Hello all,
I have been flying electrics for about 6 months. The two I have, the Parkzone Cub and Stryker, I flew straight out of the box. No building, no tweaking, nothing...I decided it was time for me to graduate to my first glow plane. I decided on the avistar. I have completed building it and putting the o.s. .46 motor in it. I have put all the servos in and trimmed them all out. I think the only things I have left to do, 1. Condition the Motor, and 2. Balance the plane.....the problem is I don't know how to do either.

I have read the instruction front to back, but am wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks to de-mystify these last two steps.

Thanks in advance!

~Tip

If the engine is new, there should be break-in instructions in the manual. If there aren't, just run about 2 tankfulls of fuel through it with a very rich setting. In case you're not familiar with that term, it means to open the needle valve enough that you see a fine spray of fuel leaving the muffler. It will be running pretty sloppy, but it will be getting some well needed lubrication.

After that turn the needle valve in till the engine peaks, then back it out until you hear a noticeable decrease in RPM. You can now get your next 3 or 4 flights in while the engine is running like this. After that, tweak it again to peak, then back it off just enough till there is a very slight (Almost unnoticeable) decrease in RPM. Your engine is ready to go.

As for balance, the instructions or plans should specify where the plane should balance. This is called the Center of Gravity or "CG". So if they say "three and one half inches behind the Leading Edge of the wing", put a mark on the bottom of the wing, (or side of the fuse below the wing) and with the plane ready to fly (I.E. engine radio, covering but NO FUEL) Lift the plane with one finger on either side at the marks. It should sit level, or SLIGHTLY nose down, but not tail down!

If it doesn't balance properly, move the battery pack forward or back until you get it as good as you can. If it still needs more, add some weight (Lead fishing weights, buckshot etc) to the nose or tail until it's right. (Also make SURE the weight can't come loose! engine vibration is a lot stronger than you think)

IF you have any other Q's check out this article:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...?article_id=84

remember to range check the airplane with the engine running and not running. If you don't know what i mean well all you have to do is have someone stand next to your airplane and with your attenna DOWN walk away from the airplane while moving the sticks. go to about 100ft. with the attenna down and make sure there are no glitchs or any problems.

In addition to the above suggestions:
-check all control horns to insure they are secure
-check all clevises/connectors/wheel collars that they are secure and the retainer is in place (if applicable)
-check servo arm screws that they are secure
-ensure all control surfaces are neutral with power on and Tx sticks at neutral and there is no binding of the servos
-make sure Rx and battery are secure and that battery is charged
-make sure the clunk "clunks"
-make sure no leads such as Y-Harness or servo extensions will be in the way of the servo arms
-inspect prop for cracks, chips
-check prop nut and spinner
-check Tx battery voltage
-do a thorough preflight to ensure all control surfaces respond appropriately to the stick movement and there is sufficient travel

You probably already know all this but it's just some things I always check especially on a new plane before the first flight.

WCB

WCB has some great advice, I'd like to advice you to go through that checklist again after the first few flights as well.

When you flown your new plane a few flights it's been bumped, vibrating, moving etc... and it's a good idea to recheck everything to make sure nothing is coming loose or moving around.

After a thorough preflight before the first flight and after the first few flights everything should have settled and be reliable.
Of course you should always check clevises, servos, prop nut etc... before a flight, but I'd think the most things that will fail or break loose will do so in an early stage... When the plane has been used some, most problems should have showed themselves.

Take some pictures of it


Good luck

Terry

Thanks for all the info. I went out to try and condition the motor and my starter box started smoking really bad. Something short-circuited and melted the leads from the back of the power panel together and chared a spot on the inside of the wood enclosure. So now I need to figure out what happened there…once I do I will get back to the motor. My only concern is so much of working with the motor is listening to the sounds. Since I have no experience with the glow motors I don’t really know what I am listening for. I guess there is only one way to learn though right :0)

I did do the balancing and found it was nose heavy. Unfortunately moving the battery to the tail section did not do enough. I still need to add some lead the tail.

If it is a new engine read the manual. It will tell you what to do to break it in. Better yet get someone who is experienced to help you. They can show you and tell you more in 5 minutes than you'll get in 2 days worth of reading. Tuning an engine by ear requires an ear that knows what to listen for. If you get it too lean for too long you can mess up a good engine. Get someone to teach you what to listen for. If that is not an option get a tachometer.
As for what happened to your starter...ya got me there. Sounds like ya got some wires crossed up somewhere.

An Avistar will almost always wind up very nose heavy with anything other than an LA motor in it. The battery is best put right behind the radio compartment, underneath the guides for the control rods. It's a very tight fit back there, but you could always make a hatch and install it that way. I would also suggest, if you don't have one already, an 1100 mAh Ni-Cad, the extra weight should make it balance perfectly.

Andy

I stopped by a Big O tire shop and picked up some lead weights with self stick tape. It took about 6 1/4 oz peices to blance front to back and 2 on the wing opposite the muffler. I think I have it all in balance. I worked with a co-worker and fellow RC hobbiest to try and break in the motor. We ran 2 tanks through it really rich, and then leaned it out and dialed in the high. Because we are a mile high in Denver, the factory setting on the low end was not cutting it. We tinkered with it for a while and think we are 95% there. We lost light before we could get it perfect.

So no maiden flight yet, but getting close. The weather over the extended Thanksgiving weekend does not look good, so I will probably have to wait until next week or weekend sometime to actually get her in the air. I did get to taxi it around, and that alone was a real kick.

