Post on 14-Mar-2018
Top
Flite M
od
els Ch
amp
aign
,ILTelep
ho
ne (217) 398-8970,E
xt.5airsu
pp
ort@
top
-flite.com
RE
AD
TH
RO
UG
H T
HIS
INS
TR
UC
TIO
N B
OO
K F
IRS
T.IT C
ON
TAIN
S IM
PO
RTA
NT
INS
TR
UC
TIO
NS
AN
D W
AR
NIN
GS
CO
NC
ER
NIN
G T
HE
AS
SE
MB
LY A
ND
US
E O
F T
HIS
MO
DE
L.
TOP
Z1020 for TO
PA1020
V1.0
Entire C
ontents © C
opyright 2006
™
Win
gsp
an:
56.5 in [1435 mm
]W
ing
Area:
677 sq in [43.7 dm2]
Weig
ht:
60-70 oz [1700-1985g]W
ing
Lo
adin
g:
12.8-14.8 oz/sq ft [39-45 g/dm
2]L
eng
th:
46 in [1170 mm
]E
ng
ine:
.40-.51 cu in [6.5-8.4cc]2-stroke glow
control line
WA
RR
AN
TY.....Top F
lite Models guarantees this kit to be free
from defects in both m
aterial and workm
anship at the date of purchase.This w
arrantydoes not cover any com
ponent parts damaged by use or m
odification.In no case shallTop F
lite’s liability exceed the original cost of the purchased kit.F
urther, Top Flite
reserves the right to change or modify this w
arranty without notice.
In that Top Flite has no control over the final assem
bly or material used for final
assembly, no liability shall be assum
ed nor accepted for any damage resulting from
theuse by the user of the final user-assem
bled product.B
y the act of using the user-assem
bled product, the user accepts all resulting liability.
If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of this
product, the buyer is advised to return this kit imm
ediately in new and unused condition
to the place of purchase.
To make a w
arranty claim send the defective
part or item to H
obby Services at the address:
Include a
letter stating
your nam
e, return
shipping address,
as m
uch contact
information as possible (daytim
e telephone number, fax num
ber, e-mail address), a
detailed description of the problem and a photocopy of the purchase receipt.
Upon
receipt of the package the problem w
ill be evaluated as quickly as possible.
Hobby S
ervices3002 N
.Apollo D
r.S
uite 1C
hampaign IL 61822 U
SA
TAB
LE
OF
CO
NT
EN
TS
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2S
AF
ET
Y P
RE
CA
UT
ION
S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
EN
GIN
E &
LIN
E R
EC
OM
ME
ND
AT
ION
S. . . . . . 3
AD
DIT
ION
AL
ITE
MS
RE
QU
IRE
D. . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Adhesives &
Building S
upplies. . . . . . . . . . 3
Optional S
upplies & Tools
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3K
ITC
ON
TE
NT
S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
AS
SE
MB
LE
TH
E W
ING
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Install the F
laps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Install F
lap Linkage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
AS
SE
MB
LE
TAIL
SE
CT
ION
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Install E
levators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Install E
levator Linkage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FIN
ISH
TH
E W
ING
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Test F
it Wing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Install B
elly Pan
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8A
ttach Wing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8L
AN
DIN
G G
EA
R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Assem
ble Main G
ear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9A
ssemble Tail G
ear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9E
NG
INE
AN
D F
UE
L S
YS
TE
M. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mount the E
ngine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Assem
ble and Install the Fuel Tank
. . . . . . 11F
INIS
H T
HE
MO
DE
L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Install the Cow
l. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Install the C
anopy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Apply the D
ecals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
GE
T T
HE
MO
DE
L R
EA
DY
TO F
LY
. . . . . . . . . 13B
alance the Model (C
.G.)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13W
ing Tip W
eight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
PR
EF
LIG
HT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14B
alance Propellers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14E
ngine Check
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14C
ontrol Check
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14A
djust Leadouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
EN
GIN
E S
AF
ET
Y P
RE
CA
UT
ION
S. . . . . . . . . . 15
AM
A S
AF
ET
Y C
OD
E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
CH
EC
K L
IST
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16F
LYIN
G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Flying P
recautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16P
reflight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Takeoff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Landing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
AM
A S
TU
NT
MA
NE
UV
ER
S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Top
Flite C
ontrol Line Score A
RF.T
he Score is capable of
performing all A
MA
stunt maneuvers;
however, it is
also a
plane that’s
suitable even
for relative
newcom
ers to
control line
flight.T
he pre-covered
Score assem
bles quickly and easily with a bolt-on
wing and stabilizer.A
ccess hatches in the tail sectionallow
elevator control throw adjustm
ent at the field,and a rem
ovable wing tip w
eight access hatch allows
you to add or subtract tip weight betw
een flights tofine
tune the
model.
The
leadouts can
even be
adjusted by a quick turn of a screwdriver.
