Hobbico Avistar User manual

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
90-Day LimitedWarranty
Ifyou, asthe original owner of this model, discoverdefects inpansorworkmanshipwilhin90 daysofpurchase, Hobbico will repairor replace it- attheoption
of ourauthorizedU.S.repairfacility,Hobby Services - withoutcharge.Ourliabilitydoes notincludecost of shippingtous. However, HobbyServices willpay
shippingexpenses lo returnyourmodel toyou.You mustprovideproofof purchase,suchas youroriginalpurchaseinvoiceorreceipt,foryourmodel's
warrantytobe honored.Thiswarrantydoesnotapplytodamageor defectscausedby misuseor improperassembly,serviceorshipment.Modifications,
alterationsorrepairby anyoneotherthanHobbyServicesvoidthiswarranty.We aresorry, butwe cannotberesponsibleforcrashdamageand/orresulting
loss of kits. engines, accessories, etc.
Repair Service
YourAvistarmustbereturneddirectlyto Hobby Services forwarrantywork.The address is:Hobby Services. Attn:Service Department.1610InterstateDrive,
Champaign,II.61822Phone:[phone]. Pleasefollowtheinstructionsbelowwhenreturningyourmodel.Thiswillhelpourexperiencedtechniciansto
repairandreturnitas quicklyas possible.
1. ALWAYS returnyourentiresystem,includingairplaneandradio.
2.DisconnectthereceiverbatteryswitchharnessandmakesurethatthetransmitteristurnedoffDisconnectallbatteriesanddrainallfuel.
3.Includea listofallitemsreturnedand a THOROUGH,writtenexplanationoftheproblemandservice needed.Ifyouexpecttherepairtobe coveredunder
warranty,alsoincludeyourproofof purchase.
•I. Includeyour full return address and a phonenumber where you can be reached during the day.
Ifyourmodelispastthe90-daywarrantyperiodoris excludedfromwarrantycoverage,youcanstillreceiverepairservice throughHobbyServicesata
nominalcost.Repairchargesand postagemaybe prepaidorbilledCOD. Additionalpostagechargeswillbe appliedfornon-warraiuyreturnsAllrepairs
shippedoutsidetheUnitedStatesmustbeprepaidinU.S.fundsonlyAllpictures,descriptionsandspecificationsfoundin this instructionmanualand on
theproductpackagearcsubjecttochangewithoutnotice.Hobbicomaintainsnoresponsibilityforinadvertenterrors.
Entire contents © Copyright 1999HCAZ3037for HCAA2016 V 1.0

AVISTAR 40 ARF IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES?
Pleasemakenotes of the following pointsinyour instructionmanual before beginningassembly.
6-32 X 3/4"
Thiskitcontainsanadjustable engine mount. This willallow you mount almost any engine
quicklyandeasily.Touse this mount, please replace the following steps inthe manual with
these:
EngineMount
Machine Screws
1.Onpage16,at step31, drilla holeinthe firewall so itis9/16"infrom the right side and
3/8"upfrom the bottom as shown inthe sketch at right.
3/8"
2.Onpage17,before step 35, install the engine mount halves byfitting them together and
attachingthem tothe firewallusing four6-32 x 3/4" machine screws with washers. Do
nottighten completelyuntillater.
9/16"
3.Onpage17,atstep 36, install the nose gear strut through the steering arm, followed bya 4mm
collar.Next,slidethe strutthrough the lower lugon the engine mountand install a second collar
(seesketch at right). Tightenthe collars using 3 x 5mm machine screws.
Nosegear
strut
4.Onpage17,atstep 37,rotate the steering arm so itis1/2"away fromthe firewall with the wheel
pointingstraight ahead.
4mm
Collars
5.Onpage18, after step 46, once the engine inproperly positioned, tighten the enginemount to
thefirewall.
6.Onpage19,step 47,drillfour7/64"holesatthemarks.Donot drill1/8"holes.
7.Onpage19,step 50 will tell you to mount the engine using four 3 x 25mm machine screws with washers and nuts. Thishard
warehasbeenreplacedwith four #6 x 3/4"sheet metal screws.Simply screwthese into the mount to hold the engine inpiace.
AV12ADD2

You're aboutto buildinjustdays whattook aviationpioneersyears—a powered machinethatflies.
Speciallycreatedforyouandotherfirst-timeradiocontrolacrobaticpilots,Hobbico's Avistar40 offers
nearlyalltheexcitementof pilotinga real airplane...anddevelops skillsthatwilltakeyou anywhereyou
wantin yournew hobby.
Know Your Model's Parts
Take a momentnow to match thebox contentswith theitemslistedbelow. FollowingtheAvistar 40's
assembly instructionswill be quite easy ifyou identifyand organize the parts before you begin.
1.RUDDER/FIN(C)
2.STABILIZER/ELEVATOR (C)
3.LEFTWING PANEL (A)
4.RIGHT WING PANEL (A)
5.FUELTANK (B)
6.SPINNER (B)
7.FUSELAGE (B)
8.SERVO TRAY (B)
9.WHEELS (D)
10. MAIN LANDING GEAR (D)
11. METAL HARDWARE (B)
12. NYLON HARDWARE (B)
13. PUSHRODS (B)
14. WING DOWELS (B)
15. DIHEDRAL BRACES (A)
16. HARDWARE (B)
17.NOSE GEAR (D)
18.ONE-PIECE ALUMINUM ENGINEMOUNT(B)
19. BATTERY / RECEIVER TRAY (B)
Replacement PartsAvailable
HCAA3030.....WingKit(A)
HCAA3031.....FuselageKit(B)
HCAA3032.....FinSet(C)
HCAA3033.....Landing Gear Set(D)
()Letter indicatesitemsincludedineach replacementset.
2

