Extreme Flight 3DHobbyShop Edge 540 User manual

Assembly Manual / Airframe – 48” Edge 540
Thank you for purchasing this 3DHobbyShop by Extreme Flight ARF RC aircraft If you have
any issues, questions, concerns or problems during assembly, please contact our tech
department at: [email protected] or 770-887-1794 10am-5pm Eastern Monday thru
Friday
SAFETY in Assembly
During assembly of this aircraft, you will be asked to use sharp knives and hobby adhesives
Please follow all safety procedures recommended by the manufacturers of the products you use,
and always follow these important guidelines:
ALWAYS protect your eyes when working with adhesives, knives, or tools, especially power
tools Safety glasses are the best way to protect your eyes
ALWAYS protect your body, especially your hands and fingers when using adhesives, knives,
or tools, especially power tools Do not cut toward exposed skin with hobby knives Do not
place hobby knives on tables or benches where they can roll off or be knocked off
ALWAYS have a first-aid kit handy when working with adhesives, knives, or tools, especially
power tools ALWAYS keep hobby equipment and supplies out of the reach of children
SAFETY in Flying
This is NOT a toy! It is a very high-performance RC airplane capable of high speeds and
extreme maneuvers It should only be operated by a competent pilot in a safe area with proper
supervision
ONLY fly your aircraft in a safe, open area, away from spectators and vehicles and
where it is legal to fly NEVER fly over an unsafe area, such as a road or street
NEVER fly near overhead power or utility lines If your airplane ever becomes stuck in
a line or a tree DO NOT attempt to retrieve it yourself Contact the authorities for
assistance in retrieving your aircraft Power lines are DANGEROUS and falls from
ladders and trees CAN KILL!
Never fly too close to yourself or spectators
Spinning propellers are DANGEROUS!
Never run your motor inside a house or building with the propeller attached Remove the
prop for safety Always fly within your control
Always follow manufacturers instructions for your radio system
Always preform a pre-flight check of your aircraft to be certain of the aircraft's
airworthiness
Always obtain proper insurance before flying Always fly model aircraft in accordance
with the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Safety Code Visit the AMA's website
at www.modelaircraft.org for more information
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Limits f Resp nsibility
Extreme Flight provides high-quality aircraft and components to it's
customers and end users. These aircraft and components are assembled
by the end user to produce a flying model. It is beyond Extreme Flight's
control to monitor the end user's completed aircraft. Therefore, Extreme
Flight in no ay accepts or assumes responsibility or liability for damages
resulting from the end user assembled product. The end user assumes all
responsibility and liability in use of Extreme Flight aircraft and components
and agreeing to hold harmless Extreme Flight, it's distributors and dealers.
Required Items
Hobby Knife
Small Phillips Screwdriver
Set Metric Allen Wrenches
Scissors
Small Pliers
Wire Cutters
Adjustable wrench
Masking tape
Drill and drill bits
Threadlocker (Blue Loctite)
Optional:
Heat gun and covering iron
Dremel tool
Assembly Instructi ns – Read c mpletely bef re starting assembly!
UNPACK :
Unpack your airplane and examine the components Check for damage of any kind If you have
damage, please contact Extreme Flight to discuss Contact info listed above
WRINKLES :
Your airplane was packed in plastic at the factory without any wrinkles in the covering You may
notice some wrinkles now; more likely, you will notice a few in a day or two or the first time you take
the plane out to the flying field These wrinkles are the result of wood shrinkage and/or expansion
Balsa wood changes size and shape slightly as it is exposed to varying humidity in the air This is a
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natural property of balsa wood As your airplane adjusts to the weather in your part of the world,
wrinkles may appear and disappear Wrinkles may be removed with the gentle application of heat to
the covering material on your airplane The best tools to use are a heat gun and covering iron Apply
the heat gently: the covering material will shrink as you apply the heat, and this will remove the
wrinkles BE CAREFUL! Too much heat applied too quickly can damage the covering, either by
causing it to pull away from the wood at seams and corners or even by melting it The covering will
shrink at low temperature with patient application of heat Wrinkles in the covering DO NOT affect
flight performance If you must shrink on a color-seam, use the iron and go slowly and carefully to
avoid any pulling or lifting at the seam
Remove the canopy before attempting to use heat on your covering! The canopy is made of thermo-
activated plastic and WILL deform with the application of heat Do not apply heat to the canopy
PAINT:
If you need to clean your airplane, we recommend using a damp towel The paint used on the canopy
and cowl is not safe for all cleaners In particular, DO NOT use alcohol on these parts, it will remove
the paint
Let’s get started!
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ASSEMBLY
Remove covering material over landing gear slot as indicated with a sharp hobby knife.
Remove covering from bottom of fuselage in the area shown to function as a hot-air vent.
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Trial-fit the wire landing gear into the fuselage slot. Make sure you can easily put it all the way into the
slot. Apply a generous amount of 30-minute epoxy into the slot and install the landing gear.
Apply more epoxy into the slot and install the gear brace plywood piece as shown. Slide it all the way into
the slot.
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Clean up any excess epoxy using rubbing alcohol on a paper towel. All the landing gear to cure.