Whether
flown casually or in com
petition, the Score is sure to
provide you with im
pressive control line performance.
For the latest technical updates or manual corrections
to the Score P
recision Control Line A
RF
visit the TopF
lite w
eb site
at w
ww
.top-flite.com.
Open
the“A
irplanes”link,
then select
the S
core P
recisionC
ontrol Line AR
F.If there is new technical inform
ationor changes to this m
odel, a “tech notice”box w
illappear in the upper left corner of the page.
If you have not flown a control line stunt m
odelbefore, w
e recomm
end that you get the assistanceof an experienced pilot in your club for your firstflights.
If you’re not a mem
ber of a club, your localhobby shop has inform
ation about clubs in your areaw
hose mem
bership includes experienced pilots.
AM
A
In addition to joining a control line club, we strongly
recomm
end you join the AM
A (A
cademy of M
odelA
eronautics).T
he AM
A is the governing body of
model aviation and m
embership is required to fly at
AM
A clubs.T
hough joining the AM
A provides m
anybenefits, one of the prim
ary reasons to join is liabilityprotection.
Coverage
is not
limited
to flying
atcontests or on the club field.It even applies to flyingat public dem
onstrations and air shows.
Failure tocom
ply with the S
afety Code (excerpts printed in the
back of
the m
anual) m
ay endanger
insurancecoverage.
Additionally,
training program
s and
instructors are available at AM
A club sites to help
you get started the right way.T
here are over 2,500A
MA
chartered clubs across the country.Contact the
AM
A at the address or toll-free phone num
ber below:
Acad
emy o
f Mo
del
Aero
nau
tics5151 E
ast Mem
orial Drive
Muncie, IN
47302-9252Tele.(800) 435-9262Fax (765) 741-0057
Or via the Internet at:http://w
ww
.modelaircraft.org
PR
OT
EC
T Y
OU
R M
OD
EL
,Y
OU
RS
EL
F &
OT
HE
RS
FO
LL
OW
TH
ES
E IM
PO
RTA
NT
SA
FE
TY
PR
EC
AU
TIO
NS
1.Your Score P
recision Control Line A
RF
should notbe
considered a
toy, but
rather a
sophisticated,w
orking model that functions very m
uch like a full-size
a
irpla
ne.
Be
cau
se
of
its p
erfo
rma
nce
capabilities, the Score P
recision Control Line A
RF, if
no
t a
ssem
bled
a
nd
o
pe
rate
d
corre
ctly, co
uld
possibly cause injury to yourself or spectators anddam
age to property.
2.You must assem
ble the model according to the
instructions.D
o not alter or modify the m
odel, asdoing so m
ay result in an unsafe or unflyable model.
In a few cases the instructions m
ay differ slightlyfrom
the
photos.In
those instances
the w
ritteninstructions should be considered as correct.
3.You must take tim
e to build straight, trueand strong
.
4.You must use lines that are in first-class condition,
and a
correctly sized
engine and
components
throughout the building process.- 2
-
5.You must correctly install all pushrods and other
components so that the m
odel operates correctly onthe ground and in the air.
6.You must check the operation of the m
odel beforeevery flight to insure that all equipm
ent is operating andthat the m
odel has remained structurally sound.
Be
sure to check clevises or other connectors often andreplace them
if they show any signs of w
ear or fatigue.
7.If you are not already an experienced control linepilot, you should fly the m
odel only with the help of
a competent, experienced control line pilot.
8.W
hile this kit has been flight tested to exceednorm
al use, if the plane will be used for extrem
elyhigh stress flying, or if an engine larger than one inthe recom
mended range is used, the m
odeler isresponsible for taking steps to reinforce the highstress
points and/or
substituting hardw
are m
oresuitable for the increased stress.
9.WA
RN
ING
:The cow
l and wheel pants included in
this m
odel are
made
of fiberglass,
the fibers
ofw
hich may cause eye, skin and respiratory tract
irritation.Never blow
into a part to remove fiberglass
dust, as the dust will blow
back into your eyes.A
lways w
ear safety goggles, a particle mask and
rubber gloves when grinding, drilling and sanding
fiberglass parts.V
acuum the parts and the w
orkarea thoroughly after w
orking with fiberglass parts.
Rem
emb
er:Take
you
r tim
e an
d
follo
w
the
instru
ction
s to en
d u
p w
ith a w
ell-built m
od
elth
at is straigh
t and
true.
Before starting to build, com
pare the parts in this kitw
ith the Parts List and note any m
issing parts.A
lsoinspect all parts to m
ake sure they are of acceptablequality.If any parts are m
issing, broken or defective, orif you have any questions about building or flying thisairplane, please contact Top F
lite at the address ortelephone num
ber below.
If requesting replacement
parts, please provide the full kit name (S
core Precision
Control Line A
RF
) and the part numbers as listed in the
Parts List.
