Good questions!
ORIGINAL: wzak29
when you set your Tx. throttle to minimum should it shut the engine off or to idle, if idle how do you stop it?
Presuming we're talking about a glow engine here (and not large gasoline engines), I always set mine so that the engine idles at 0 throttle with throttle trim in the middle. Shutting the engine off is then done by running the throttle TRIM all the way down.
Clearly you have a bit of room to play. For example, maybe it takes 1-2 clicks of throttle trim above "middle" to get it to idle...that's fine. The point is to configure linkage, travel adjustment in the radio, etc, so that the engine will idle with the throttle stick at 0 and enough trim left to trim it down to engine shutoff.
Do I need to unscrew my hatch cover and remove fuel tank cap to fuel the plane each time.
Depends on the fuel system and airplane, but typically, no. Remove the pressure line from the muffler, and then either install a filler into the feed line (mounted on the outside of the plane) or just unhook the feedline from the carb. Fill through that, when fuel runs out of the vent line it's full.
Do I start the engine at full throttle.
No. The engine should start fine at idle, or if cold, perhaps just a small amount of throttle above idle. If it requires full throttle to start, there's probably a fuel flow or mixture issue somewhere. I prefer to and recommend to students that they start the engine at the lowest throttle setting that gives consistent results. While an idling .40 can still obviously cause injury, you stand a better chance of keeping fingers than one turning 7000+ rpm.
Do I need to let it warm up before I fly?
Eh...depends on a great many things. However, I always run the engine up and down through its throttle range 2-3 times before going to fly, just to make sure it's happy with life. Some engines need to idle for a while before they'll do that, others are ready to go as soon as they start. If you simply remind yourself to do a "run up" like the full-scale guys do as a late part of your preflight, the engine will tell you when it's ready to go.
Anything else I might be forgetting, I know how to check the radio and setup the engine needle valves.
Only thing I'll toss out...and this isn't some 'requirement" or anything, just a method I've found that works for many folks...is to do your preflight in the same manner as we do on full scale planes:
1) Exterior. Pick a point, and work around the plane from there. Don't go "Engine, tail, wings, etc", but rather start at, say, the left wing. Check the wing, the aileron servo, the aileron...then start moving to the back of the plane...check the left side of the fuse for cracks/etc, work toward the left stabilizer, left elevator half, rudder and vert stab, etc. Basically, think of it as a clock...start at an "hour" of your choosing, and then work your way around in a circle.
Again...doesn't HAVE to be that way, it just seems to be a method that works for many folks, and gives them an easily remembered "pattern" to go by.
2) "Interior-Instruments" - Obviously, you won't have instruments on your RC model..but in our case, the radio is our "cockpit", so i treat it as the cockpit pre-start portion of my preflight. I look to see that it's on, that it's on the right model, that the control sticks move freely, switches are where they belong, etc etc.
3) Starting : Just like in a real one...make sure the fuel is good...do I have enough, is it "on" (have I hooked the lines back up after fueling)...turn on the electrical system, prime if needed, check to make sure the area's clear, and start.
4) "Taxi" - I think of setting the airplane down off its stand as part of "taxiing" in the RC world, plus, of course, actually taxiing out to the runway if needed. Before doing this, again just like in the full-scale world, I "get clearance" (anyone else flying? if so, do they know my plane is taxiing out and I'm going up to fly?), I make sure the area's clear (no kids, dogs, etc). I usually do a final 'run up" before letting go of the plane, either on the ground or on the stand, where I test all control surfaces while at full throttle, making sure engine vibration isn't causing any issues.
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Probably more than you were after...and as I say, certainly not a requirement or the only 'right" way to do things...it just happens to work for me and many others.
The MAJOR thing is, whatever you decide on, have a preflight plan and follow it. I'll promise you, doing so WILL save you an airplane some day.