OtherItems You'llNeed
Glues
Choose any6-minuteepoxy, such as Great Planes®
Pro'"Epoxy, whichhasbeen formulatedespecially
forR/Cmodelbuilding.Epoxies offera strong
bondanda varietyof curingtimessuitedforevery
stepofassembly.You'llalso need an instant-setting
CA (cyanoacrylate),athickerCA+, anda30-minute
epoxy, plusrubbingalcoholandpapertowels for
easy epoxy cleanup.
Hardware
Tools andaccessories requiredforassembly:
Hobby knifeNeedlenose pliers
#11 knifebladesLarge Phillipsscrewdriver
#64 RubberbandsSmall Phillipsscrewdriver
Ruler 3 ftof 3/32"fueltubing
Drill with drillbits: 1/16",3/32", and 3/16"
Model Engine
Power yourAvistar with anyhigh-quality,.40-size
model engine.The O.S.®.40LA andSuperTigre®
GS-40 are justa few examples. Look forfeatures
suchas easy break-in,easy starting,efficient
carburetionandlow maintenance.Checkthe
manufacturer'srecommendationsforpropellersto
use with your engine.
Radio Equipment
Tolet you send thecommandsthatcontrolyour
Avistar40's "flightpath,"you'llneed a 4-channel
aircraftradiosystem with fourstandard servos.
Many4-channelradiosincludejustthreeservos.
You may need topurchasethefourthseparately.
The servos andradioreceiver willbe mountedon-
boardyourmodelandneed to be cushionedfrom
joltsandvibration.One-halfinchthickfoam
rubbersheets are available forthispurpose.
Getting Ready forFlight
YourHobbico Avistar40 traineris readyfortakeoff
inas littleas 15-20 hours.Yourhobbydealeror
flyinginstructorcanhelpyoudecidewhat
accessories you'llneed forflight.Most areone-time
onlypurchases—andyourinstructorwill probably
allow youtouse hisfieldbox untilyou can outfit
your own witha glow plugstarter,fuelbulbor
pump, and "chicken stick" or electric starter. You
will need to provide your own fuel.Use glow fuel
with a 10-15%nitroblendto keep your engine
performingatits peak...andyourAvistar 40 will
have thepower to make youan accomplished pilot!
Other General Items Required:
MaskingTape
Epoxy Brushes
T-Pins
Clothespins
Sandpaper
Foam Rubber
MixingSticks
Felt-TipMarker
String
Paper Towels
StandardScrewdriver
Thread Locking Compound
Epoxy Mixing Cups WingSeatingTape
Find A Flying Instructor
The best way to beginflyingyourAvistar 40 is with
anexperiencedR/Cpilotorflyinginstructorat
yourside. You'lllearnfaster,relax thosein-flight
jittersandavoid riskingyourmodel beforeyou're
trulyreadyto solo.
Where do you findan instructor?Ask at yourlocal
hobby shop. They'llhave informationaboutflying
clubsinyourarea whose membershipincludes
qualifiedinstructors.You canalsojointhe
Academy of Model Aeronautics(AMA),a 165,000
member-strongnationalorganizationwithmore
than2,500 charteredclubsacross thecountry.
Throughanyoneof them,instructortraining
programsandinsurednewcomertrainingare
available.ContacttheAMA at the address or phone
numberbelow:
Academyof ModelAeronautics
5151East MemorialDrive
Muncie,IN47302
Toll Free: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site:http://www.modelaircraft.org
3