Top
Flite P
rod
uct S
up
po
rt:3002 N
Apollo D
rive Suite 1
Cham
paign, IL 61822Telephone:(217) 398-8970 Fax:(217) 398-7721
E-m
ail: productsupport@top-flite.com
EN
GIN
E &
LIN
ER
EC
OM
ME
ND
AT
ION
S
AD
DIT
ION
AL
ITE
MS
RE
QU
IRE
D
Ad
hesives &
Bu
ildin
g S
up
plies
In addition to comm
on hobby tools and householdtools, this is the “short list”
of the most im
portantitem
s required to build the Score P
recision Control
Line AR
F.Great P
lanes
®P
ro™
CA
and Ep
oxyglue
are recomm
ended.
❏ 1/2 oz.[15 g] T
hin Pro C
A (G
PM
R6001)
❏ P
ro 30-minute epoxy (G
PM
R6047)
❏ R
/C-56 canopy glue (JO
ZR
5007)❏
Threadlocker thread locking cem
ent (GP
MR
6060)❏
#1 Hobby knife (H
CA
R0105)
❏ #11 blades (5-pack, H
CA
R0211)
❏ D
rill bits:#54 [1.4 mm
], 1/16" [1.6 mm
],3/32" [2.4 m
m]
❏ S
tick-on segmented lead w
eights (GP
MQ
4485)❏
Sm
all metal file
❏ R
otary tool such as Drem
el with cutting/grinding
assortment (for cutting holes in fiberglass cow
l)❏
Denatured alcohol
Op
tion
al Su
pp
lies & To
ols
Here is a list of optional tools that w
ill help you tobuild the S
core Precision C
ontrol Line AR
F.
❏ 2 oz.[57 g] spray C
A activator (G
PM
R6035)
❏ 4 oz.[113 g] aerosol C
A activator (G
PM
R634)
❏ C
A applicator tips (H
CA
R3780)
❏ C
A debonder (G
PM
R6039)
❏ E
poxy brushes (6, GP
MR
8060)❏
Mixing sticks (50, G
PM
R8055)
❏ M
ixing cups (GP
MR
8056)❏
Curved-tip canopy scissors for trim
ming
plastic parts (HC
AR
0667)❏
Dead C
enter™
Engine M
ount Hole
Locator (GP
MR
8130)❏
CG
Machine
™(G
PM
R2400)
❏ P
recision Magnetic P
rop Balancer
™(TO
PQ
5700)❏
Prop R
eamer (G
PM
Q5005)
A .40-.51 cu in [6.5-8.4 cc] tw
o-stroke glow engine
is recomm
ended for the Top Flite S
core Precision
Control
Line A
RF.
Our
test m
odels perform
edsuperbly w
ith the O.S
. ®M
ax .46 LA-S
and a TopF
lite 11
x 4
Pow
er P
oint ®w
ood prop.
This
combination provided good line-tension and lap
times on 60' lines.A
.51 engine could be used asw
ell, but expect faster speeds with this setup.For
most engines, .015" [.38 m
m] m
ulti-strand linesare
recomm
ended, but
.018" [.46
mm
] m
ulti-strand lines are recom
mended if flying w
ith a .46or .51 engine.
#132 .015" x 60' [.38 mm
x 18 m] lines (S
ULP
2632) #135 .018" x 60' [.46 m
m x 18 m
] lines (SU
LP2635)
#166 Standard handle (S
ULP
2866)#148 80 lb.[36 kg] test lie connectors (S
ULP
2948)
We, as the kit m
anufacturer, provide you with a top
quality, thoroughly tested kit and instructions, butultim
ately the quality and flyability of your finishedm
odel depends on how you build it;therefore, w
ecannot in any w
ay guarantee the performance of
your completed m
odel, and no representationsare expressed or im
plied as to the performance or
safety of your completed m
odel.
- 3-
- 4-
PAR
TS
PH
OTO
GR
AP
HE
D
1.F
uselage2.
Cow
l3.
Canopy
4.F
uel Tank Hatch D
oor5.
Horizontal S
tabilizerw
/Elevators
6.W
ing w/F
laps7.
