TEST FLIGHT PROCEDURES FOR PARKFLYERS
by Ed Anderson
aeajr on the forums

PURPOSE - Here are some quick tips and a "check sheet" for preparing your parkflyer for flight. This list is primarily for someone learning on their own who would like some tips, guides and check lists to help them with their early test flights. Skip a step and you open yourself to problems.

BALANCE THE PLANE - Be sure to balance the plane to the suggested CG point. If you don't know how to balance a plane, this is the time to ask. Don't try to fly it until you do. An improperly balanced plane is not likely to fly well and is very likely to crash! Even some Ready to Fly planes have to be balanced, so check the manual for the manufacturers suggestions. In general it is better to be a "little" nose heavy rather than tail heavy. A nose heavy plane is more stable so you have a better chance of a smooth first flight session.

WIND - For new pilots, dead calm to 3 MPH is perfect. No more than 5 MPH for your first test flights and early/training flights or you will be fighting the wind, not flying the plane. (guess how I know)


AT THE FIELD

1) Make sure no one is on your channel BEFORE you turn on your radio. If someone is flying on your channel and you turn on your radio, they will crash! Check first! At our field if you cause someone to crash, you have to buy them a new plane. That can cost thousands. Check first!

2) Do a range check before the first launch of the day - If you don't know how to do a range check, ASK!

3) Make sure that battery is fully charged just before the launch. Not 3 days ago. Not last week. Last night or today!

4) Make sure all your surfaces are properly aligned and move properly before you launch. Check the instructions.

Make sure right rudder goes right and up elevator goes up, etc. Also make sure your wing is straight!

5) CHECK THE TRIMS! Check the trim slides on the side and below the stick(s). They should be in the center. Be sure you have not bumped one out of position. A bumped trim can cause the plane to crash. (guess how I know). I do this a lot, so check just before EVERY launch.

6) Always launch and land into the wind - ALWAYS!

7) For hand launches - good firm LEVEL throw - NOT UP! Never throw the plane upward on a test flight as it will most likely stall, go nose down and crash. After a few launches you will know how THIS plane flies.

TEST FLIGHTS

The following is a suggested test flight process for flyers learning on their own, primarily in an open field area. If you are at a highly disciplined runway based site, they may not allow you to follow this procedure. In this case, you probably have an instructor, follow their guidance. If you are alone in a field, follow this process.


LAUNCH - FLY STRAIGHT - LAND - Don't go for a real flight, this is a test to see if it goes straight and level. I like to fly straight out and then land for the fist few tries. I send it out 100-300 feet. This way I get a feel of how the plane will launch and how it will land. Does it glide in nicely? Do I need power on as I land? Launching and landing are the two most important things you have to do, so make sure you know how the plane behaves before you attempt anything more. You will do some walking but that is better than gathering up pieces or watching your plane fly off into the distance.

On these test flights, try to use the controls as little as possible. If it is balanced correctly, and your surfaces are trimmed it should fly straight and true. If you have to work the sticks to keep it going straight and level, you may have some trim adjustments to do, or your plane is not well balanced. Make those adjustments now. If it flies with the nose sticking up, you are too tail heavy. If the wind is blowing it around a lot, put it away for a calmer day.

The first time I bring a plane to the field I might do 1-5 test flights as straight out launches and landings. After each I adjust and do it again. Only when I am happy that the plane goes straight and flat will I take to the skies. I may add or remove some balance weight if the plane needs balance improvement.

I like to adjust my planes at the surfaces so that my normal flight trim settings on my radio are normally neutral trims. This way I don't have to worry about setting trims before I fly. It takes time, but it saves problems later.

Many kits tell you to set your control throws for lower amounts for early flights. Follow this recommendation. Too much surface movement on an unfamiliar plane can cause you to over control it. You can always "crank it up" later.

Once I have done all these things, which might take 10 minutes or it may take an hour, then and only then would I go for altitude and go around the field. After these few test flights I also get a feel for how much stick movement will give me how much plane movement. I get to know the plane is right before I send it up. Finding I have a problem when I am 200 feet up and climbing and can't control a turn is not a good thing because now I have to get it down and land it.

I hope this is helpful. Clear Skies and Safe Flying!