Hobbico avistar 40 User manual

ALMOSTREADY-TO-FLYRADIO CONTROLLED MODELAIRPLANE
•ALL AIRFRAME PARTS ARE FACTORY ASSEMBLED FORPERFECT ALIGNMENT AND QUICK
ASSEMBLY.
•ALL PRE-ASSEMBLED COMPONENTS ARE FACTORY COVERED.
•CLASSIC DESIGN WITH DURABLE BALSA AND PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION.
•SEMI-SYMMETRICAL AIRFOIL GIVES THE AVISTAR40 PREDICTABLE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS.
©ENTIRECONTENTS COPYRIGHT 1988,HOBBICO, INC.

IMPORTANT: BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
Ifthis isyour firstR/C airplane kit, a word of caution isinorder. BEFORE you beginassembly, carefully
lookthrough the box andthoroughly read the instruction manual Alsocheckthe parts list againstthe items
inthe box to besure you have everythingthat ison the parts list. Although we have taken great pains to
simplifythe building process, thereare noshortcutstosafety. These instructions areyourguideto safeand
successful flying.
Only after you are thoroughly familiar with the construction process should you proceed with assembly.
Remember! Undernocircumstances will a dealer accept a kit back for return ifassembly has
already begun.
Ifthe Avistar 40 isnotquite what you expected, return itto your dealer inNewand Unusedcondition.
However, we think you will agree with usthat the Avistar 40 kitisone of the finest models of itstype and
willoffer you many hours of enjoyment.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
Please check the additional items listed below for those materials notfurnished butrecommended.
Dubro #163 Wing seat tape .......................(1)
Dubro #121 E-Z connectors.......................(6)
or
Goldberg #361 Snap 'R' Keepers ..............(6)
Goldberg #482 1/2foam rubber.................(1)
Goldberg#461 Wing skids.........................(1)
Devcon #5250 Silicone rubber 2 oz. ..........(1)
Dave Brown Products #MMEP
30 minute epoxy ......................................(1)
Pacer Tech #444 Zap lock med 1/4 oz. .....(1)
Arco #64 Rubber bands1/4 lb...................(1)
Afour channelradio control system with 4 servos isrequiredtortheAvistar 40 Thevarious
componentsarepicturedabove
Mostenginesrequirea 1 .5Vglow plugstarting battery. a glowplugclip,andaqualitybrandfuel
(consulttheenginemanufacturers recommendations).
Here are a fewtoolsthat are necessary to propertyfinishthiskitTheyshouldbeavailablefrom
yourlocalhobby dealer or hardware storeAquality brandengine will beneededWe recommend the OS40FPtwo cycleengineAlsoa
propandfueltubing willberequired forthe engine
2

PARTS LIST
Beforeassembly matchthepartsintheexploded viewofthe Avistarwiththe parts inthekitCheckoffeach
parton the parts list Ifany parts are missing or damaged return the kit to your hobby dealer
1Rightwing 1
2Left wing 1
3Fuselage 1
4Vertical stabilizer and rudder 1
5Horizontal stabilizer and elevator 1
6Wing joiners2
7Wing mounting dowels 2
8Fueltank compartment cover 1
9Front steerable nose gear 1
10Main landing gear 2
11Tires and wheels 3
12Fueltank 1
13Neophrene ring1
14Plastic disk (1) large(1) small
15Clunk weight 1
16Fuel pipe 3
17M3x18 self tapping screw 1
18Silicone fuelline1
19Center tape 1
20Servo tray 1
21Aileronservo tray 1
22 Spinner 1
23 Stabilizer control rods2
24 Aileroncontrol rods (93/4) 2
25 Throttle andnose gear control rods (173/4) 2
26 Plasticguidetubes 2
MISC.HARDWARE
27 Clevis 4
28 Control horns 2
29 Control horn back plate 2
304mm x 10mm wheel collars 7
31m3x4 screw 7
32 Nose gear control horn1
33m3x25 screw 4
34 m2x15 screw 4
35 m3x8 screw 1
36 m2 6x8 self tapping screw 4
37m2x12 self tapping screw 4
38m4washers 8
39m3nut 4
40 Landinggear straps 2
41 Aileroncontrolhorns 2
42 Aileronservo trayblocks 1
(3/8 sq x 3 long)
43 Alignment peg1
3

