Pilot RC Decathlon Assembly Manual
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Pilot RC Decathlon Assembly Manual

107”-180”
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Assembly Manual for
Decathlon 107"- - 180"
Decathlon 107"
www.pilot- - rc.com
www.pilot
180"
Wingspan: 88 in
Wingarea: 1479.8 sp in
Length: 78.8 in
Engine: 50CC
rc.com
1

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Summary of Contents for Pilot RC Decathlon

  • Page 1 Assembly Manual for Decathlon 107” Decathlon 107”- - 180” 180” Wingspan: 88 in Wingarea: 1479.8 sp in Length: 78.8 in Engine: 50CC www.pilot www.pilot- - rc.com rc.com...

  • Page 2: Introduction

    INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing our Decathlon plane. At Pilot we strive to build the best performing Quick Build ARF aircraft available today. The Decathlon is manufactured using advanced building techniques for maximum strength and lightest weight. The kit features...

  • Page 3: Warranty

    WARRANTY WARRANTY All Pilot-RC products are guaranteed against defects for 30 days of receiving your airplane. This warranty is limited to construction or production defects in both material and workmanship , it does not cover any component parts damaged through use or modification .

  • Page 4: Attention

    ATTENTION ATTENTION Do not regard this plane as a toy! To ensure safety, please read the instruction manual thoroughly before assembly. Building and operating an RC Plane of this nature requires previous experience and competence to an experienced level. This plane is not for a beginner! If you are in doubt have an experienced pilot at hand.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    INDEX Introduction ………………….………..….…….………… Warranty …………………….……..….…..……………….. Attention …………….…………..….……..……………….. Fuselage Rudder Assembly Rudder Control Horns………..…….…...……………. Tail Wheel Installation…………..……....... Landing Gear Assembly Main Landing Gear Installation………….…..………. Pants Installation…………..….………………………. Servos Wing Servo Assembly Servo Arm Installation………….….…………………. Aileron Control Horns………….……….…………….. Servo Installation…….…………..…………………… Rudder Servo Assembly Servo Tray Installation….…….…..………………...

  • Page 6: Fuselage

    Fuselage Rudder Assembly 2. Slice covering over factory installed slots. Press control horn into position. Rudder Control Horn Trace around the locking plate with a knife and remove the covering. 3. Scuff the middle of horns with a 1. Tear off the cover on the horns and piece of sand paper for good glue locking plates.
  • Page 7 Rudder Assembly 4. Apply the 30 minutes epoxy Make sure the horn is perpendicular inside the pre-cut slot, and coat the to the rudder. horn with epoxy as shown. 5. Slide the horn into slots with locking mount plates. Wipe away excess glue with rubbing alcohol.

  • Page 8: Tail Wheel Installation

    Tail wheel Tail Wheel Installation 2. Locate and drill holes in the tail wheel mounting block as shown. 1. Draw a center line with a fine line 3. Install the blind nuts through the marker as shown. opening in the rear of the fuselage. Mount the tail wheel assembly using blue Loctite on the threads screws.
  • Page 9 Tail wheel 4. Install the hatch over the opening Ensure the spring is under slight in the rear of fuse with 3 screws in tension. accordance with the pre-drilled holes 5. Drill a 1mm hole in the bottom of the rudder and mount steering spring with a wood screw as shown.

  • Page 10: Landing Gear Assembly

    Landing Gear Assembly Main Landing Gear Installation NOTE: The main landing mounting direction. Taper to rear Straight edge to front...

  • Page 11: Pants Installation

    Landing Gear Assembly 1. Install the landing gear with the 3. Tighten the lock nut against the bolts and locking nuts. Do not over landing gear strut making sure the flat tighten the hardware. sides of the axle bolt vertical with ground.
  • Page 12 Landing Gear Assembly Wheel pant installation 2. Drill the holes for the mounting bolts and install the blind nuts. 1. Level the fuselage and place the wheel pants over the wheels. The cut out in the wheel pant is cut to fit the hex nut on the axle.

  • Page 13: Wing Servo Assembly

    Wing servos Wing Servo Assembly Servo Arm Installation 2. Locate and drill 2mm holes into Minimum servo specs: nylon servo arm to attach the included 180 in. oz / Metal Gear / Digital fiberglass servo arms. Use a few drops of CA to hold arm in place for drilling.

  • Page 14: Aileron Control Horns

    Wing Servos 2. Slice covering over factory installed slots. Press control horn into Aileron Control Horns position. Trace around the locking plate with a knife and remove the covering. 3. Scuff the horns with a piece of 1. Tear off the cover on the horns and sand paper for good glue bond.

