RC Airplane World flight school
- lesson #6; pre-flight checks
Following on from lesson 5, this rc flight school page will show you how to do your rc airplane pre-flight checks.
Exact pre-flight checks might differ from model to model, but there are some basic checks that all rc airplanes need to have done, immediately before flight. That is exactly what a pre-flight check is; the final thing you do before take off, to make sure that everything is in order and working correctly.
Your first and foremost point of reference for the exact pre-flight checks needed for your particular airplane should be the instruction manual, DVD or CD Rom that came with the plane. But, failing that, listed below (in no particular order) are the minimum checks that you need to carry out before you take off...
- All servos are secure, and linkages to servo and control surfaces are secure
- All connections to the receiver, battery pack and ESC are secure and correct
- The receiver and motor battery pack are secure and cannot move during flight
- The propeller nut is tight / spinner is secure
- The wing and tail plane are secured properly, as per the instructions (ie with the correct method of fixing; rubber bands or wing nuts etc.)
- All control surfaces move in the correct sense ie moving the rudder stick left moves the rudder to the left
- All control surface hinges are secure ie you can't pull the control surface away from its respective flying surface
- The motor power works correctly, and stops when you want it to
- A range check
This last one, the range check, is very important so we'll cover it in more detail...
The purpose of the range check is to make sure the radio signal is strong, so that you can fly your plane at a normal distance away from you without it going out of radio range.
Perform a range check thus:
Switch on the transmitter then the receiver, and with the transmitter antenna fully collapsed (ie down)*, walk backwards away from the model for 30 paces or so. As you walk away from the plane, keep moving the control surface sticks of the tx (not the motor!) and closely watch the respective control surfaces of the airplane.
* If you've got a 2.4GHz transmitter, you'll need to use its range check feature as per the instructions - collapsing the antenna isn't an option. The range check feature of a 2.4GHz tx reduces the voltage to emulate a weaker signal.
Above: an rc airplane range check should be done at a distance of
30 paces (meters) or so away from the plane
If you only get a few paces away and the surfaces start 'twitching' or not responding properly to the stick movements, do not fly. Check the batteries of the radio gear, they may need replacing. Low batteries in the transmitter drastically reduce the radio range. Also check for loose connections to the receiver etc.
If the batteries and connections are OK but the control surfaces still don't respond properly, then other people may be using your frequency nearby. Again, do not fly if this is the case. Interference is a big killer of rc airplanes, and you need to be sure that your frequency is clear before you get airborne.
Whatever the reason, do not fly your plane if you see that control surface response becomes unreliable before you reach 30 paces or so away from the plane!
Identify and rectify the problem before flying.
Always always always take a few minutes to perform these checks before you commence your flying session. Get into the habit of doing these pre-flight checks every time; they take just a couple of minutes and will save you the grief of a crashed airplane, if something is amiss.
Next up: Lesson 7 - Taking off / hand launching your rc airplane!
Or skip to the lesson appropriate to your current situation...
- Lesson 1: Buying your rc airplane
- Lesson 2: Know your rc airplane
- Lesson 3: Preparing your plane
- Lesson 4: Weight and balance
- Lesson 5: Where to fly your plane
- Lesson 7: Take off / hand launch
- Lesson 8: Flying your rc airplane
- Lesson 9: Landing your rc airplane
Got a question about your rc airplane pre-flight checks? Join the forum!
