ASSEMBLY

Updated on Saturday, April 17, 2004 11:27 AM (Central Time Zone, USA)

These are additions to the manufacturers instructions that have been suggested by various owners to make assembly go smoother or achieve better results. 

I would like to show sources for each suggestion and tweak.  This will give credit where credit is due, and provide a resource in case more info is needed.  But it would take a lot of time to look them all up, so if you came up with something, let me know.

I will need your help streamlining these instructions, and filling in details when/where necessary.  Have patience with me, especially at first.  There's a lot to do.  :)

And remember, I'm just organizing this stuff.  I make no claim to being a flight expert.

READY TO FLY (RTF) KIT

    (under construction)

  1. Inspect all parts for damage, in case you need to return or repair anything.
  2. Servos, Receiver and ESC are already installed.
  3. Reverse the clevis pin on the rudder control horn from above to below.
  4. Use CA to connect tail fins instead of the double sided tape.
  5. Consider using 2-way reinforced packing tape under fuselage or around nose.
  6. Charge stock battery for 20 minutes, not 30, or it may be damaged from overcharging.
  7. Make sure center of gravity (cg) is correct.  Manual says 78mm from nose, but many users recommend 73mm.
  8. Check rudder and elevator alignment.  Adjust linkage to center as much as possible.
  9. Install (8) AA batteries in radio.  (can use CG-25 charger w/ NiCd or NiMH AA's)
  10. Be sure to reverse ch2 on back of the radio transmitter box or your elevator stick will be backwards!
  11. Set radio throttle lever to off BEFORE turning radio on.
  12. Turn radio on BEFORE plugging in motor battery!
  13. Plug in motor battery.
  14. Test rudder and elevator for proper movement and direction.
    Left stick should move rudder left (when viewed from behind) and visa versa.
    Forward stick should move elevator down, and visa versa.
  15. Make sure plane is secure, and propeller is free and clear, then carefully test throttle response.

Make adjustments as necessary, then WAIT for a good, calm day for maiden flight!

You may need a DC Power Supply since the charger can't plug into your home AC

 

BASIC "Build It Yourself" KIT (BK)

  1. Check polarity of motor and mark positive terminal as to correct motor direction.
  2. Solder ESC to motor, making sure to match polarity.
  3. Check wire pathways and deepen if necessary.
  4. Mount motor in test bed, plug in Receiver, and servos, and test Radio, adjusting throttle, and learning about ESC end point adjustments, and Radio adjustments. Center and adjust servos to neutral and cut control horn and mount. Ck REC position in fuse.
  5. Install canopy locks at this point as per Zoomzooms post. ( Use magnet mod for canopy? Can be done later.  Or velcro?)
  6. Build tip - Adjust and glue the canopy latches in place before gluing the fuse halves together. This way it's a lot easier to adjust them when you can see what is going on.
  7. Sand fuselage halves lightly with flat sanding block, with new paper.
  8. Make 2 foam blocks that will fit into nose of plane before gluing fuse together. Or may use bubble wrap. Make blocks anyway.
  9. Decide whether to glue motor in with CA or silicone, or use double stick tape. Sand lands and motor housing. Install motor in left half of fuselage. Dry fit Fuselage.
  10. Spray right half of fuselage with Accelerator and let dry
  11. Using blue (masking) tape, test fit and try using the tape to keep halves aligned.
  12. Put CA on left Fuselage, and join together.
  13. Follow directions for mounting horns, except mount rudder so fastener is pointing down as per post.

    Speaking of modifications, (that didn't last long did it ??) I don't agree with the instructions about how to mount the rudder clevis pin. The way it's shown in the instructions causes binding when commanded all the way left. I built my first one per the instructions and had a lot of problems with it. Because it was binding the rudder wouldn't always return to dead center. I was always having to re-adjust the rudder trim in flight.
    The second fuse I built I turned the clevis pin upside down and don't have any more problems. Just remember to install the set screw first before fastening the clevis pin to the rudder horn.

    Use activator on nests for horns.
  14. Use whatever necessary to mount rudder correctly, poly glue? Or CA, but devise a way to square rudder to elevator.
  15. Glue rudder to elevator as per instructions.
  16. When dry, dry fit tail unit onto plane and choose route for linkage that has least resistance and make change in groove direction. This will allow the linkage curve to be more natural, leaving the groove to curve up a few inches sooner than stock.
  17. Mount wing as per instructions, and cut off spar tube so that it fits.
    ( Use Constantcrash’s magnet mod? Can be done at later time. )
  18. Devise best way to “clamp” tail by dry fitting. Glue in with CA or Poly glue. Align parallel to wing.
  19. Wrap servo in tape, then stick on foam tape, then glue foam tape and servo into position as per Geogecko’s post. Check fit beforehand to see if any foam needs to be applied or removed.
  20. Mount rudder control linkage using new pathway as per instructions, using hole in servo arm that is 10 mm from fulcrum.
  21. Mount elevator control linkage. CA tubes to fuse. Adjust both Rudder and Elevator for neutral.
  22. Install antenna in tube (I am going to try vacuum leaner to suck the wire into the tube carefully) and attach tube to fuselage.
  23. Use reinforced tape on bottom and at strategic stress points.
  24. Look at canopy pictures from post. (jcosta, Oldpilot, splash99)
  25. Arrange cockpit, Check CoG and install battery pack.
  26. Adjust control surface travel.

Go to field, check TX range, preflight and launch!