PRE-ASSEMBLY
Locatepart#6wingjoinerJointhe two wing joiners together usinga lightcoat
ofepoxy They shouldform a "V" shapeasshown above
Locate the #4 vertical stabilizer and #5 horizontal stabilizer The rudderis
temporarily attached tothe vertical stabilizer The elevator istemporarily
attached to the horizontal stabilizer Remove the rudder,elevator, andmetal
hinges
Assemble the aileron supporttraywith parts #21 aileron servo trayand #42
3/8" x 3" balsa aileron servo tray blocks Cutthe aileronservo tray blocks 1-1/2"
longEpoxy the balsa blocks to the plywood trayas shown above
Apply a small amount of vaseline alongthe hinge joint on bothsides of the hinge
This will prevent epoxy fromgetting inthe hinge joint and ruining the hinge Do
notget vaseline on the rest of the hinge Ifthis happensthe epoxy will not hold
the hingeandthe aileron mayseparate from the wing causing a crash Dothis
step to alleleven hinges
Allailerons are mounted temporary from the factory Remove the aileronsfrom
the wings Nowremove thethree metalhingesoneachwing
Apply epoxy to both sides on one end of the hingeas shown Slide the hinge
back into the slot inthe wings trailing edgeWipe oft any excessepoxybefore
itcures The hinge pinmust beagainst the trailing edgeof the wing toallow the
ailerons installedlater to fitcorrectly Install allsix hinges three ineach wing,
andsetthe wingsasideuntiltheepoxy cures.
4

Usingthe sameproceduretor epoxying the hinges that was usedinStep 6,
epoxy the three hinges intothehorizontal stabilizer.Epoxytwo hingesintothe
vertical stabilizer
Remove the aileron and apply epoxy to the hinges and the part of the torque rod
that is inserted into the aileron Carefully install the aileron on the hingesand
torque rodInstallthe ailerons on both wings leaving no hinge gap
After the epoxy holdingthe hingeshascured locate the ailerons that were
removed from the wing inStep 3 Test fitthe aileron on the wing Besure the
torque rod fitsinthe hole inthe edge of the aileron The torque rod iswhat will
transmitmotionfrom the servo to the aileron.
Install the rudderon the vertical stabilizer and elevator on the horizontal
stabilizer using the same procedure usedfor the aileronBecareful notto leave
agap inthe hinge gap
Withthe aileron temporarily installed thereshould beno gap inthe hinge gap
Ifthe plane isflownwitha hinge gap of more than 1/16"flutter, a rapidvibration,
may becreated This fluttermay cause the ailerons to come looseorinsevere
cases break the wing
Coat the fueltank compartment withan even coat of epoxyCover all exposed
balsa and plywood parts Becarefulnot to fillany holes Also at this time coat
the bottom of the #8 fueltankcompartment cover Thiswillprevent the fuel from
destroying the wood
5

WING JOINER INSTALLATION
Using the wing joiner assembled inStep 1 of preassembly insertthe wing joiner
into the wing panel temporarily Also installthewing #43 alignmentpegas
shown Donotglueat this time
When you are satisfied with the fit of the wing joiner remove the wings from the
joiner Mix a batch of 30 minute epoxy andusing the right wing panel (has Avistar
on top) smear the inside of the right wing joinerpocket witha heavy coat of
epoxy Alsocoat half of the wing joinerwithepoxy and push into the wing )oiner
pocket Coat halfofthe wing alignment peg with epoxy and insert itinto the hole
at the rear ofthe wing root Clean the epoxy fromthe wing root to prevent epoxy
buildupAllow theepoxy to cure
Slide the other wing panel onto the wing joiner Slide the two wing halves
together Check forproper alignment There should beno gap between the wing
halves Ifthere istrim the end of the wing joiner slightly to allow proper fitDo
notglueatthistime
Markthelocationonthebottomof the wing where thewing joinerisinstalled
The wing shouldform a "V"when assembledasshown Thetopofthewinghas
letteringonit
When the epoxy has cured you may proceed to joinboth wing panels together
Mix a batch ofepoxyand heavily coat the wing joiner pocket of the leftwing Also
apply aneven coat of epoxy on both wing roots Besure to cover the whole wing
root When satisfied withthe gluing slide the wing panels together and check
forfitWipe excess glue fromthe jointIsopropyI alcohol workswell forthis It
isbest to use masking tape to hold the wing halves together untilthe epoxy
cures

Note: You may proceed with fuselage preparation
andcome back to here after the wing isready.
Afterthe epoxy has fullycured (overnight) remove the masking tapeandapply
the center tape Beginat the bottom trailing edge,wrap forward andaroundto
top trailing edge overlapping the beginning point
Remove the servotray and,following the picture, remove the covering from area
"A".
AILERON SERVO
TRAY INSTALLATION
Locate the pre-assembled #21 aileron servo traywith #42 balsablocks and a
servo fromyour radio system Slipthe servo into the trayand measure the
distance from the bottom of the servo tothe bottom of the balsa block
Then remove the balsa wood fromarea "B" Remove enough balsawood
accomodate the servo previously measured inStep1.
Remove the servo fromthe servo trayTurn the servo trayupside down (balsa
blocks up)andlaythe end of the trayon the linedrawn inStep 5 of wing joiner
installation.Usinga felt tippentrace around theoutsideandinsideof the servo
tray.
Set the servo inthe servo trayand test fitthe servo trayto the mounting area
When satisfied with the fit,remove the servo andepoxy the servo tray to the
mountingarea.
7