Please follow these safetyprecautions:
Before you fly
1.Makesurethatno other flyers areusing your
radiofrequency.
2. Your radiotransmittermustbe theFIRST thing
you turnON, and the LASTthing you turnOFF.
Fuel storage andcare
1.Do notsmokenearyourengineor fuel.
2. Storeallenginefuelina safe, cool, dry place,
away fromchildrenandpets.
3.Always wearsafetyglasses.
4.Make certainthatyourglow plug clip issecurely
attached to theglow plug—and cannotpop off,
possiblyfallingintothe spinningpropeller.
5.Use a "chickenstick"or electricstarterto start
theengine—NOT yourfingers.
6.Makesurethatthewires fromyourstarterand
glow plugclipcannotbecome tangled with the
spinningpropeller.
7.Do notstandat theside of thepropellerwhen
you startorruntheengine.Even at idlespeed,
thespinningpropellerwillbe nearlyinvisible.
8.If any engineadjustmentsare necessary,
approachtheengineonly frombehindthe
spinningpropeller.
90-DayLimitedWarranty
Ifyou,as theoriginalownerofthismodel,discover
defects inpartsor workmanshipwithin90 days of
purchase,Hobbicowillrepairor replaceit—atthe
optionofourauthorizedU.S. repairfacility,Hobby
Services—withoutcharge. Our liabilitydoes not
includecost of shippingto us. However, Hobby
Services willpayshippingexpenses to returnyour
modelto you.
You mustprovide proof of purchase, such as your
originalpurchaseinvoiceor receipt,foryour
model's warrantyto be honored.
This warrantydoes not apply to damage or defects
caused by misuseorimproperassembly, service or
shipment.Modifications,alterationsor repairby
anyoneotherthanHobbyServices voidsthis
warranty.We are sorry, butwe cannotbe
responsibleforcrashdamage and/orresultingloss
of kits, engines, accessories, etc.
Repair Service
YourAvistar40 mustbereturneddirectlyto Hobby
Services forwarrantywork.Theaddressis:
Hobby Services,
Attn:Service Department
1610InterstateDrive, Champaign,IL61822
Phone: [phone]
Please follow theinstructionswhenreturningyour
model.Thiswillhelpourexperiencedtechnicians
to repairandreturnit as quicklyas possible.
1.ALWAYS returnyourentiresystem, including
airplaneandradio.
2.Disconnectthereceiver batteryswitch harness
andmakesurethatthetransmitteris turnedoff.
Disconnectallbatteriesanddrainallfuel.
3.Includea listof allitemsreturnedanda
THOROUGH,writtenexplanationofthe
problemand service needed.Ifyou expect the
repairtobe covered underwarranty,also
includeyourproofof purchase.
4.Includeyourfullreturn address and a phone
numberwhere you can be reached duringthe day.
Ifyourmodelis pastthe90-daywarrantyperiodor
is excludedfromwarrantycoverage, you can still
receive repairservice throughHobby Services at a
nominalcost. Repaircharges andpostage maybe
prepaidorbilledCOD. Additionalpostage charges
willbeappliedfornon-warrantyreturns.All
repairsshippedoutsidetheUnitedStates mustbe
prepaid in U.S. fundsonly.
All pictures, descriptionsandspecifications
foundinthisinstructionmanualandon the
productpackageare subjectto changewithout
notice. Hobbico maintainsno responsibilityfor
inadvertenterrors.
4

QFindthetwo 1/8" (3mm)die-cutplywood wing
joiners.Drawa centerlineon bothsidesof the
plywood wingjoinersandbalsa aileronservo tray
mountingblocks.Use oneplywood joineras a
templateto markthewingdihedralangleon both
of thebalsa5/16"x5/16"x 1-1/2"(8mm x 8mm x
38mm) aileronservo traymountingblocks. Put
these mountingblocks aside foruse later.
Orientation of the wing joiners
QArrangethetwo"V-shapedplywood wing
joinersinthesame orientationasthey will be
glued together.
Gluing the wing joiner
QMixapproximatelyl/4oz.(7.5ml)of30-minute
epoxy. Usinga mixingstickorepoxy brush,apply
aneven coat of epoxy on oneside of a wingjoiner.
Stack theotherjoineron top of theepoxy.
Clampingthewingjoiner
l-lUse threeclothespinstoclampthewing joiners
togetherfirmly.The excess epoxymustbe removed
before it cures as described inthenext step.
Removing the excess epoxy
l-lExcess epoxy willbe squeezedoutof theseams
between thejoinersandmustbe removed before
theepoxy is allowed to cure. Use a papertowel and
rubbingalcoholtoremovetheexcess epoxy.
Be carefulnotto disturbthealignmentof the
joinerpieces.
Testfitthewing joiner
Aftertheepoxy hascuredandtheclothespins
have been removed, test fitthewingjoinerinboth
wingsby slidingthejoinerintothejoinercavityin
thewing.Thejoinershouldslideinwitha little
resistance upto thecenterlinedrawnon theboth
sides of thejoiner.
5