Spinner
8.F
uel Tank w/H
ardware
9.W
heel Pants
10.Landing Gear
11.Elevator C
ontrol Horn
Access H
atch12.Tail W
heel13.Tailgear W
ire14.E
levator and Flap
Joiner Wires
15.Engine M
ount Halves
16.Main W
heels17.S
teel Shot
PAR
TS
NO
T P
HO
TOG
RA
PH
ED
(1)W
ing Tip W
eight Hatch A
ccess Door
(2)N
ylon Tie S
traps 395 mm
(14)2 x 10 m
m S
elf-Tapping Washer H
ead Screw
s(23)
2 x 6 mm
Self-Tapping W
asher Head S
crews
(5)2 m
m N
uts(3)
Silicone C
levis Retainers
(10)3 m
m W
ashers(6)
3 x 25 mm
Socket H
ead Machine S
crews
(7)N
ylon Landing Gear S
traps(3)
2 mm
Steel C
levises(4)
4 mm
Blind N
uts(6)
4 mm
Washers
(2)4 x 55 m
m M
achine Screw
s(4)
4 x 20 mm
Machine S
crews
(4)4 m
m Lock W
ashers(1)
CA
Hinge S
trip(1)
2 mm
Wheel C
ollar
(4)4 m
m W
heel Collars
(5)3 m
m S
et Screw
s(1)
3 x 6 mm
Machine S
crew(1)
305 mm
Silicone F
uel Tubing(4)
3 mm
Nylon Locknuts
(2)W
ing Dow
els(1)
Alum
inum P
ushrod(2)
Pushrod W
ires(2)
Landing Gear R
etainer Plates
7
21
34
16
17
5
14
9
10
15
8
6
1112
13
KIT
CO
NT
EN
TS
To co
nvert inch
es to m
illimeters,m
ultip
ly inch
es by 25.4
- 5-
AS
SE
MB
LE
TH
E W
ING
Install F
laps
❏1.C
arefully remove the tape holding the flap
sto
the win
g p
anels.
Cut the covering from
the controlline bellcrank access hole as w
ell as the flap joinerw
ire groove located in the center of the wing trailing
edge.If necessary, trim
the covering from the tw
ow
ing bolt holes.
❏2.C
ut the included 2" x 9" [51 x 229 mm
] CA
hin
ge
stripinto 3/4" x 1" [19 x 25 m
m] hinges as show
n inthe draw
ing.C
lip the corners of each hinge to allowthem
to fit in the hinge slots easier.
❏3.
Locate the holes and slots for the flap jo
iner
wire
at the inside leading edge of both flaps and trimthe
covering aw
ay.Tem
porarily install
CA
hinges
halfway into each of the pre-cut hinge slots in the
flaps.Test fit the flap joiner wire (the larger of the tw
oincluded joiner w
ires) into the joiner wire holes w
iththe control horn pointing up.
❏4.
Temporarily attach the flaps to the w
ing bysliding the C
A hinges into their m
atching pre-cutslots.V
iew the trailing edges of the flaps from
the endof the w
ing.S
ee if the flaps are parallel with each
other (have the same “up”
and “down”).If necessary,
“tweak”, or bend the joiner to align the flaps.B
e sureto
remove
the joiner
wire
from
the flaps
beforeattem
pting to bend it.
❏5.R
emove the hinges and trim
the covering fromthe pre-cut C
A hinge slots both on the w
ing and theflaps.
Drill a 3/32" [2.4 m
m] hole into the center of
each hinge slot.
❏6.Insert the hinges into the slots in both flaps.U
sea T-pin to help keep the hinges centered in the slotsduring assem
bly.
❏7.R
oughen up the portions of the joiner wire that
fit into the flaps with sandpaper.C
lean the wire w
ithdenatured alcohol.
Mix a sm
all batch approximately
7.5 cc [1/4 oz] of 30-minute epoxy.
Use a piece of
wire or a toothpick to apply epoxy to the holes and
grooves in the flaps for the joiner wire.
Coat the
matching halves of the joiner w
ire with epoxy, and
then insert it into the flaps.Join the flaps to the wing
by inserting the hinges into their mating slots in the
wing.
Apply thin C
A to the center of the hinges on
both sides.The hinges w
ill secure the flaps in placew
hile the epoxy on the joiner wire cures.W
ipe away
any excess epoxy with alcohol.
Install F
lap L
inkag
e
❏1.T
hread a 2 mm
nut, silicone clevis retainer, anda m
etal clevis onto the flap pushrod wire.
❏2.F
eed the bent end of the pushrod wire through
the cutout in the sheeting near the trailing edge of thew
ing.C
onnect the pushrod to the outer hole on thecontrol line bellcrank.
❏3.W
ith the bellcrank in the center position, adjustthe clevis until the flaps are neutral w
hen the clevis isconnected to the m
iddle hole on the flap joiner controlhorn.S
lide the silicone clevis retainer onto the clevis,add threadlocking com
pound to the pushrod threads,and tighten the 2 m
m nut against the clevis to secure
it into place.
AS
SE
MB
LE
TH
E TA
IL S
EC
TIO
N
Install E
levators
❏1.Trim
the covering from the tw
o mounting holes
on the ho
rizon
tal stabilizer
and the elevator joinerw
ire groove located in the center of the stab trailingedge.
As you did w
ith the wing and flaps, trim
thecovering from
the pre-cut CA
hinge slots both on thestabilizer and the elevato
rs.