Thanks to everyone for the info and tips...If anyone has anything else please feel free to post.

Another good thing..........have a disinterested third party look over you plane before your first flight. A "fresh" set of eyes might catch something as little as leaving a screw out of a servo. Remeber you've been looking at that plane for days, so its easy to miss the obvious.


Next take off and get some altitude.......don't go crazy and climb straight up, but let the model climb. Then trim it out, and fly it around. Bring it in when your done and like those guys said above.......recheck the plane, you never know what might come loose.


Rember this though.......nose heavy is better than tail heavy. If your tail heavy, even slightly, it makes the pitch (up or down) very twitchy. Also the plane will tend to hunt for up or down. Also makes landing harder as you have to push the plane into the ground. I would balance just slightly nose heavy or even.

Tramsay did you ever figure out what caused the short in your power panel? Just curious.

I was able to balance it even. Today when i was breaking in the motor a bit more and dialing in the low end idle, one of the weights came off. I think the fuel rendered the adhesive on the tape usless. Any ideas on how to fix the weights on so they won't come loose from vibration or fuel??

WCB - I think I figured out what happend. The starter I have came with big ol' aligator clips for use on a car battery. When I put the starter down after the motor fired up, I think the two clips shifted and made contact. I was able to repalce the clips with bananna clips on the starter, and put new leads from the power panel. I have been using for the past few days, and everything seems to be running great. Lesson learned, and thankfully the panel still works.

CAN'T WAIT TO GET THIS BAD BOY IN THE AIR!!!!

Well sounds your already having alot fun. just watch it will happen when you get to fly it you get immediately hooked, happened to everyone in this forum.

Thanks Fletch! When we were breaking the motor in, I was taxi'ing around...never would have thought that simply taxi'ing it around would have been so much fun!!!

I have been having alot of fun the past 6 months with my electric Stryker and Cub, but I can't wait to have the vertical climb at my finger tips

Ohh you bet man anytime. Hey its all about fun. If your not having fun then what the hell are you doing. The more time you spend in this hobby the more addicted you get and the more everyone hates you(i'm only kidding).

HAVE FUN

In addition to what's been said, don't forget to check that all of the control surfaces are moving in the correct direction when you're preparing to maiden.

Marl

Ye, ye. I once maidened a GWS e-starter, my first aileron plane. On pre-flight, I just checked if all the surfaces were moving, didn't pay attention to the orientation. Take-off was great 'til I tried to bank into a turn. Plane responded opposite my stick input. Thought it was the wind so I gave it more stick. Shortest flight I ever had. Ailerons were set-up reversed!
Even better is to have someone really experienced to maiden it for you. He'll know what to expect on a first flight and have the plane trimmed out.

I usually fast and pray in solitary confinement for 2 weeks

Hre are a group of checklist that I have on my site.
http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/check_lists.htm

Choose a Checklist
Maintenance
Field Equipment
Preflight
Takeoff and Flight
Postflight

Geistware,
Thanks for the great checklists! These will be very helpful to make sure I am coving my bases.



F-16WpnsTec,
I do that as a backup!

Hey gang,
Just wanted to give a quick update to this thread.

I have now had 3 succesful outings with my Avistar with out any large problems. I just got back from my first solo trip to feild, no-one there but me, myself, and I. I was a bit nervous, but aside from rubberbanding my wing on before I had connected my ailerons[:@], everything went great.

I Had 4 take offs, 4 touch and gos(aborted landings) and 4 succesful landings (1 one of which was a bit short of the runway ) It was a very overcast day, constantly turning my plane into just a Silhouette in the sky...which actually brings me to the point of this post. Is there any tips for flying in low light?...other than don't do it.

I remember the first time I heard "Put your stick under the low wing" as a tip for how to correct as the plane is coming at you, and it really helped me. I am wondering if there is anything like that "tip" to keep in mind while flying in overcast conditions?

Thanks all!
~Tipton Ramsay

I live in Finland and here we have about 10months low light conditions, and two months 24h/day good light condition.

-Keep in memory how you fly the model so you "know" how it's orientated at all times and not only depend onwhat your eyes tell you...This I find useful!

-Don't fly to far away.

-Cover the top wigtips with Black or dark red. If the rest of the plane is lighter, the wingtips will be easier to see because of the contrast.
I have a white plane with Red and black wingtips and when the wing looks "black" on a low-light conditions, the wingtips look even more black, thus making me see the orientation of the plane.


Another put the "stick under the low wing" trick I use is this:
When using rudder and the plane is flying way from me, I point in the directions I want the nose to go. (I'm controling the nose)
When the plane is coming towards me, I point in the directions I want the tail to go. (I'm controling the tail)

Thanks Test005!

You know your right...I need to trust myself when just flying around. Staying close is a good tip for sure, although that can sometimes end up causeing problems. I just find it hard to have fun doing tricks when in low light...and if you can't do tricks, then whats the point?...I mean really

The Avistar has a white bottom and red and orange scheme on top. I have thought about adding some nice contrast to the bottom, but I like your idea of doing something nice a bright on the wing tips.

~Tip

I'll tell you what some of my buddies do when they want to go night flying. They buy some glow sticks then break them and half. They then pour the liquid inside a spray bottle such as a windex bottle or something. They spray the glow liquid onto the the entire plane and the plane glows in the dark! Real cool but they say it washes off after awhile.

-Paul