Sanding thejoiner
ClIfthewingjoinerwillnotFit in thecavity, lightly
sandtheexcess epoxyandunevensurfacejoints
fromthejoineredges andsides. Caution:A snugfit
is desirablebetweenthejoinerand thewingcavity.
Do not sand excessively.
Viewing the wing dihedral
ClPay close attentionto theorientationofthewing
joinerin relationto thedihedralof the wings.
Markingthewing cavity
1-1Laythe wing halves on the work surface with the
flatside facingup. Remove the precut balsa from the
root rib. Using themeasurementsin the sketch, trim
away the balsa sheeting from thebottom of thewing
to allowfortheinstallationofthe aileron servo.
Gluing the joiner in the wing
1-1Mixl/4oz.(7.5ml)of 30-minuteepoxy to glue
thejoinerintoonewinghalf.Use a mixingstickor
epoxy brushto applyepoxy toall foursides of the
joinercavitywall.Insertthejoinerintothecavity
upto thecenterlinemarkedon thejoinerplate.Be
sure you are installingthejoinerin thecorrect
orientationto thewing.Itshouldangleupwards
wheninstalledcorrectly.Cleantheexcess epoxy
fromthewingrootrib. You mustbe sure all the
excess glueis removed fromthewingroot or the
wingswillnotfittogethercorrectly.Allowenough
timefortheepoxy to fullycurebeforeproceeding
to thenext step.
Applying theepoxy
l-lMixl/2oz.(14.5ml)of 30-minuteepoxy and
applyto thewingrootribandinsidethejoiner
cavity of thesecond wing half.
Joining thewing halves
QAssemble thetwo wing halves withthetightest
seam possible. No gaps shouldbe showingbetween
the two winghalves. Cleantheexcess epoxy from
theoutsideof thewingusinga papertowel and
rubbingalcohol.Tapethewinghalves togetherwith
maskingtape. Setthewingaside to cure.
Cuttingthe mounting blocks
l-lFindtheaileronservo trayand thetwo balsa
servo traymountingblocksandpositionthem
withthemarkeddihedrallineup.Usinga sharp
hobbyknife,cuttheangleoutof theblock.This
angle willbe placed against the wingwhenthe
servo tray isinstalled.
6

Assemblingtheservotray
QApplythickCA+ totheflatsideofthebalsaservo
traymountingblock.Place themountingblockon
theaileronservotraynextto theservo
opening-noton theouteredge of thetray. Notethe
positioningof thedihedralangle inrelationto the
servo tray.
QTestfittheaileronservo intotheservo trayand
theholecutinthebottomsideofthewing.Enlarge
eitherhole,if needed,witha hobbyknifeor a fine-
toothedfileuntila properfitis achieved.
Removing the covering
QPositiontheaileronservo traysoitis centered
over theopeningmadeinthewing. Usinga felt-tip
marker,tracetheoutsideof theservo tray
mountingblock ontothewing.Use a sharphobby
knifeto remove thecoveringforthemounting
blocks. Use care not to cut intotheunderlying
balsa of the wing, as thismay weaken thewing.
Installing theservotray
JMixl/8oz.(3.5ml) of6-minuteepoxytogluethe
servo trayto thebottomsideof thewing.Apply
equalamountsofepoxy to themountingblockson
bothendsoftheservo tray.Attachtheservotrayon
thebottomof thewingwiththeservo wire harness
notchfacingthetrailingedge of thewing. The
mountingblocksshouldbe attachedtothewing
sheetingwherethecoveringwas removed andnot
to theplasticwingcovering.Allowtheepoxy to
fullycurebeforeproceedingto thenext step.
Aileron installation
HINGES
TORQUE
ROD
l-lTest fittheaileronson thewing with thehinges
installed.Checkforfreemovementinboth
directions.There shouldbe no binding.Use a
toothpicktopush30-minuteepoxy downthe
torque-rodholesineach aileron.Fittheaileronin
place. ThereshouldBevirtuallyno gap whenthe
aileronis fullyseated.Iftheaileronwillnotfully
seat, use a hobbyknifeto clean thehingeslots and
tryit again.Glueinthehingesby wicking4 drops
of thinCAintoeach side of the hinges.
7

Installing theservotrayConstructing the tail section
Mixl/8oz.(3.5ml)of 6-minuteepoxy to gluethe
servo trayintothefuselage.Applyepoxy to all
fuselagepartsthatwillcomeincontactwiththe
servo tray.
QLocatethehorizontalstabilizerslotunderthe
coveringon thetailsectionof thefuselageby
pressinglightlywithyourfinger.The slot willbe
locatedon bothsides of thetail.Usinga hobby
knife,carefullyremove thecoveringexposingthe
slots.Note:Do notcutintothebalsawood
sheetingaroundtheslot.
Installing the wing dowels
LIThe wingdowel holesarepredrilled.Locatethe
fourroundholes (two on each side of thefuselage)
andremove thecovering over each hole.Insertthe
two wood dowels intothefuselage.The shorter
dowel is installedtowards thetailof theairplane.
Installthe dowel caps ontothedowels usingfour
2.5mm x 8mm sheet metalscrews. You mayneedto
holdonescrew with a pliers while installingthe
otherside.
Vertical stabilizer slot covering
QUsing yourfinger,locatetheverticalstabilizer
slot on thetopof thefuselage.Remove the
covering witha hobbyknifeinthesame manneras
forthehorizontalstabilizerslots. This willallow
betterviewingaccess whencenteringthe
horizontalstabilizer.
Finding thecenterline
A
A
QLocate thehorizontalstabilizeranddrawa
centerlineon theside withthethreecolor graphics.
Insert thestabilizer intothetailsection with theline
showing throughthevertical stabilizer slot.
9

