Model
No matter if you fly at an AMA sanctioned R/C club site or if
you fly somewhere on your own, you should always have
your name, address, telephone number and AMA number
on or inside your model. It is required at all AMA R/C club
flying sites and AMA sanctioned flying events. Fill out the
identification tag on page 24 and place it on or inside
your model.
Ground Inspection
Before you fly you should perform one last overall inspection
to make sure the model is truly ready to fly and that you
haven't overlooked anything. If you are not thoroughly
familiar with the operation of R/C models, ask an
experienced modeler to perform the inspection. Check to
see that you have the radio installed correctly and that all
the controls are connected properly. The motor must also be
checked by confirming that the prop is rotating in the correct
direction and the motor sounds like it is reaching full power.
Make certain all control surfaces (elevators, rudder,
ailerons-if used) are secure, the pushrods are connected,
the controls respond in the correct direction, radio
components are securely mounted, and the C.G. is correct.
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. 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,
poor solder joints in your battery pack or a defective cell, or
a damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash.
PERFORMANCE TIPS
Cycle the Batteries
For the longest flight duration, and to get the most from a
new battery, the battery should be cycled. "Cycling" a battery
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
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