❏2.Locate the holes and slots for the elevato
r join
erw
ireat the inside leading edge of both elevators and
trim the covering aw
ay.Temporarily install C
A hinges
halfway into each of the pre-cut hinge slots in the
elevators.Test fit the elevator joiner wire into the joiner
wire holes w
ith the control horn pointing down.
❏3.Tem
porarily attach the elevators to the stabilizerby sliding the C
A hinges into their m
atching pre-cutslots.V
iew the trailing edges of the elevators from
theend of the stab.S
ee if the elevators are parallel with
each other
(have the
same
“up”and
“down”).
Ifnecessary, “tw
eak”the joiner to align them
.Rem
ovethe joiner w
ire from the elevators to do this.
- 6-
❏4.R
oughen up the portions of the joiner wire that
fit into the elevator with sandpaper.
Clean the w
irew
ith denatured alcohol.Mix a 7.5 cc [1/4 oz] batch of
30-minute epoxy.U
se a piece of wire or a toothpick
to apply epoxy in the hole and groove in the elevatorfor the joiner w
ire of on
ly on
e elevator.
Coat the
matching half of the joiner w
ire with epoxy, and then
insert it into the elevator.Secure the joiner w
ire to theelevator w
hile the epoxy cures.
❏5.
After the epoxy has cured, reinsert the hinges
into that
elevator and
attach it
to the
stabilizer.P
osition the
elevator so
that the
elevator joiner
control horn is centered in the groove in the trailingedge of the stab.
Using the sam
e procedure as theflaps, perm
anently attach the elevator to the stab.
❏6.M
aneuver the partially assembled stabilizer into
the fuselag
e.U
sing two 3 x 25 m
m S
HC
S and tw
o 3 m
m w
ashers, permanently m
ount the stab to thefuselage.
To prevent the screws from
backing out,use thread-locking com
pound.You can also glue thestab into place w
ith epoxy.
❏7.Just as you did w
ith the wing, m
ix another small
batch of
30-minute
epoxy and
attach the
otherelevator in the sam
e manner.B
efore the epoxy cures,secure the hinges w
ith thin CA
glue.The hinges w
illhold the flap in place w
hile the epoxy cures.
Install E
levator L
inkag
e
❏1.Loosely install a 2 m
m nut onto each end of the
remaining pushrods.Install a m
etal clevis with silicone
retainer onto one end of each remaining pushrod w
ire.T
hread the ends of the pushrod wires that only have a
nut installed on them into the ends of the alum
inumpushrod.A
djust the clevises and pushrod wires inside
the aluminum
pushrod so that the total len
gth
of theassem
bled pushrod is 18-3/4" [475 mm
].B
e sure touse threadlocking com
pound on the pushrod threads.
❏2.
Slide
the assem
bled pushrod
through the
fuselage.Temporarily attach the clevis to the m
iddlehole in the elevator control horn.
❏3.T
ighten the nut against the clevis at the otherend of the pushrod near the w
ing saddle.B
e surethat the clevis is threaded on about 6m
m [1/4"].
❏4.Install the elevator control horn access hatches
using eight 2 x 6 mm
self-tapping screws.
FIN
ISH
TH
E W
ING
Test Fit th
e Win
g
❏1.C
ut the covering from the holes in the front of the
wing and glue in the w
ing
dow
els with epoxy.Tap the
dowels into place as far as they w
ill go into the holes.
❏2.
Using tw
o 4 x 55 mm
screws and tw
o 4 mm
washers, test fit the w
ing to the fuselage.- 7
-
Install th
e Belly P
an
❏1.A
lign the belly p
aninto position and tape it to
the fuselage.Use a felt tip pen to trace its shape onto
the wing.
❏2.
Rem
ove the belly pan and wing.
Use a sharp,
new knife blade or a soldering iron (see “H
ot Tip”) to
cut the covering from the w
ing 1/16" [2 mm
] insid
ethe lines.If using a knife, use a lig
ht to
uch
and great
carenot to cut into the sheeting under the covering
or the
wing
will
be w
eakened.A
fter cutting
thecovering,
use denatured
alcohol and
a tissue
toclean the ink lines from
the covering.Then, peel off
the covering.
HO
W TO
CU
T C
OV
ER
ING
FR
OM
BA
LS
A
Use a soldering iron to cut the covering from
the stab.T
he tip of the soldering iron doesn’t have to be sharp,but a fine tip does w
ork best.Allow
the iron to heat fully.
Use a straightedge to guide the soldering iron at a
rate that will just m
elt the covering and not burn intothe w
ood.The hotter the soldering iron, the faster it
must travel to m
elt a fine cut.Peel off the covering.
❏3.Trim
the covering from the underside edges of
the belly pan.Epoxy the belly pan to the w
ing and cutaw
ay the covering from the w
ing bolt holes if youhave not already done so.W
ick thin CA
glue into thew
ing bolt holes to harden the wood in this area.