Preparingtoinstallthestabilizer
EQUAL MEASUREMENTS
QAttacha piece ofstringwitha pinto thecenterof
thefirewallas shown.The stringshouldbe a
minimumof 31-1/2" (800mm) in length.Stretch
thestringto thecornerof thehorizontalstabilizer.
Thedistancefromthepinto thehorizontal
stabilizermust be thesame on bothsides. This
methodwilladjustthehorizontalstabilizerto a
90"angle to thecenterlineof theaircraft.
Tracing the fuselage outline
UUsinga felt-tippen,tracea linearoundthetailof
theairplaneon thetopand bottomof the
horizontalstabilizer.
Removingthecovering
QUsinga sharphobbyknife,cut1/32"[1mm]
insidethelinesmadewiththefelt-tippen and
remove thecoveringfromthecenterof the
horizontalstabilizer.Donotcut into the balsa
sheeting on the horizontal stabilizer.
Installing the stabilizer
QMix l/4oz.(7.5ml) of30-minuteepoxy to install
thehorizontalstabilizer.Usinga mixingstick,
place glue insidethehorizontalstabilizersloton
allsides includingthehorizontalstabilizermount.
Insert thehorizontalstabilizerandcleanoffthe
excess epoxy thatsqueezes outof thejointwitha
papertowel andrubbingalcohol.Adjustalignment
as shown in the previous step. Setthefuselage
aside to cure.
Preparing the vertical stabilizer
QLocate theverticalstabilizer. Draw a lineon both
sides even withthebottomof thefinas shownin
thesketch.Cutting1/32"(1mm)below thelineand
throughthecovering only,remove thecovering
fromthebase of theverticalfin.
Important: Donot cut into thebalsafin root.
T-PIN
STRING
STRING
10

Installingtheverticalstabilizer
90°
90°
Fin Alignment 90° Sketch
QMix l/4oz.(7.5ml)of 30-minute epoxy to glue
theverticalstabilizerinplace. Usingamixingstick,
applyepoxytothetopof thehorizontalstabilizer
throughtheverticalstabilizerslot.Applyepoxy to
thesides andbottomsurfacesof thefinbase that
havebalsawood exposed.Insertthevertical
stabilizerintotheslot,makingsurethefinrootis
seatedfirmlyonthehorizontalstabilizer.Checkfor
aperpendicularanglebetweenthefinandthe
stabilizerwhenviewed fromtheback. Itis critical
thatthefinremainsperpendicularwhile theepoxy
is curing.Maskingtapemay be requiredto hold
the finduringthis time.
Installing the rudder and elevator hinges
QTestfittherudderandelevator on thefinand
stabilizer withthehinges installed. Use thesketch
in "Installing theAilerons" as a guide. Check for
free movementinbothdirections.There shouldbe
nobinding.Glueinthehingesby wicking4 drops
of thinCAintoeach side of the hinges.
Locations of the control horns
l-lNotethelocationsandalignmentof thecontrol
hornsinboththephotoand theillustrationbefore
markinganddrilling.
Control horn alignment
HINGE LINE
CORRECTINCORRECT
11

Attaching the elevator control hornLocating the rudder exit hole
Locate a nyloncontrolhorn.Place thehornon
thebottomof theelevator. Positionit 1"(25.4mm)
fromcenterandalignedwiththeleadingedge as
shown in thesketch andphoto.Markthetwo holes
witha felt-tippen.The holesof thecontrolhorn
shouldline-upwiththegap between therudder
andtheverticalstabilizer.Drilltwo 1/16" (1.5mm)
holesthroughthebalsaelevator. Inserttwo 2-56 x
5/8"machinescrews throughthecontrolhornand
elevatorintothecontrolhornback plateon the
oppositeside of theelevator. Tighten thescrews
butdo not crushthebalsa.
QTheprecutrudderpushrodexitholeis locatedon
thesame side as theruddercontrolhorn,underthe
covering. Locate theexit hole by gentlyrunning
yourfingerdown thetopof thefuselage.Usinga
hobby knife,remove thecovering fromtherudder
pushrodexit hole. Do notremove thecovering from
the exit hole on theopposite side.
Cutting the elevator exit hole
Installing the rudder horn
Locate theothernyloncontrolhorn.Place the
control hornon the leftside oftherudder, 1"(25mm)
fromthe topof thehinged stabilizer asshown in the
photoon the previous page. Markthe two holes with
afelt-tippen. Drill two 1/16" (1.5mm) holes through
the rudder. Use two machine screws 2-56x 5/8" to
attach the control horn.
QThe precutelevator pushrodexit hole is located
on thesame sideof thefuselageas theelevator
controlhorn,beneaththecovering. Locatetheexit
holebygentlyrunningyourfingerdownthesideof
thefuselageoverthecovering.Usinga hobbyknife,
remove thecoveringfromtheelevatorpushrod
exit hole. Do notremove thecoveringfrom theexit
hole on the opposite side of the fuselage.
12

