Covering, Hooking Up, and at the Field....



Covering
The #1 mistake most people make while covering is lack of heat. High quality films such as MonoKote can take a lot more heat than most people think.
Keep it tight!!! I see too many birds for sale on the hobby shop ceiling that look like someone threw bubble wrap on them. Bubbles, puckers, and wrinkles destroy the beauty of a good craft!
Use a "pre-glue" such as BalsaRite. This adds to the effectiveness of the "stick" of MonoKote.
If gases from the heating process are of a concern, drill a 1/16" hole in the braces and a former to vent the gases.
Once again, save your scraps! These too can make a dandy patching material.



Hooking Up
Make sure all of your pushrod bearings are attached well. There is no easier way to jam a servo than a loose bearing.
Center the pivot point over the control surface "gap". This provides for the quickest, most accurate throws.
Screw those servos down tight!! A loose servo can cause "flutter" or an incomplete throw.
Foam is our Friend!!! Protect those valuable recievers with an adequate supply of foam.
Think of the servo arm/control horn interface as bicycle sprockets. Toward the center of the servo and the center of the horn provides the quickest, longest throw. The opposite way works just the opposite.


At The Field
Get a good, organized field box! This increases the amount of things you can haul. Extra tools, plugs, etc. can come in handy.
Get 2 good sets of Allen wrenches. (one metric and one English) These will come in handy for adjusting head screws, low end needle on some engines, and various other things.
Don't waste money on quarts of fuel. Buy a gallon and put it in different containers if you must.
Always use an electric starter or a "chicken stick". Never use your finger to flip a prop. I can personally tell you that "finger-in-prop syndrome" is NOT much fun.
Learn from an experienced pilot at a SFA or AMA chartered (insured) field. If your field is not chartered, get your own policy!!
Try as much as you think you can safely handle. Basic aerobatics makes learning fun.



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