Attach
the W
ing
❏1.F
it the two w
ing dowels into their m
ating holesin the fuselage.W
hile tilting the trailing edge of thew
ing away from
the fuselage, use needle nose pliersto connect the elevator pushrod to the outer hole inthe
flap control
horn.S
ecure the
clevis w
ith the
silicone retainer.
❏2.U
sing the 4 x 55 mm
screws and 4 m
m w
ashers,secure the w
ing to the fuselage.- 8
-
- 9-
LA
ND
ING
GE
AR
Assem
ble th
e Main
Gear
❏❏
1.Slide the landing gear w
irethrough the hole in
the wheel pant.
Center a nylon strap over the w
ire 1/2" [13 m
m] above the axle hole and drill 1/16" [1.6 m
m]
holes through the strap and into the pant for the strapscrew
s.Temporarily secure the strap w
ith two 2 x 10 m
mself-tapping screw
s.B
ack the screws out and apply a
few drops of thin C
A to the screw
holes.Be sure not to
block the holes with too m
uch CA
, and allow the glue to
dry completely before reinserting the screw
s.
❏❏
2.R
ough up the inside of the wheel pant w
ithsandpaper.C
lean the area with alcohol and test fit the
retainer plate.Sand or trim
the plate as necessary for
it to lay flat on the pant.Use epoxy to attach the plate
to the pant.Dab a bit of petroleum
jelly to the end ofthe landing gear w
ire and fit it into the retainer plate.T
he jelly will prevent epoxy from
sticking to the wire.
The landing gear w
ire will hold the plate in the correct
position while the epoxy cures.
❏❏
3.Thread 3 m
m set screw
s into two 4 m
m w
heelcollars.
Install the
wheel
into the
wheel
pant by
securing a wheel collar to each side of it as show
n inthe picture.
File a sm
all flat spot on the gear wire
where the set screw
s will be tightened.B
e sure thatthe w
heel rotates smoothly on the landing gear w
ire.A
dd oil to the gear wire if necessary.
❏4.R
epeat these steps for the other wheel pant.
❏5.Test fit the landing gear w
ire into the wing.M
akeany necessary adjustm
ents like rounding over theedge at the top of the hole for the gear w
ire to sit flat.C
enter two nylon straps over the gear w
ire and mark
the holes for the straps.Drill 1/16" [1.6 m
m] at those
marks.
Use four 2 x 10 m
m self-tapping screw
s toinstall the gear.R
einforce the holes with thin C
A as
done in previous steps.
Assem
ble th
e Tail Gear
❏1.T
hread a 3 mm
set screw into the 2 m
m w
heelcollar.
Slide the tail w
heel
onto the tail wh
eel wire
followed
by the
wheel
collar.U
se thread-locking
compound to secure the set screw
.B
e sure the tailw
heel rotates freely when the set screw
is tightened.O
il the wheel if necessary.
FL
AT
SP
OT
S
❏2.
Locate the groove for the tail gear wire on the
underside of the fuselage and trim the covering aw
ay.T
he hole at the front of the groove for the tail gearw
ire is approximately 9-1/2" [241 m
m] from
the aftend of the fuselage.Insert the tail w
ire into the grooveand secure it w
ith a nylon strap and two 2 x 10 m
mself-tapping screw
s.
EN
GIN
E A
ND
FU
EL
SY
ST
EM
Mo
un
t the E
ng
ine
There are two engine m
ounting templates at the back
of this manual for the S
uperTigre®
.51 C/L engine and
the O.S
.M
ax .40 LA-S
engine.If you are not using
either of these engines, you will need to m
ake your own
mounting tem
plate based on the size of your engine.
❏1.C
ut out the template from
the back of this manual
that matches your engine.
Align the dashed lines on
the template w
ith the cross-hairs on the firewall and
tape the template in place.U
se a T-pin or a small drill
bit to transfer the location of the four mounting holes to
the firewall.
❏2.R
emove the tem
plate and drill the mounting holes
with a 7/32" [5.6 m
m] drill bit.C
ut the sides from tw
o4m
m blind nuts as show
n.Install four 4 mm
blind nutsinto the back of the holes.D
raw the blind nuts tight into
the firewall by threading a 4 x 20 m
m screw
and 4 mm
washer through the engine m
ount and firewall into the
blind nuts and tightening the screw.
❏3.Install the engine m
ount halves inverted to thefirew
all using four 4 x 20 mm
screws, four 4 m
mw
ashers, and four 4 mm
lock washers.
❏4.
Position the engine so that the drive w
asher is 4-1/8" [105 m
m] from
the firewall.M
ark the positions ofthe engine m
ounting holes onto the mounting rails (w
eused a G
reat Planes D
ead Center
™E
ngine Mount
Hole Locator, G
PM
R8130) and drill the holes w
ith a1/8" [3.2 m
m] drill bit.