Installing the landing gear
QOn thebottom of thefuselage, 9-3/4" (248mm)
fromtheenginecompartment,thereisa channel
located underthecovering. Locate thischannelby
runningyourfingeroverthecoveringon thebottom
of thefuselage. Usinga hobby kniferemove the
covering fromthischannel.Toprotectthechannel
fromfueldamage, place several dropsof thinCA
along the channel andwipe witha papertowel.
Installing thestruts
QLocate thetwo chromed landingstrutsand place
them in the pre-drilledholes insidethechannelon
the bottomside of thefuselage. Place two nylon
landinggear straps over thelandinggear struts. Using
afelt-tippen,markthelocationof thestrap
mountingholes ontothe bottom ofthefuselage. Drill
the fourholes usinga 1/16" (1.5mm) drillbit.Mount
thenylonlandinggearstrapsusingfour#2x3/8"self-
tappingscrews to thebottomofthefuselage over the
struts.The strutsshould be flushwith thebottom of
the fuselage.
Mounting the wheels
QLocate two foamwheels andfourwheel collars.
Place one wheel collaron each strutandsecure its
location usinga 6-32 set screw.Place thewheel onto
thestrut,followed by anotherwheel collar. Secure the
additionalwheel collarwith another6-32 set screw.
Intotal,you will have two wheel collars, two 6-32set
screws andone wheel on each strut.
QLocate thealuminumenginemountandattach
it to thefirewallusingfour6-32 x 3/4"machine
screws andfour#6 washers. The flatside of the
enginemountwillbe towardsthetopof the
fuselageas shown inthedrawingandphoto.Use
threadlockingcompoundon thescrews to make
suretheywon'tvibrateloose. Attachthenose gear
mounttothefirewallusingtwo 6-32 x 3/4"
machinescrews.
Installing the nose gear
1-1Place a wheel collar onto thenose gear strut.
Insert thenose gear stem intotheplasticnose gear
13

holdingbracket on the fuselage firewall. Press a
5/32"wheelcollarintothenylonsteeringarm.
Makesuretheholeinthearmlinesupwiththe
holeinthewheelcollar.Placethenylonsteering
armbetween theplasticbracketandmotormount.
Slidethenose gear stem intothemotormount.
Lock thesteeringarmontotheflatspotof thenose
gear by tighteningthesocketheadscrew on the
frontofthearm.Inserta 14-1/8"(359mm)pushrod
tubethroughtheholeintothefuselage.The
pushrodtubemustbe flushwiththefirewallfor
thesteeringto workproperly.Wick thinCA around
the pushrodguide tube.
Installing the pushrod
QLocate the17-1/2" (445mm) wire controlrod (no
threads)andmakea 90-degree bendinoneend
1/2"fromtheend.Remove thesteeringarmfrom
thenose gear assembly. Insert thebendintothe
insideholeof thesteeringcontrolhornfromthe
bottom.Slidethepushrodwire intotheguidetube
and reassemble thenose gear assembly. Trim the
remainingarmto allow formaximumsteering.
Throttle control guide
QInserttheremainingplasticpushrodguidetube
intothepredrilledholeintheenginecompartment
firewall.Leaving1/4"(6mm)of thetubeshowing,
glue thethrottlecontroltubeintothefirewallusing
thinCA.
Insert the control rod
QInstalla 14-1/8" (360mm) pushrodtubeintothe
firewallforthethrottlepushrod.Leave1"(25mm)of
thepushrodtubeto extend forwardof thefirewall.
Secure thepushrodtubeusingthinCA. Threada
clevis ontothe17-1/2" (440mm)pushrodusingthe
same techniqueas theaileronpushrods.Insertthe
pushrod intothetubeas shown in thephoto.
l-lLocate thetwo aluminumtubes thatare used in
thefueltank.
Bending the pressure line
QBeingcarefulnotto kinkthetube,bendoneend
of thelongertubeto a 70degree angle. Itmay be
helpfulto finda rigidobject thatcan be used as a
formtobendthetubearound.Leave 1-1/2"
(38mm) of straighttubeat oneend soit can easily
be insertedthroughthetankplug.
14

Assembling thetankplug Installing the tank
ULocate thetwo stopperplates.Push thealuminum
tubes throughthesmallerstopperdisc andtheback
of therubberplug. Place thelarger stopperdisc on
theopposite side andinsertthe3 x 20mm machine
screw throughthelarger disc, therubberplugand
thenintothesmaller disc.Do not tighten the screw
at thistime.
Final fuel tankassembly
QLocatethemetalfuelpick-upweight(often
referredto as the"clunk weight")andthemedium
siliconefueltubing.Insertthefuelpick-upweight
ontothefueltubing.Comparethelengthof the
fueltankto thelengthof thefueltubingandcut
thetubingsothatthefuelpick-upweighton the
endof thefueltubingwillnottouchtheend of the
fueltank.The plugassemblycan now be inserted
intothetank.Thepressuretubeshouldbe
adjustedso thetubeis pointedstraightupjust
underthetopof thetank.
Caution: The pressure tubeshouldbe close butnot
touchingthetopof thetankbecause theflow of fuel
maybe interruptedandcause theenginetoquit.
The stopperdiscson therubberplugcan be
tightenedby turningthescrew.Do notover tighten
thestopperplatesordamage to thetankmay occur.
(-1Insertthefueltankintothefuselageas shown in
thephoto.
Orientation of the fuel ports
1-1Notethelocationsofthefueltubes.Cuttwofuel
linelengths,pressureline4-1/2"(114mm)andfuel
line4"(101mm),frommediumsiliconefuelline
(notincluded).Place thecutfuellines over the
correct tubes.
Mounting the engine
1-1The photo shows an O.S.40 LA enginemounted.
Secure the engine by using two engine mounting
15

