Safety Considerations
There are a few points to mention before the pre-flight check. Like any real pilot, an RC pilot must complete a full preliminary flight check before his/her aircraft ever leaves the ground. RC aircraft are not toys and can cause significant damage to people, pets or property if the pilot is not careful.
- Only fly your aircraft in an open area. Never fly around houses, buildings, roads, railways, airports or anywhere near where children play.
- Watch out for trees ;)
- Be aware of the wind direction
- Make sure that no one else is flying on your frequency (if not using 2.4ghz radio gear)
- If there are other RC pilots, make sure that they are aware of you and your aircraft's presence
- Never fly in high wind or when it's raining
- ChargedRC recommends flying at a sanctioned RC airfield if possible.
Pre-Flight Check
Before every flight, ChargedRC pilots all perform a pre-flight check. Below is a fairly basic check. Don't be afraid to add your own steps but we have covered the basics for you here. A pre-flight check helps to ensure a long and healthy life for your new RC aircraft.
- Conduct a visual inspection of the airframe. Check for any cracks or broken parts. Check landing gear is attached and functioning properly. Check glue lines for signs of weakening of joints.
- Make sure all screws and grub screws are tight. Some aircraft have a lot of vibration in the airframe, and this can shake screws loose over time. Something as small and simple as a loose screw can lead to a crash.
- Make sure battery is fully charged and in suitable condition for flying
- Turn radio on and make sure correct model is selected.
- Centre all sticks (make sure throttle is at 0) and then plug in the battery. Check that all control surfaces are at neutral.
- Check that controls are functioning properly, ie up moves elevators up, down moves them down, left and right move ailerons accordingly etc.
- Do a radio range check
- Hold the aircraft and run the throttle up and then back to neutral to check power and that the propulsion unit is working properly.
- Check and take note of wind direction. Always take off and land into the wind if possible.
- Do a final check of the periphery and take note of any potential obstacles. Point your aircraft's nose into the wind, run up the power and take off!
Good luck pilots!
ChargedRC wishes you fair winds, clear skies and happy landings!