FUSELAGE PREPARATION
Onthe sideat the rear of the fuselage useyour finger to locate the stabilizer cut
outs They will besoft spots underthe covering on both sides Using a sharp
knife remove the covering material fromthe soft spots on both sides During the
process you will find a balsa tail postThis mustalsoberemoved to allow the
installation of the horizontal stabilizer
The elevator exit hole islocated on the left sideof the fuselage 6"forward of the
tail post and approximately 1/2inch above the bottom of the fuselage You may
beableto detect this as a soft spot inthe fuselage Remove the covering from
theelevator exit hole
Again using your finger locate the vertical stabilizer slot on top of the fuselage
remove the covering fromthis area Installthe wing skidto the bottomof the tail
sectionto prevent itgetting scraped up
The wingdowel holes are also pre drilled They are located inthe area indicated
inthe photo Using a sharp knife remove the covering material at thistime There
are four holes two on each side of the fuselage Insert the dowels so that they
protrude equaldistance on each side of the fuselage Epoxy part of the dowel
protruding from the sidesofthefuselageThiswillkeepfuel from ruiningthe
dowels
The factoryhas precut the rudder and elevator controlrod exitholes These are
approximately 1/8inch wide and 1 inch long The location of the rudder exithole
isapproximately 6 inches forwardfromthe tail post and on top of the fuselage
andslightly to the right when viewing the plane fromthe tail The area appears
slightlydarkerRemove the covering from this areaatthis time
The mainlandinggear slot islocated on the bottom of the fuselage approxi
mately 14 inches back fromthe nose (or front)of the plane Using a sharp knife
removethe covering from this area

STABILIZER PREPARATION
Locatethe horizontalstabilizerSlidethe stabilizerintotheslotpreparedinthe
previous section Position the stabilizer so that itiscentered inthe fuselage and
that the trailing edge of the elevator is90 tothe center line of the fuselage
Insert a pinthrough a piece of stringand attach the pintothe fuselage on the
center lineas shown Stretchthe string to the corner of the elevator The
distance fromthe pinto the corner must beequalon both sides This method
willadjust the stabilizer so itis90°to the center lineofthe fuselage
INSTALLATION OF
HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
IMPORTANT: This next seriesof steps will determine how
well your Avistar40 willflySo please read and reread these
steps so that you are totally familier with its sequence
Usingwing saddletapeapplya stripto thewingsaddleareaasshown
Markon the stabilizer where the fuselage and the stabilizertouchDothis on the
top and the bottom of the stabilizer Remove the covering inbetween the two
linesThis willallow a more secure glue jointwhen the stabilizer isepoxyed later
Donotcut the balsa wood under the covering
Using four rubber bands (#64) temporarily secure the wing to the fuselage This
becomes your basicreference point
Locate the vertical stabilizerRemove the covering on bothsidesasshown
Lay thefuselage withwing attached on any flat surface Mix a batch of 30minute
epoxy You willhave plenty of time to work so don t hurry Using a scrap piece
of plywood left over fromthe aileron servo trayapply a generous amount of
epoxyto the insidearea top andbottom and along the sides of the stabilizer slot
as shown

Using the same scrap ofplywood apply an even coat ofepoxy to the top and
bottomof the horizontal stabilizer inthearea where you removed the covering
INSTALLATION OF
VERTICAL STABILIZER
Now if we have done a good job with the wing-stabilizer relationship the
installation of the rudder should beeasy The vertical stabilizer needs to be
at90° to the horizontal stabilizer and the horizontal stabilizer isparallelto
thewing A drafting triangle would behelpful here
Looking into the fuselage vertical stabilizer slot applysome epoxy to the top
surface of the horizontal stabilizer that isvisibleinsidethe fuselage
Slidethe stabilizerinto the slot fromthe rear Thisfitshould beclose but not tight
Usinga ruler (12) check to see if you have equal distance fromthe center of the
tail to the outside edgeof the stab Now using the string explained inthe stabilizer
preparation sectionadjust the stabilizer so itis90°to the center lineof the
fuselage
Mix a small batch of epoxyand applyittothe area inside the fuselage on the
surface of the exposed wood Apply an even coat tothe vertical stabilizer base
where you removed the covering Inserttheverticalstabilizerintothe slotand
pushdown untilthe stabilizer stops
Now view the stabilizer wing relationship frombehindwith the plane resting on
alevel surface (see photo above) Distance "x" should bethe same Ifnot shim
the stabilizer using a smallsilver of wood to get the properrelationshipLetthe
epoxy cure thoroughly
Usingthe triangle check to see ifthe rudder is90to the horizontal stabilizer
Ifso acouple of straight pins willholdthe rudderinposition until theepoxycures
10