  • Page 15: Servo Installation

    Wing Servos Servo Installation 4. Apply the 30 minute epoxy inside 2. Add a servo extension to each the pre-cut slot for horn and coat the aileron servo. Install connector safety horn with epoxy as shown. clip to as shown to connection. 5.
  • Page 16 Wing servos 4. Pull the extension lead through to 6. Install the servo arm facing the root of the wing. outboard toward the wing tip. Adjust pushrod length so the servo arm is at 90 degrees and aileron panel in neutral position.

  • Page 17: Rudder Servo Assembly

    Rudder servo Assembly Rudder servo installation The rudder servo can be mounted forward in the cabin using cables or mounted in the tail using a push rod. 7. Repeat steps for the other aileron and flaps. Pick the rudder servo mounting location based on CG needs.
  • Page 18 Rudder Servo Assembly 2. Drill holes with a 2mm bit Minimum servo specs: for hardware. 180 in. oz. / Metal Gear / Digital 3. Mount the screws and nuts. 1. Turn on your transmitter and make sure servos are centered before installing the rudder servo arm.
  • Page 19 Rudder Servo Assembly Rudder Servo (A) 2. Install the rudder servo arm with The rudder cables and couplers come cable attach points aft. factory installed as shown. 1. Drill 1mm holes and mount the 3. Tape the rudder to the vertical rudder servo with the output shaft fin in the neutral position to help facing forward.
  • Page 20 Rudder Servo Assembly 4. Mount the cables with the pre- 5. Install ball link to rudder control installed ball link cable ends to the horn temporarily. rudder servo arm. Cut the covering in the tail to expose cable exit slots. Run the cables out the slots.
  • Page 21 Rudder Servo Assembly 9. Adjust the rudder cable threaded 7. This is what a completed cable fair leads to obtain appropriate cable should look like. Cut off excess cable tensions. Remove tape that was after crimping. Repeat process for holding rudder straight. opposite rudder cable.
  • Page 22 Rudder Servo Assembly Rudder Servo Plan B 1. The process for the rudder servo installation is the same process as for the ailerons.

  • Page 23: Elevator Servo Assembly

    Elevator Servo Assembly Servo Arm Installation 2. Ensure the servo arm is 90 degrees with servo as shown. Then mark and drill holes with 2mm bit. Minimum servo specs: 180 in. oz / Metal Gear / Digital Use a few drops of CA to hold arm in place for drilling.

  • Page 24: Elevator Control Horns

    Elevator Servo Assembly 2. Slice covering over factory installed slots. Press control horn into position. Elevator Control Horns Trace around the locking plate with a knife and remove the covering. 3. Scuff the horns with a piece of 1. Tear off the cover on the horns and sand paper for good glue bond.

  • Page 25: Servo Installation

    Elevator Servo Assembly Servo Installation 4. Apply 30 minutes epoxy inside the pre-cut slot for horn, and coat the horn with epoxy as shown. 5. Slide the horn with locking plate 1. Connect the servo extension to into place. Wipe away excess the servo and install safety clip.
  • Page 26 Elevator Servo Assembly 4. Cut the covering on the pre-drilled 2. Snake the elevator servo leads into hole for stab mounting. Insert carbon the fuselage using the factory installed spars and slide horizontal stab into pull string. (same process as ailerons) position.
  • Page 27 Elevator Servo Assembly 6. Install the servo arm facing down. Adjust pushrod length so the elevator is neutral and the servo horn is at 90 degrees. 7. Repeat steps for the other elevator servo.

  • Page 28: Engine Installation

    Engine installation 1. Using a template, locate, drill, and 3. Remove cowl and mount fire wall at install the engine centered to the present location. Drill 3mm mounting firewall. holes for hardware through the motor box into aluminum angle brackets. File photo 2.

  • Page 29: Engine Assembly

    Engine Assembly Engine Installation Note: Use Blue Loctite on final installation of engine mounting screws.

  • Page 30: Throttle Servo Assembly

    Throttle servo Installation 2. Make a hole for push rod path with Throttle Servo Installation a Dremel tool. Measure and bend to a sharp “Z” bend as shown. Cut off extra length wire. Mount the throttle pushrod ball end to the throttle arm and “Z” bend to the servo arm.

  • Page 31: Ignition Module

    Ignition Module 2. Stick the ignition to the outside of the engine box with double sided tape. Ignition Module Allow room for spark plug leads and wire connections. Drill holes in motor box for zip ties and secure module with ties. 3.

  • Page 32: Hatch And Fuel Tank

    Hatch and fuel tank Fuel Tank And Dot Engine Box Hatch Fuel line Fuel Fill Line Mount the fuel tank with Velcro straps. There is a factory laser cut hole for the fueling dot aft of the engine cowl on Epoxy the hatch in place and install the left hand side of the fuselage.
  • Page 33 Cowl Assembly 2. Install the plastic cooling air deflector(only offer for 107-122” Cowl Assembly decathlon) to the inside of the cowl. Secure with thick CA or silicone. Some trimming might be necessary for clearance with the engine. 1. Use a Dremel cutting tool to rough...

