Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Pre-Flight Check
Start by preparing your RC airplane for a normal flight. Ensure that the winds are close to calm or reasonable for your aircraft to maintain straight and level flight without effort.
Set your radio transmitter's trim tabs to neutral and ensure the aileron/elevator stick is in the neutral position. Set the throttle and rudder stick to low power (all the way down) and ensure the rudder control is centered as well.
Turn on the batteries to your radio controller and aircraft servos. Stand behind the aircraft and closely check that the aileron's are flush with the wings and not set to bank the aircraft. Exercise the aileron stick left to right a few times and ensure the ailerons return to neutral when the stick is returned to the neutral or center position. If they are even slightly off upon returning to neutral, slide the trim tab left or right until they become flush with the wings.
Ensure the rudder is in line with the vertical stabilizer and not pointing to the left or right even slightly. Exercise the rudder a few times left to right, and verify it returns to the straight or neutral position when released. If not, make small corrections with the rudder trim tab until straight.
In-flight Trim Adjustment
Position your aircraft on the runway so that you can be behind it shortly after take off. Add power slowly to full. Once airborne, you will notice which controls you are compensating with on the radio transmitter. In a climb, P-factor is most noticeable. As the aircraft climbs, you may notice a slight turning tendency to the left.
Set the trim for the ailerons and elevators to maintain straight and level flight. Once properly trimmed, put the aircraft into a high-power climb. This is when P-factor will be most evident.
Add right rudder trim until the aircraft climbs wings level in a nose high attitude. You have now adjusted for P-factor. Once set, return to level flight and re-adjust elevator and aileron trim as needed for the type of flight desired.