MAIN LANDING
GEAR INSTALLATION
Place a small beadof silicone sealant inthe groove, then insert the landing gear strut
intothe fuselage inthe holes on the bottom asshown.Securethe struts inplacewith
the metal straps and m3x10 screws.
Ifusing the Snap'R'Keeper make a 90°bend5/16" from the end of the
173/4" control rodas shown Ifusing the E-Z connector, install the connector
on the bottom of the nose gear control horn following the manufacturer's
instructions.
NOSE GEARCONTROL ROD
Drill a 1/8" hole inthe fuselage bottom right sideat a 30°angleso that the drill
alsodrills through the frontfuel tank mount Insertthe 173/4" x 1/16" rodthrough
the holes and mark where the rodhits the rear fuel tank mount Remove the rod
and rough-up the white plastic tube with 240 grit sandpaperDrilla 1/8" hole
where you madethe mark inthe rear fuel tank mount Insertthe white plastic
tube through the holes so that the end of the tube iseven with the bottom of the
fuselage.Epoxythetubetothefueltankmountsandthebottomofthefuselage.
Slide the nose gear shaft through the nose gear mount Secure the gear inplace
witha 4mm x 10mm wheel collar and m3x4 screw Slidethe 17 3/4" control rod
into the white tube inthe bottom of the fuselage Connect the rod tothe nose
gear control horn using the SnapR' Keeper or E-Z connector and following
the manufacturer's instructions
WHEEL INSTALLATION
Installthe nose gear control horn parallel to the nose gear axle and tighten the
mounting screw Next install a 4mm x 10mmwheel collar on top of the control
hornandsecurewith a m3x4 screw.
Installa wheel on the nose gear Then install a 4mm x 10mmwheel collar and secure
itwith a m3x4 screw Install a 4mm x 10mm wheel collar on each side of the main
landinggear Then install the wheels andthen the other 4mm x 10mm wheelcollar.
Secure the wheel collars with the m3x4 screws Allthree wheels should turn freely.
11

ENGINEINSTALLATION
Install the back plate of the spinner then install the prop so that when the prop
is at 2 o'clock thereisresistancefromthecompression of theengine Tightenthe
prop nutsecurely and install the spinner using the twoscrews that came withthe
spinner
Ifusing the Snap R Keeper make a 90°bend 5/16 fromthe end of the 17 3/
4control rodas shown Ifusingthe E-Z connector, install the connector onthe
throttle control horn following the manufacturer's instructions.
Locate the pre drilled1/8"hole inthe firewallBefore installing the white plastic
tube rough itupwith 240 grit sandpaper This will helpthe epoxy to hold better
Install the whiteplastic tube into the hole Epoxy the tube to the firewallleaving
approximately 1/2 of the tubeprotrudingout of the frontof the firewall
Install the controlrod on the throttlecontrol horn following the manufacturer's
instructions Next slide the control rod into the whiteplastic tube installed inthe
firewallSecuretheengineto the engine mount Slide a 4mm washeronto a 3mm
x20mm screw Insert the screw through the engine mounting holes Apply zap-
lock to the threads of the screw where theyprotrude fromthe engine mount
Install a4mm washer then a 3mm nutTighten the nut securely The zap lock will
prevent the nutfromvibrating loose
ASSEMBLY OFFUELTANK
Set the engine on the engine mount so that the propeller clears the frontof the
fuselage and the center line of the engineisinlinewith the center lineof the
fuselage Mark the engine mountingholesRemove the engineanddrillfour
1/8"holesonthe marks
Assemble the fuel tank as shown Apply a beadof siliconesealantaroundthe
fuel tank cap as shown when installing itinto the fuselage
12

