Buzzard Models F-22 Gym Flyer User manual

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F-22 Gym Flyer  
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Available from buzzardmodels.com
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A fun to fly jet, sized for indoor and backyard flying. Flies very smoothly and is also capable of extreme
aerobatics. Constructed of extremely durable 6mm EPP foam this airframe will last a long time. Assembly is
very easy, and can be completed in a few hours.
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Specs-
●Wingspan: 16.25”
●Length: 23.5”
●Weight: approx. 55 grams without battery, 70 grams AUW with battery
●Battery: 2S 300mah
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1

Please read and understand all steps to these instructions before beginning assembly. This plane is not a toy
and is potentially dangerous to operate. Children should not operate this aircraft without adult supervision.
To start assembly, gather the required electronic hardware and building supplies. You will need some
foam-safe glue, some tape, and optional paint. Look for the recommended electronic hardware at the end
of these instructions.
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Kit contents-
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2

Assembly fuselage sides and install carbon - Glue the two fuselage sides together, a little tape can help
hold them together until the glue dries. Glue all of the carbon rod reinforcements in place, they are all the
same diameter. It is a good idea to do this on a very flat surface, keep parts flat while glue dries.
Install lower fuselage and booms - sure to keep main fuselage, wings and elevons flat as the glue dries.
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3

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Install battery holder - Glue the right and left battery holders to the lower fuselage and main fuselage, add
a small glue fillet to both sides.
Install servos- Glue servos into place with output shaft towards the rear.
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4

Assemble pushrods- insert the longer elevon pushrods into the innermost hole on two control horns,
making both a right and a left by alternating which side of the horn the pushrod is on. Do the same for the
shorter aileron pushrods, but use the outermost holes.
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5

Install pushrods- Glue the assembled pushrods and control horns into the precut slots on the elevons and
ailerons. Keep the pushrods to the inside of the control horns.
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Connect pushrods to servos- For both servos, find the long straight servo arms, and trim away one side.
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6

Connect pushrods to servos- Insert the short pushrod into the outermost hole, from the servo side.
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Connect pushrods to servos- Push each servo arm onto it’s servo so it is exactly vertical, slide ¾” length of
heat shrink tubing over all three pushrod pieces.
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7

Connect pushrods to servos- While ensuring the fuselage, elevons, and ailerons are all aligned flat with your
work surface, use a soldering iron or other means to shrink the heat shrink tubing. Wick a small amount of
thin CA glue into the heat shrink tubing to lock it in place.
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Connect pushrods to servos- Once completed, your installation should look like this, with the other side
being a mirror image. Note that all of the pushrod wires are to the inside of the control horns and the servo
horn. This eliminates the elevon pushrods from contacting the ailerons when deflected.
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Adhere servo wires- Push RH servo wire through lower fuselage to LH side. Flatten and route the servo wires
in the slots under the main carbon spar, tape into place. I like to use ½” wide 3M blenderm tape, it sticks well
to the epp, and is nearly invisible once applied.
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Assemble upper fuselage- glue upper fuselage into place. Glue both vertical stabilizers into place by
inserting the protruding carbon rods into precut holes in main fuselage and using alignment block to ensure
the correct angles.
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9

Paint- Now is the time to paint if desired. There are many different ways to paint an EPP aircraft. Basic acrylic
craft paint work great. One of the keys to a good paint job on this type of aircraft is to apply a minimum
amount of paint and consequently weight. Airbrushes work best, but brushed work too. Some aerosol paints
made for plastic also work very well.
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Install canopy- Glue canopy into place.
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10

Prep motor and ESC- Solder motor directly to esc. Solder appropriate receiver lead. Add heat shrink tubing. If
using tube mount, test fit motor to tube, you may have to add a bit of packaging tape to the motor tube to
ensure a snug fit in the carbon tube engine mount. 
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Install motor mount- If using radial mounted motor, glue radial mount into place with epoxy.
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Install motor and esc- Install the motor with the wires exiting as shown on the aircraft’s RH side. If using a
tube mounted motor, apply a very small amount of medium CA glue and insert motor tube into carbon
motor mount. If using radial mounted motor, use screw supplied with the motor and install motor to radiall
mount. Use supplied zip tie and predrilled holes in lower fuselage to secure ESC. Push receiver wire though
hole in lower fuselage to the aircraft’s LH side.
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Install receiver- Carefully plug in both servos and the esc to the receiver. Bind receiver to your transmitter.
Check function of servos and esc to ensure that you have everything plugged in properly. Carefully route
receiver wires, and stick receiver to the bottom of the wing with double sided tape.
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12

Center of Gravity- should be located ⅝” ahead of the front spar.
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Program radio - Here are the spektrum parameters
Aircraft type:
●Wing: Elevon-B
●Tail: Normal
D/R & Expo
●Aileron:
○Expo: 30%
●Elevator:
○Expo: 60%
Travel:
●Adjust travel to approx. 40 degrees of elevon travel on high rates.
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Final checklist:
●Center of Gravity located ⅝” ahead of the front spar.
●Check controls for proper direction and free movement.
●Charge battery.
●Range check transmitter, refer to transmitter instructions.
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Flying Tips - The Buzzard Models F-22 has a rather low wing loading and does not like much wind.
For your first flight, I would recommend flying either in a large indoor area such as a gymnasium, or wait for a dead calm
day outside. Once you get comfortable with the flying characteristics you will be able to fly in much smaller areas, and
outdoors in more wind.
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Recommended hardware -
●1304 or 1306 3100kv brushless motor, anything around 10grams or less with 5” x 4.3” to 4.6” prop
●6amp brushless speed controller with BEC
●1.9 to 3 gram size servos 2ea.
●Radio transmitter and <3 gram micro receiver with a minimum of 3 channels
●2S 300mah lipo battery, compartment is sized for Turnigy nano-tech 300mah
●Minimum three channels transmitter with elevon mixing
●Glue, some misc. tape.
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