- 10-
❏5.S
ecure the engine to the mount w
ith four 3 mm
socket head cap screws, eight 3 m
m w
ashers andfour 3 m
m nylon locknuts.
Assem
ble an
d In
stall the F
uel Tan
k
❏1.
Install the
three m
etal tubes
into the
blackstopper.T
he tubes should protrude about 1/2" [12 mm
]from
the top of the stopper.Install the two m
etal plateson the top and bottom
of the stopper and secure themloosely w
ith the screw.C
ut the fuel tubing for the clunkto 3" [76 m
m] and install it onto the shorter tube.T
heother end of the fuel tubing receives the fuel pickupclunk.B
end one long tube so that the inside end justreaches the to
pof the tank w
hen installed.This w
ill bethe vent (pressure) line.T
he humped side of the tank
with the tw
o grooves points dow
nw
ardw
hen installedinto the fuselage.T
he other long tube remains straight.
This is the line for filling the tank.
❏2.P
ress the stopper into the fuel tank and secure itby tightening the screw
.Identify the three tubes with a
marking if necessary.
Confirm
that the clunk moves
around inside freely and reaches the back of the tank.
❏3.
Use
epoxy thinned
with
denatured alcohol,
epoxy or
fuel proof
paint to
fuel proof
the fuel
tank compartm
ent.
❏4.
Use 1/4" [6 m
m] foam
rubber (not included) toline the top of the fuel tank w
here it will be held against
the fuel tank mounting plate inside the fuselage.Feed
the long tie straps through the rectangular cutouts onthe m
ounting plate.P
osition the tank inside the fusew
ith the tank neck passing through the hole in thefirew
all.When you are satisfied w
ith the fit, draw the tie
straps tight.Cut aw
ay the ends of the tie straps.
❏5.Install the fuel tank hatch door w
ith four 2 x 6 mm
self-tapping screws.R
einforce the holes with thin C
A.
FIN
ISH
ING
TH
E M
OD
EL
Install th
e Co
wl
❏1.U
se a high-speed rotary tool with a cutting bit to
cut an air inlet hole and an outlet in the cowl that is
large enough
to accom
modate
the head
of the
engine that you are using.- 11
-
❏2.P
lace a 6" [150 mm
] long piece of masking tape
onto the fuselage over the three mounting blocks as
shown above.D
raw a line 4" [102 m
m] long starting
at the center of the cowl m
ounting blocks onto eachpiece of tape.
❏3.P
lace the cowl on the fuselage and m
ount thespinner backplate.
There should be approxim
ately3/32" [2 m
m] betw
een the spinner and the cowl.A
lignthe cow
l so that the spinner backplate is centered.W
hen satisfied with its position, use tape to hold the
cowl in place or ask a helper to hold it steady.
❏4.
Using the lines you drew
on the masking tape,
measure back 4" [100 m
m] from
the aft ends of thelines and transfer the m
arks onto the cowl.
These
marks
will
be the
screw
locations for
the cow
lm
ounting screws.
Drill 1/16" [1.6 m
m] holes at the
three marks on the cow
l into the cowl m
ounting blocks.
❏5.R
emove the cow
l and take off the masking tape.
Replace the cow
l onto the fuselage and attach thecow
l with three 2 x 6 m
m self-tapping screw
s andreinforce the holes w
ith thin CA
glue.
❏6.R
emove the cow
l and insert the muffler screw
sinto the crankcase of the engine.
Reinstall the cow
land position the screw
s so they contact the inside ofthe cow
l and mark their location.
Rem
ove the cowl
again and cut holes at your marks.Insert the m
ufflerscrew
s through the holes into the engine to confirmthat the holes are in the correct position.
❏7.
Rem
ove the cowl one m
ore time.
Line them
uffler against the muffler screw
holes on the cowl
and trace its shape.C
arefully cut out a hole for them
uffler.Trim the hole until you get a good fit.W
ith thecow
l still
removed,
attach your
fuel lines.
Also,
consider where your needle valve is positioned.
For
the engine shown in this m
anual, the remote needle
valve was m
ounted on its side and an access holew
as drilled in the cowl at that location.
- 12-
❏8.R
eattach the cowl and secure the m
uffler to theengine.D
epending on the engine being used, you may
need to drill small access holes into the cow
l to tightenthe m
uffler screws.For the engine show
n, an allen keyw
as inserted through the hole for the needle valve andthe air intake.W
hen filling the tank, fuel will overflow
through the vent line when full.A
3 x 6 mm
screw is
included with the kit to be used as a fill line plug.
❏9.R
einstall the 2" [51 mm
] spinner and propeller.
Install th
e Can
op
y
❏1.Trim
the cano
py
along the molded cut lines.
❏2.
Use m
asking tape to temporarily secure the
canopy to the fuselage.Drill four 1/16" [1.6 m
m] holes,
evenly spaced, on the bottom sides of the canopy and
into the fuselage.T
hread a 2 x 6 mm
self-tappingscrew
into each hole and back it out.Use thin C
A glue
to harden the screw holes.
