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Insure that controls are centered, surfaces are
flat/straight, and that throws are appropriate. Select the prop
you will use. If you must change props, start over.
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Trim for straight and level flight at mid to 2/3
throttle.
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Check for proper CG by pulling to a 45 degree up
line at full throttle. Roll the plane over on its back and release
the sticks. It should make a slow arc toward the ground. If it arcs
too fast, it is nose heavy, and if it goes straight or climbs, it
is tail heavy. Adjust the CG, re-trim (#2) and repeat #3 until it
is correct. A second way to test for CG is to fly inverted and see
how much push it takes to maintain level flight. Too much push can
be corrected by moving the CG aft, and too little requires moving
the CG foreword. Most pilots prefer 1/8 to 1/4 inch of stick push
inverted, but that is a matter of feel.
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Check for a heavy wing by flying high and pushing
to a vertical down line at low throttle. When the speed is high
pull sharply to horizontal. (Pull high enough to recover if it snaps.)
If one wing is heavy, it will drop. Land and add weight to the other
wing until even a sharp corner does not cause a wing to drop. Coins
and tape work well for temporary weight. This test is surprisingly
sensitive.
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In level flight, advance the throttle to full.
If the plane climbs, add down thrust.
If it dives, add up thrust.
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Check for corkscrew in both outside and inside loops
by flying directly away and pull or push multiple loops. Be sure
that the wings are level. If the plane corkscrews one way or the
other, correct with an opposite elevator/rudder mix.
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All aerobatic planes with symmetrical airfoils will
pull out slowly on down lines
because they are trimmed with a slight positive angle of attack.
Correct with a
2% throttle to down elevator mix.
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Most aerobatic planes yaw left on vertical up lines
due to the effect of the prop tornado on the rudder. This can be
corrected with right thrust of the engine or high throttle to right
rudder mix in the transmitter. Fly the plane straight up at full
throttle and watch to see if it yaws. Adjust the right thrust and/or
throttle/rudder mix until the plane climbs straight. A combination
of these two adjustments works, too.
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A plane that rolls in knife edge will roll right
and left at different rates. Also,
point rolls will not hesitate cleanly. Put the plane in knife edge
and observe if it
tends to roll to canopy or wheels. Correct this tendency with a
rudder/aileron mix. Do one side at a time.
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If the plane pitches in knife edge, rolls and point
rolls will corkscrew. Put the plane in knife edge and observe if
it pitches to canopy or wheels. Correct this tendency with a rudder/elevator
mix. Do one side at a time.