Remove the covering on both sides of the fuselage as shown, for the wing spar tube, aileron wire access,
wing retaining screw, and anti-rotation pin. Use a sharp hobby knife.
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Make sure your hobby knife blade is very sharp, and remove the covering over the horizontal stabilizer
opening in each side of the fuselage as shown.
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Slide the wheel pant over the end of the landing gear as shown. Slide on first wheel collar as shown.
Slide on wheel and second wheel collar, center wheel in wheel pant and tighten collars with 1.5mm hex
wrench.
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Use two of the included wood screws to install the nylon plastic gear strap onto the wheel pant as shown.
Apply some 30 minute epoxy between the strap and the pant before tightening the screws. Take your
time with this step, make sure the wood screws are penetrating into the plywood piece inside the pant.
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Locate the gear leg fairing. Remove the covering over the groove in the fairing as shown.
Apply a generous amount of 30 minute epoxy into the groove and install the fairing as shown.
Allow all epoxy to cure.
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Remove covering over control horn slot in rudder as shown.
Install rudder horn into slot with CA glue as shown.
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Remove covering over tail wheel wire slot in bottom of rudder as shown and test-fit tailwheel wire. When
satisfied with fit, apply 30-minute epoxy into slot, install wire, and allow to cure.
Install rudder onto fuselage, align with fuselage, and when satisfied with alignment, apply 2 drops of thin
CA onto each hinge as shown.
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Install tailwheel bracket using ONE wood screw as shown. Bracket should be able to swing left and right.
Install tailwheel and tailwheel collar, tightening set screw in collar with 1.5mm hex wrench. Make sure
rudder swings easily left and right.
Apply a piece of masking tape as shown to hold rudder straight and centered.
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Install rudder servo as shown, in the orientation shown inside fuselage.
Servo connectors are installed onto servo arms as shown. Drill the holes in your servo arms to the right
size to allow the connectors to easily spin on the servo arm. Attach with the nut, but do not tighten all the
way, the connector must remain able to twist on the servo arm. Lock the nut with a drop of thick CA so
that it cannot vibrate loose in the air.
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Please examine the rudder pull-pull system assembly diagram closely:
Start by attaching the cables to the pull-wire end at the front, where they will attach to the . Crimp well,
preferably by making creases in the crimp tube with a sharp pliers or cutters, rather than smashing it
completely flat. Apply a drop of thin ca to the completed crimp to prevent it from sliding on the cable.
Insert the pull-wire ends into the servo connectors on the rudder servo as shown, just barely poking
through the servo connectors, and tighten down the set screws with a 1.5mm hex wrench. Note that the
cables cross each other once inside the fuselage, making an “X” shape.
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Assemble the rear ends of the rudder pull cables onto the rudder as shown. Use thick CA to lock the nut
on the bottom of the rudder horn. Make sure there is not much slack in the cable, look inside the fuselage
to make sure the cables have no kinks in them and are routed correctly.
Crimp the cables and trim the excess cable length.
Use the adjustment on the rudder servo connectors to take up any slack in the cables, make them snug
not “banjo string” tight. Just snug without any slack is all we need. Remove the tape on the rudder and
check rudder operation.
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Locate the carbon wing spar tube and insert it into the fuselage. The carbon tube is NOT to be glued in, it
is to remain removable. Insert the horizontal stabilizer into the fuselage as shown. Measure from the
tube to the stabilizer on both sides of the fuselage as shown to make sure the stabilizer is straight.
Measure the stabilizer side-to-side to make sure it is centered.
Apply thin CA glue to the joint of the horizontal stabilizer and fuselage. Allow the thin CA to wick into the
joint. NOTE: It is not necessary to remove any covering on the stabilizer.
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Install the elevator half with the joiner rod attached WITHOUT glue and make sure it can swing easily 45
degrees up and 45 degrees down. You will have a small gap in the hingeline. NOTE – Measuring 45
degrees is demonstrated later in this manual in the section on the elevator servo Apply two large drops
of thin CA to the hinges to permanently install the elevator.
Place a piece of tape between the elevator and stabilizer to hold the elevator straight and level to the
stabilizer.
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Trial fit the other side elevator half, make sure the elevators are straight and level to each other. A slight
misalignment of elevator halves will not affect flight performance, but you can make sure that your
elevators will be perfectly aligned by taking a bit of time to align them now. Sand the slot in the elevator if
necessary to align elevators. Make sure the elevators can swing easily 45 degrees up and 45 degrees
down.
Once you are satisfied with the alignment of the elevators, apply medium or thick CA glue into the slot in
the elevator as shown, and install onto the stabilizer with thin CA.
Install your brushless motor onto the firewall as shown. If you use the recommended Omega130g870
motor, you can install the motor directly onto the pre-installed nuts in the firewall with no spacers. Hacker
A30L and Torque 2814-820 motors install the same way. If you use a shorter motor, plastic spacers are
included in your kit.
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Install ESC onto the side of the motor box with zip ties as shown.
The cowl is mounted onto the fuselage with 4 wood screws. These screws go into the small plywood
squares on the front inside of the fuselage. Place small strips of tape over the squares as shown. Install
the canopy hatch.
Install the cowl, line up with front of motor. Use the strips of tape as guides to know exactly where to drill
the holes in the cowl to install the wood screws.
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