brackets, four 4 x 15mm screws,four 4mm lock
washers andfour4mmnuts.The engine centerline
mustbe inlinewith thefuselagecenterline.Place
theengineon themountandsecure theenginewith
the enginebrackets.The lock washers shouldbe
located on top of thebracketunderthehead of the
screw. The screws are secured by four4mmnuts.
Note: Thread lockingcompoundisrecommended
foruse on theenginemountingscrews. Attachthe
clevis to thethrottlearm in the hole closest to the
center ofthe arm.
Attaching the muffler
QLocatethemufflerandmountitto theengineby
usingthescrews includedwiththeengine. The
exhaustoutletshouldbe pointingdown andaway
fromthefuselage.Use theinstructionsincluded
withtheengineto makethisadjustment.
Running the fuel line
QRunthefuellinesto theproperlocationson the
engine(fuellineto thefuelinlet,pressure lineto
themuffler).
Mountingthepropellerandspinner
QSlide thespinner backplate onto thecrankshaft of
theengine.Alignthe propellerwith thetwoalignment
pegs on the backplate. Secure thepropellerand
backplate to theengine usingthe washer andnut
included with the engine. Use a wrench to tightenthe
nut.Ifthe nutiseven slightlyloose, thepropeller
could come off and become a hazard.
Final spinner assembly
QPlace thespinnercone ontothebackplateuntil
theysnaptogether.They mustbe alignedcorrectly
fora properfit.The spinnercone mustnotcomein
contactwiththepropor fatigueandfractureofthe
propmay occur over a periodof time.Insertboth
2x 12mm self-tappingscrews intothespinnerand
tightenfirmly,
Radio Installation
Installing thereceiver andbattery
QWrap boththereceiver andbatterypack infoam
rubber(notincluded).Usingthesuppliedhookand
loop material,attach thereceiver andbatterypack
to theradiogear tray usingthephotoas a guide.
AlignmentPegs
AlignmentPegs
16

Installing the switch
QCuta rectangularswitch holein theside ofthe
fuselageoppositetheexhaustusinga hobbyknife.
Locate thereceiver switch harnessintheradio
system andremove thefaceplate.Place theswitch
intotheholewiththeswitchfacingoutward.Put
thefaceplateover theswitchandmarkthescrew
holeswitha felt-tipmarkerusingtheplateas a
template.Drillthescrew mountingholesusinga
1/16" (1.5mm)drillbit.Installtheswitchfromthe
insideofthefuselagewiththe"on" positiontoward
therearof theplane.Iftheswitchshouldget hit
whiletheplaneis movingforward,it wouldnot
turnthereceiver off.Secure theswitchusingthe
two screws suppliedwiththeswitch.
Preparing the servos
QRemove theservo armsand wheels fromthethree
servos. Installtherubbergrommetsthatcame with
theradiosystem ontotheservos, following the
instructionsincludedwith yourradiosystem.
Servo installation
1-1Installthethreeservos fromyourradiosystem as
shown in thephoto. Referto theradiomanufacturer's
manualformore detailed instructions.Notice the
location and orientationof each servo aswellasthe
switch location.
Antenna Routing
STRAIN RELIEF
INSIDEFUSELAGE
ANTENNA HOLDER
AT THE TOP OF THE
VERTICAL STABILIZER
CUT
CUT
RUBBER
BAND
QDrill a 1/16" (1.5mm) exit holein thecenter ofthe
rear window 1"(25.4mm) down fromtheedge ofthe
radio compartment. Route the antennaunderthe
plywood servo trayand upthroughtheexit hole. Do
notcuttheantennawire. The receiver is tunedto a
specificlengthof antenna.Use a mediumT-pin to
attacha rubber bandto thetop portionof the
vertical stabilizer.Tie theantennato therubber
bandusingtensionto keep theantennatight.Use
cautionnotto damage theantenna.A servo horn
can be cut and used to holdtheantennainplace at
bothends with lesslikelihood of damage to the
antennawire.
QLocate thetwo 21-3/4" (555mm) outerpushrod
tubes. Slide thetubesintothefuselagefromthe
elevator andrudderpushrodexits. Enlargethe
exits to allow thetubesto slideineasily. Don't glue
the tubes at this time.
QCentertheailerons,thenmarkthepushrodsat
thepointwhere theymeettheholesintheservo
arm.Make a 90 degree benddown in thewires at
thismark.
T-PIN
17