RADIO INSTALLATION
Wrap the fueltank with natural foam to insulate it from vibration Install the fuel
tank so that the cap isthrough the holeinthe firewallInstall two fiveinch pieces
of fueltubing to the fuel pipesfrom the fuel tank Connect the tubing fromthe line
with the clunk weight attached (called the fuel pick upline) to the carburator The
other lineisconnected to the muffler pressure tap inthe next step
Usingyour radio switch asa guidemake the necessary opening for mounting
the switch on the left side of the fuselage as viewed fromabove and looking
towardtheengine and 1 1/4"down fromthewing saddle Install the switch atthis
timeMountingtheswitchonthissidewillpreventfuelfrom damagingtheswitch
Install the muffler following the manufacturersinstructions Connect the pros
sure lineto the muffler pressuretap
Test fityour servos into the servo trayTrim the trayas necessary to tit Ifmini
sized or over sized servos are being used itmay benecessary tomake an
additional servotrayWe recommend using standard size servos Arrangethem
asshown inthe picture above Before securing the servos to the servo tray read
the instructionsthat camewith your radioonhowto installtheservos
Set the hatch cover over the fueltank compartment Drill four 1/16" holesas
shown Secure the hatch using four 2 6mmx 12mmscrews Mount the servo trayonto the rails inside the rear of the fuselage Epoxy the tray
inplaceUseenough glue to hold the tray inplacebutbevery careful notto glue
the servos to the tray orthefuselage
13

CONTROL HORN INSTALLATION
Plugthe servos andswitch into the receiver and the receiver battery into the
switch Then wrap the receiver and the receiver battery innatural foam Use
rubber bands to loosely hold the foam inplace This foampacking protects the
radio components from damaging enginevibrations Placethe batterytoward
thefrontof the compartment
When installing control horns the center lineof the control horn holes must bethe
same as the center lineof the hingejointIfnotthe control surface willmove
farther one waythan the other
PUSHROD INSTALLATION
Insertthe threaded end ofthe rudderpushrod into the fuselage working it around
until the endof the push rodisextending through the exithole on the top of the
fuselage This may take some time Install the nylon clevis ontothe threadedend
ofthe pushrod
Mount the rudder control horn so that itison the center line ofthe hinge jointand
pointing toward the push rod as shown Mark the location of the twomounting
holes and drilla hole on the marks Insert the m2x2 screwsthrough the hornand
intothe control horn backplateAttach theclevis to the control horn
Insertthe threaded end of the elevator pushrod into the fuselage working it
around until the end of the rod is extending through the exitholeon the left lower
sideof the fuselage This may take sometimeInstallthe nylonclevisontothe
threaded end of the pushrod
Mount the elevatorcontrolhorn on the elevator so it ison the elevator hinge joint
center lineand pointing towardthe elevator pushrod Using the same procedure
as before install the m2x12 screws andcontrol hornbackplateAttach the clevis
to the controlhorn
14

CONTROL ROD ADJUSTMENT RADIO INSTALLATION
Besure that your radio system isfully charged and the servos are pluggedinto
the receiver Turnonthe transmitter then receiver Set the trim levers to the
neutral position Turn the receiver then the transmitter back off
Ifusingthe SnapR' Keepermarkonthe pushrodwhere the holeinthe servo
arm is
Adjust the servo arms so that theyare positioned asshown above The screw
holdingthearmonmayneedtoberemovedsothatthearmcanberemovedand
adjusted
Make a 90°bend at the mark on the push rodsCut the excess wire as shown,
and install the Snap R Keepers to the rod and servo arms following the
manufacturersinstructions Ifusing E Z connectors install them on the servo
armsandattachthe rodsfollowing themanufacturer's instructions
Setthe rudderandelevatorso thatthey areinthe neutral positionasshown
With the transmitterand receiver on set the throttletofullspeed on the
transmitter Set the throttle arm on the carburator to full powerInstallthe push
rodasinstructedinpreviousstep.
15