  • Page 34: Final Assembly

    Final Assembly 1. Opening the cabin door exposes two Switch Assembly additional pre cut switch locations in the servo mounting plate. Note: Factory installed laser cut switch 2. Finish the mounting the switch with mounting holes are located under the screws and nuts.

  • Page 35: Wing Assembly

    Wing Assembly 2. Layout, identify, and assemble lift strut components. Do not fully tighten Wing Assembly hardware at this time. Wing brackets Short side 1. Install the brackets at mounting locations under side of wing. Use Loctite on threads.
  • Page 36 Wing Assembly Use the included spacers and mount the lift struts to the wing. Thin spacers are for the out board brackets and thick spacers for the inboard brackets. Leave hardware lose. Install wings on fuselage and make sure every thing is aligned. Tighten all hardware.

  • Page 37: Elevator Assembly

    Elevator Assembly Elevator Assembly 1. Install the aluminum brackets onto the tail for the wire bracing. There are a total of seven brackets for the tail assembly. There are four identical brackets that are for the horizontal stabilizer, two with steeper bands that are for the vertical stabilizer, and a double sided bracket that mounts on the aft screw of the tail wheel bracket...
  • Page 38 Elevator Assembly Note: make sure cable tensions are balanced to prevent warping.

  • Page 39: Cg And Control Throws

    Rudder: 45 Degrees on High rate Avoid adding weight to your 40 Degrees on Low rate Decathlon for CG purposes. Position the batteries where required in order to correctly balance your model. After you have a few flights under Mount batteries on a bed of foam and...

  • Page 40: Center Of Gravity

    The CG list of Pilot-RC products This recommendation balance point is for PLANE CG location your first flight.The CG can be moved around to fit your personal taste. DECATHLON 107” 133mm/5.2inch DECATHLON 122’’ 145 mm/5.7inch DECATHLON 150’’ 182 mm/7.2inch Columbia 400 128’’...

  • Page 41: Flight Preparation

    Flight Preparation Make sure you have the right model programmed into your transmitter. Check the direction of each control surface before flight. Remember something wrong on the ground, never improves in the air. Do a range check of the radio system with the engine running and check with.

  • Page 42: Led Option

    Flight Preparation Check with the engine manufacturer’s for recommended running temperature and make sure that it is not exceeded. Pilot-RC doesn't accept responsibility for any damage from improper engine cooling.
  • Page 43 LED Assembly option LED Assembly Pilot-RC Optional LED lighting kit. Some soldering is required.
  • Page 44 Pilot RC Control Horn Installation (50cc and larger have dual control horns & 30cc Aircraft have a single control horn) • Rubber/Latex Gloves. • Epoxy (30 Minute or Stronger) • Epoxy Mixing Cups • Epoxy Mixing Sticks (Any mixing stick that will fit into the slot) •...
  • Page 45 Then you will need to test fit your parts together before gluing in place. Please note that sometimes the slots need to be cleaned out a little bit and can be done with a dremel and a small drill bit or an x-acto knife. Force your epoxy into the slots.
  • Page 46 Install your horns. Make sure to clean off any epoxy that comes out from under the plate with a paper towel and alcohol.
  • Page 47 Pilot RC Wing & Elevator Servo Installation You will need: • Hobby Iron • X-Acto Knife • Thin CA “Super Glue” • Drill and Drill Bit First find the servo mounting hole and iron around to assure that the covering is stuck to the surrounding wood.
  • Page 48 Then press and iron excess covering down into the servo slot. Now you can pre fit the servo. Make sure your grommets are installed and drill the holes for the servo screws.
  • Page 49 Now apply a small amount of the CA to the already drilled servo screw holes and if need- ed run your extension wire through. (Don’t forget the safety clip!!) Now you can install the servo with your choice of screws and attach the linkage. Final adjustment of turnbuckles and it ready for servo adjustment.
  • Page 50 Pilot RC Optional Rudder Installation for 50-150cc Aircraft Shorten the rudder wire so that it will not pierce the covering at the top of the rudder and leave about 3/4” hanging out the bottom. Bend the bottom at a 90 degree angle, and then trace around the wire (See Photos).
  • Page 51 The Tail wheel bracket will lock it in to place. Make sure it overhangs the slot when you install the TW bracket.
  • Page 52 The CG list of Pilot-RC products This recommendation balance point is for PLANE CG location your first flight.The CG can be moved around to fit your personal taste. DECATHLON 107” 133mm/5.2inch DECATHLON 122’’ 145 mm/5.7inch DECATHLON 150’’ 182 mm/7.2inch Columbia 400 128’’...

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