QCutofftheexcess wire3/8"(9.5mm)above the
bend.Enlargetheservo hornholes witha 5/64"
(2mm)drillbit.Insertthebentwirepushrodsinto
theservo hornfromtheupperside, thensecure
themwithNylonFasLinkPushrodKeepers.
QThreadclevisesontothe26-3/4"(680mm)
pushrodsusingthesame techniqueas theaileron
pushrods.Insertthepushrodsintotherudderand
elevatorpushrodtubesas shown inthephoto.
Attachtheclevises forboththeelevatorand rudder
to thecontrolhornsas shown. (Both clevises are
attachedinthesame locations.)
Q
0Centertheelevator,thenmarkthepushrod
where itcrosses theservo hornhole. Enlargethe
servo hornhole with a 5/64" (2mm) drill bit. Make
a90degree bend in the pushrod at themark(you
maywanttodisconnecttheclevis fromtheelevator
controlhorntopullthepushrodwire outof the
fuselageto make it easier to bend).Cutoffthe
excess wire3/8"(9.5mm) above thebend.Insertthe
bentwirethroughtheenlargedholeintheservo
horn.Secure it in place witha nylonFasLink.
QRepeat theabove stepfortherudderpushrod.
1-1Adjusttheheight of thepushrodsupportsothe
pushrods can move freelywithoutbinding.Gluethe
brace intopositionusingmediumCA. Slidethe
pushrodtubesso1/8" (3mm) extendsforwardof
thepushrodsupport.Gluethepushrodtubesto the
brace usingthinCA.Be very carefulnotto get CA
intothetubesandaccidentallygluethepushrod
wires to thetubes. Glue thepushrod tubesto the
fuselage using mediumCA.
l-lWith theradioon,move thethrottletrimlever
andcontrolsticktotheclosed position,by pulling
themback(ordownward)alltheway. Manually
close thethrottleon thecarburetorcompletely.
Tightentheset screw on thepushrodconnector.
Checkthrottleoperationwiththeradioandmake
adjustmentsto thelinkageas necessaryforsmooth
operationfromfullyclosed to fullyopen.Use the
appropriateholesintheservo hornandthrottle
arm to provide thecorrect amountof throttle
movementandto prevent theservo frombinding
at itsend points.
QInstallthenose wheel usingthesame technique
as themainwheels.Centerthenose wheeland
tightenthescrew on thepushrodconnectorforthe
nose wheel steering.
18

NOTE: This section isVERY important and must
NOT be omitted!A model that isnotproperly
balanced will be unstable and possibly unflyable.
QUse a felttippen or a narrow strip oftape to
accurately markthebalance pointon thebottom of
thewingnearbothsides of thefuselage.The
balancepoint(CG) on theAvistar 40 is located
3-1/4" (83mm) back from the leading edge. This is
thepointat whichyourmodel shouldbalancefor
yourfirstflights.Later, you may experimentby
shiftingthebalanceupto 5/16" (8mm) forward or
back to changetheflyingcharacteristics.Moving
the balanceforward may improve thesmoothness
andarrow-liketracking,butit mayrequiremore
speed fortakeoffandmake it more difficultto slow
down forlanding.Movingthebalance aft makes the
model more agile with a lighterandsnappierfeel.
Please start at the location we recommend and do
not at any time balance your model outside the
recommended range.
Plugtheaileronservo intothereceiver. Mountthe
wingtothefuselagewith#64 rubberbands.The
engine,muffler,propellerand fueltankshouldalso
be mountedfortheC.G. check.
With thefueltankemptyandthewingattachedto
thefuselage,liftthemodel withyourfingertips at
thebalancepoint.Ifthetaildropswhenyou lift,
themodelis "tail heavy" andyou mustmove the
batteryand/orthe receiver toward thenose to
achievebalance.Ifthenose drops,it's "nose heavy"
andyou mustmove thebatteryand/orreceiver
toward thetailto achieve balance. The C.G. is
always determinedwiththefueltankempty.
Balance the model by shiftingthereceiver battery
andreceiver, thentest again.Whenbalanceis
obtainednotethepositionof theof thereceiver,
andthebatterypack.Ifthebalancecannotbe
achieved by positioningthebatteryandreceiver,
you mayaddstick-onlead weight to the tail or
nose if required.
Confirmthatthebatteryandreceiver are securely
wrappedinfoamandsecured sotheycannotshift
duringflightora roughlanding.
IMPORTANT: After the model is100%complete,
recheck the balance.
IMPORTANT: Go backandcheckyour installation.
Be sure thatallservo screws, hornsandother
componentsare secure. Confirmthatyou have
installed the retainers on thescrew lock connectors.
Applya stripof 1/16" (1.5mm) thickfoamwing-
seating tape (not included) to thewingsaddle.
This tapeprovides a seal againstdirtandexhaust
oil and cushionsthewingfromvibration.
4-CHANNEL RADIO SETUP
(STANDARD MODE 2)
ELEVATORMOVESUP
RIGHT AILERON MOVES UP
LEFTAILERONMOVES DOWN
RUDDERMOVESRIGHT
CARBURETORWIDEOPEN
QCheck thedirectionofallcontrolfunctions.They
must allmove in thedirectionshown inthesketch.
If not,change thepositionof thereversing
switches on your transmitter.
3-1/4" (83mm)
19