AILERON SERVO INSTALLATION
Route the servo wire through the side of the trayas shown Usingthe screws supplied
with your radio mount the servo into the trayInstall the clevises on the threaded ends
of the aileron controlrods Connect the controlrods to the aileron horns Center the
aileron servo arm and measure the length of rod needed Use the same procedure to
connect the aileron controlrods to the servo arms as used incontrol rod adjustment
Step 5 Uneven aileron centering will cause severe turns
Drilla 1/16 hole inthe sideof the fuselage andthe upperportion of the vertical
stabilizer Installthe strain relief close tothe receiver Route the receiver antenna
through the holes asshown This configurationshould allow forthe best radio
reception Move the strain relief upto the hole inthe fuselage Leave some slack
inthe antenna between the receiverandthestrainreliefDonotcutthe
antenna.
Turn both the transmitter and receiver switches on Center the trimleverson the
transmitterRotate the adjusters inthe proper direction to center the control surfaces
(clockwise-shortens the length) The ruddershouldhave1"ofthrow toeachsideThe
elevator 1/2"upand1/2" down
Atthis time becertain that the aileron servo isconnected to the receiver otherwise the
wing will need to beremoved later to connect itThe wing ismounted tothe fuselage
byusing (8) #64 rubber bands Wrap the bands around the wooden dowels as shown
above Thisdesign isto allow forthose not so perfect landings that comewithlearning
how to flyThe bands are designed topopoff during hard landings and thus help
prevent ma)or damage Four rubber bands are needed per side
CENTER OF GRAVITY
The centerof gravityisa very important aspect ofsetting upthe airplane properly It
willcontrola large part of what typeof flyingcharacteristics your plane willhave it it
isnose heavy (C G s too farforward) the airplane will try to dive and the elevator will
besluggish torespond toyour controlinputs Ifthe plane istail heavy (C G s too
farback) the airplane willbeverysensitive tothe elevator and possibly uncontrollable
The center of gravityshould bechecked withthe fueltank empty inthe plane tobe
accurate The range inwhich the airplane should balance is 3" to3 1/4" back fromthe
leading edge of the wingWithstandard radio equipment the plane should balance
within this range Itit does not balance within this range, feel free to addweight to the
noseortailasyou needto obtainproperC G
RADIO CHECK
Ifthe receiver antenna should get cuaght the receiver could possibly be
damaged By putting a strain relief on the antenna the damage may be
prevented Cut anarm offof a servoarmasshown above andthread thereceiver
antenna through the three holes
Alwayscheckthe operation of yourradio beforeyou flyto seethatthe control surfaces
move inthe proper directions and that they move the proper amount Ifthe direction
of rotationneeds to bereversed to correctforreversed controlssimply change the
side of the servo arm towhich the push rod isattached To INCREASE the amount
of movement that the surface willhave move the CLEVISCLOSER to the surface or
move the (SNAP R KEEPER OR E Z CONNECTOR) away fromthe centerof the
servo arm To DECREASE the amount of movement, move the CLEVIS AWAYfrom
the surface or move the (SPAN'R- KEEPER ORE-Z CONNECTOR) closerto the
center of the servo arm
16

STARTINGENGINE
EngineMaintenance
Alwayscheck the engine mounting bolts mufflerglow plug propeller
and spinnner etc before attempting to start the engine Check for
loose bolts nuts or screwswhich may come offwhen the engine is
running and cause seriousdamage Alwayscheck the area inwhich
youwill beflyingorjustrunning the engine Check forpossible hazards,
such as loose rags rocks, tools, etc . lying onthe ground which mayget
caught inthe prop
If you intend on starting the enginebyhandflipping the prop always
use a chicken stickand besure to check the position ofthe prop Itis
most comfortable when itisat the 2 o clock position when starting the
compression strokeWhen you are using an electric 12V starter, the
position of the propisof noconcern
EngineBreak-InandStarting
Most manufacturers recommend that the engine bebroken inon a test
stand Wealsorecommendthatthisbedoneaccordingtomanufacturers
instructionsIfa teststand is unavailable the engine may be broken-in
ontheAvistarBreaking inthe engine allows the parts to seat to each
other
1Remove the carburator fuel lineandthe muffler pressure line
fromthe muffler
2Fillthe fueltank through the carburator fuel line,when the tank
isfullthe fuelwillcome out the pressure line
3Reconnect the tubing
4Follow yourmanufacturer's instructions according to needle
valve settings
ENGINETROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
SYMPTOM
Theenginedoes not start
The propellerisdifficult
to rotate
The enginefires butdoes
not start
Theenginestarts butdoes
notsound orrungood
POSSIBLECAUSE
Glow plugbattery ismaking
poorcontact.
Battery isdead or hasa very low
voltage
Badglow plug(burned upor
or deteriorated filament)
Improper air/fuel mixture
intake
Engine isflooded with fuel
Enginemaybeflooded.
Fuelisnotreachingthe carburetor.
Improperbreak-in procedures
Loose plugor badplug
5Turn the radioonand open the throttleto full open Place your
finger over the air intake on the carburetor while turning the
prop counterclockwise a fewtimes Notice the fuellineIf any
fuelis being sucked into the carburetor turnthe prop a few
more timesIfnofuelis reaching the carburetorrecheck the
fuelline plumbing
6Reduce the throttleto 1/4 or 1 2 throttleforstarting
7Using a starting stick(chicken stick)and holding the fuselage
firmlyquickly flipthe prop inthe counter clockwise direction
Do not attachthe glow plug clip inthis step This willprevent
the engine frombeing flooded and will make starting much
easier Do not use bare hands/fingers forstarting as the kick
back froma model engine can bestrong enough to cause
severe injury
8Attach the glow plug clip at this time.
9Withquick flipping movements flipthe propinthe counter-
clockwisedirectionIftheengine does nottryto startinthe first
fewtriesdouble check yourprocedure and keep trying
10Once the engine hasstarted listen carefullyto the sound ofthe
engine The sound of the engine will tellyou how the engine is
running if youknow what to listenforA lower tone popping
sound isthesound of a rich running engine Asyou turnthe
needle valve inthe popping sounds should decrease and the
ptchof the engine should riseThe optimum needle valve
setting willdepend on yourengine Againcheck withthe
manufacturersrecommendations forengine break inproce
dures and valvesettings
11Ifyou continue to have problemswith the performance or
startingof your engine, refer tothe enginetrouble shooting
guide shown below
SOLUTION
Check to see ifthe battery iswired correctly and
to see ifthe clipismakinggood contact with the
plug
Replaceor recharge the battery and checkto
make sure the battery canglow the plugred hot
prior to starting
Replace the glow plug
Primethe enginethroughthecarburetor air
Close the needlevalve completely and try to
start the engine Itshould start and then quickly
stop Reset the needle valveand continue
starting
Remove the glow plugsandrotate theengine
untilonly a mist of fuelremains inthe cylinder
Replace the plugand continue
Check the level of fuelinthe tank Recheck fuel
Openthe needle valvea halfturn or so and
continue
Check the break-in procedure andrepeat
Replace the plugand/or tighten the oldplug
17

FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS
Pre-FlightCheck
1Clean the dust dirt and oiloffof the surface of theairplane
2Check to makesure allnuts,bolts and screws are securely
fastened
3Check allcontrol surfaces to see ifthey areproperly attached
4Check the range of theradio systemas the manufacturer recom-
mends
5Check that allcontrolsmove smoothly and inthe proper directions
6Check the level of charge inthetransmitterand receiver batteries
7Check that the area being used is freeof obstacles and debris
8Check the frequenciescurrentlyinuse at the field and inyour area
9Check the level of the fueltank to besure itisfull
10Doublecheck the radiooperation
FlightSafety
•Ifthis airplane happens to beyour firstradio controlled airplane we
strongly suggest that you ask a skilled pilot or instructorto help you
learn how to flyYoushould also suggest to him to take the maiden
flight to see what problems (if any) that need to beworked out There
will beenough toworryabout on yourfirstsolo flightwithout having
to worryabout whether or not itis properly set up
•Flyinan open fieldwithoutany obstructions For exampletrees
power lines buildings crowds of people etc are abstacles that the
planemay hit and cause damage
•Ifyou are a novice pilot local area clubs have beenformed andare
very willing tohelp youwithany questions youmay have Many of
the clubs even have club trainer airplanes that theywill actually
teach you to flywithThis helps prevent disappointing crasheson
your firstflightsAddressesof local area clubs can belocated from
you local area hobby shop and/or by writingto Academyof Model
Aviation1810 Samuel Morse Drive Reston VA22090
•Flythe model ata reduced throttle untilyou getto know the flight
characteristics
•When adjusting the needle valve justprior to flighthold the plane
ata 45° nose upattitude fullopen throttle and adjust the throttlefor
top performance as the manufacturer s instructions suggest
Take-Off
The airplanemaybetaxied around on a smooth/open section of
pavement withoutthe wing afterthe engine hasbeen adjusted and the
radio has been properly checked Become familiarwithcontrolling the
plane on theground withtherudder Inthe air you willfindthat most of
the time youwillbeusing a combination of elevator and ailerons to turn
the plane because theyare more effectiveinthe air On the ground the
rudder is more effectiveA transitionwillneed to be made once the
plane leaves the ground That transitionfromusing the rudder on the
ground to using the aileronsonce itleaves the ground willtake a little
practice One good rule of thumb is to alwaystake offdirectlyinto the
wind (ifthere is any) This willprevent the wind fromtryingto blow the
model fromside to side and willnottake asmuchrunway asifyou were
trying to take offdownwind
Once you feelcomfortable withtheway ithandles on the ground it
comes time foryou to concentrate verymuch on theairplane s move
ments Asyouare ready fortake offsimply point the nose into the wind
and slowlyadvance the throttleup to fullthrottleAtthispoint the plane
willbe going veryfastand willbeverysensitiveto yourrudder inputs
Use smooth inputs to correct the plane fromwandering offof the
runway Once the plane is at take offspeed slowlypull back on the
elevatorstick Thiswillcause the plane to leavethe ground Atthispoint
notice whether the plane tends to turnclimb or dive and make the
necessary opposite controlinputs to keep the planeon a gentle climb
inthe desired direction
Flight
Once the planehasreached a safe altitudereduce the throttle to
about half power If the airplane isproperly set up(ie correctC G
trimsall centeredengine properly set) theplane should beverystable
withoutany wanderingtendencies Iftheplane does tend to go one
directionmore thananother use yourtrimleverson yourtransmitterto
correctthisDo not look at the transmitterwhile adjusting trimsThen
whiletheplane is flyingstraightadjust the elevatortrimtocorrect
abnormal climbing or diving If the trimswillnot overcome a turn or a
climbing tendency land the model immediately and check forimproper
setup
Landing
There is an old saying that states You do not have to take offBut
you do haveto land Thereforebe ready to land at all times during your
flight The engine may not stay running througha complete tank of fuel
for one reason or another Itis suggested to time therun time of a
complete tank before flightThat way you know approximately what to
expect and when you need to land before the fuelruns out
Set upyour landing approach downwind at 100 200 feetupand 500
800 feetaway depending on the height of the plane and the strengthof
the wind Approach into the wind and slowlyreduce the throttleto the
closed position Concentrate on the glide path of the plane taking
notice of whether the plane willreach the beginning of the runway or if
itwillovershootthe runway completely With smooth deliberateinputs
use yourengine power and yourelevatorto adjust the glide path so the
plane willtouch down smoothly on thebeginning of the runway at its
slowest speed Itwillstillseem very fast andwill usethe complete
runway to slow down
After-Flight Maintenance
•Remove all excessfuelfromthefueltank as this fuelcan become
jellylike and cause clogging of fuellines as wellasclogging the
engine s carburetor valves
•Alwaysuse afterrun oil inthe engine to prevent corrosion
•Check and double check that the transmitter andreceiver switches
are switched to theoffpositions
•Wipe offtheexcessoil thatwillcollecton the wing andfuselage Use
alight duty cleanser to help cut throughthe oil
•Remove freshfuelfromthesurface of the plane immediately as
differentbrands can cause clouding of the surface
•Replace any bent marred or dinged props as they canfly apartat
any time when the engine is running
•Completely check the airplane fordamage tothewings landing
gearcovering andrepair asneeded before your next flight
Repair
Ifdamage should occur wipe the broken area clean with a clean rag to
remove alldebris use epoxy glue to repair Do not use Cyanoacrylate
adhesive nearany foam parts asitwill deteriorate the foam
FullyAssembledAvistar
18

YOUR FIRST FLIGHT
Pre-FlightChecklist
Beforeleaving fortheflyingfield go through the pre flight checklist
This willhelp prevent you fromforgettingto take things withyou
AMakesure transmitter andreceiver batterypacks are fully charged
One way to check isby using a Hobbico voltmeter
BTransmitter make sure itis the same frequency as the receiver
CGlow plug clip and fullycharged 11/2 volt battery
DFuel and fuelpump or fuelbulb
ERubber bands #64
FExtraprops
GScrew driver and knife
HEpoxy andsomething to mix iton
IPapertowels (to cleanthe plane)
YOUR FIRST FLIGHT
Before starting the engine check and make sure all screwsare tight that
the hinges have not come loose thecontrolsurfaces move inthe right
directions according to yourinput on thetransmitterand nobody is on
your frequency
1Start the engine andset the needle valve following the engine
manufacturer s instruction
2Holdthe plane tightly and move the throttle to full speed Pickthe
planeup and hold it ata 45° 60 nose up for10 15seconds The
engine should run smoothly Ifitstarts to die the engine is either
too rich or too lean and the needle valve needs readjusting
3Taxithe Avistar to theendoftherunway andpointthe noseinto
the wind
4Check thatthe controlsurfaces respond to the transmitter com-
mands
5Gently advance the throttleto fullpower
6Gently steertheAvistarleft or right as necessary to obtain a
straight take off
7Afterthe plane has gained speed,gentlypullbackonthe
elevator stick Donotallow the plane to climb too steeply
8Keep the wings level and reduce the throttlesome to obtain a
gentle climb
9To turn gently move the aileron stick to the side andpullbackon
the elevator Iftoo much aileron isused the plane will bank too
steeply Make a wide gentle turn When the turniscompleted,
return the sticks to the center
10Afterthe plane passes by you make another wide 180°turn
11When learning to flyitis easier to control the plane by facing the
direction the plane is going and looking overyourshoulder atit
12Flyina figureeight making left andrightturns atthe endof the
straights
13Forthe firstlanding don tworryabout landing on the runway just
try not to hit any objects Decide where you are going toland and
gently turninto the wind 500 800 feetdown wind
14When you know you can reach the landing area, reduce the
throttle You want the plane to gently descend towards the
landingarea Keep the wings level and do not allow thenose to
rise This can produce a stall (a lackof lift) andthe planewill dive
steeply
15Ifthe planeis going to beshort of the landingarea apply some
power to reach thelanding area If the plane is too high apply
power and climb back upto some altitude and set up to land
again With practice you willbeflyingwithmore confidence and
able to make nice smooth landings on a runway The only way
to become a good pilot isto practice
19