Attach the canopy to the
fuselage using four 2 x 6 mm
self-tapping screws.
Ap
ply th
e Decals
1.U
se scissors or a sharp hobby knife to cut thedecals from
the sheet.
2.B
e certain the model is clean and free from
oilyfingerprints
and dust.
Prepare
a dishpan
or sm
allbucket w
ith a mixture of liquid dish soap and w
armw
ater–about one teaspoon of soap per gallon of water.
Subm
erse the decal in the soap and water and peel off
the paper backing.Note:E
ven though the decals havea “sticky-back”
and are not the water transfer type,
submersing them
in soap and water allow
s accuratepositioning and reduces air bubbles underneath.
3.P
osition the decal on the model w
here desired.H
olding the decal down, use a paper tow
el to wipe
most of the w
ater away.
4.U
se a piece of soft balsa or something sim
ilar tosqueegee rem
aining water from
under the decal.A
pply the rest of the decals the same w
ay.
GE
T T
HE
MO
DE
L R
EA
DY
TO F
LY
Balan
ce the M
od
el (C.G
.)
At this stage the m
odel should be in ready-to-flycondition w
ith all of the systems in place including
the engine, landing gear, and all hardware.
More
than any
other factor,
the C.G
.(balance
point) can have the greatesteffect on how
a model
flies, and may determ
ine whether or not your first
flight will be successful.If you value this m
odel andw
ish to
enjoy it
for m
any flights,
DO
N
OT
OV
ER
LO
OK
TH
IS IM
PO
RTA
NT
PR
OC
ED
UR
E.A
model
that is
not properly
balanced w
ill be
unstable and possibly unflyable.
- 13-
- 14-
❏1.
Use a felt-tip pen or 1/8" [3 m
m]-w
ide tape toaccurately m
ark the C.G
.on the bottom of the w
ing onboth sides of the fuselage.T
he C.G
.is located 4-1/8"[105 m
m] back from
the leading edge of the wing.
❏2.W
ith the wing attached to the fuselage, all parts
of the model installed (ready to fly) and an em
pty fueltank,
place the
model
on a
Great
Planes
CG
Machine
™, or lift it at the balance point you marked.
❏3.
If the tail drops, the model is “tail heavy”, and
weight m
ust be added to the nose to balance.If the
nose drops, the model is “nose heavy”;w
eight must be
added to the tail to balance.If additional w
eight isrequired, nose w
eight may be easily added by using a
“spinner weight”(G
PM
Q4645 for the 1 oz [28 g] w
eight,or G
PM
Q4646 for the 2 oz [57 g] w
eight).If spinner
weight is not practical or is not enough, use G
reatP
lanes (GP
MQ
4485) “stick on”lead.A
good place toadd stick-on nose w
eight is to the firewall (don’t attach
weight to the cow
l–it is not intended to support weight).
Begin by placing increm
entally increasing amounts of
weight on the bottom
of the fuse over the firewall until
the model balances.
Once you have determ
ined theam
ount of
weight
required, it
can be
permanently
attached.If required, tail w
eight may be added by
securing it to the inside of the hatch doors.
No
te:D
o not rely upon the adhesive on the back ofthe lead w
eight to permanently hold it in place.O
vertim
e, fuel
and exhaust
residue m
ay soften
theadhesive and cause the w
eight to fall off.U
se #2sheet
metal
screws,
RT
V
silicone or
epoxy to
permanently hold the w
eight in place.
❏4.IM
PO
RTA
NT:
If you found it necessary to addany w
eight, recheck the C.G
.after the w
eight hasbeen installed.
Win
g T
ip W
eigh
t
The S
core Control Line A
RF
includes 1-3/4 oz [53 g] ofsteel shot.
We suggest starting out by using 1 oz of
stick-on lead weight applied to the underside of the w
ingat the tip near the tip w
eight hatch door.Add or subtract
weight after test flying the m
odel to determine the final
amount needed based on flying preference.You can
then permanently add tip w
eight to the model by m
ixingthe appropriate am
ount of steel shot with epoxy and
pouring it into the tip weight com
partment.W
hen theepoxy has cured, screw
the tip weight hatch door to the
wing using four 2 x 6 m
m screw
s or glue it into place.
PR
EF
LIG
HT
Balan
ce Pro
pellers
Carefully balance your propeller and spare propellers
before you fly.A
n unbalanced prop can be the singlem
ost significant cause of vibration that can damage
your model.N
ot only will engine m
ounting screws and
bolts loosen,
possibly w
ith disastrous
effect, but
vibration can also cause your fuel to foam, w
hich will, in
turn, cause your engine to run hot or quit.We use a Top
Flite P
recision Magnetic P
rop Balancer (TO
PQ
5700) inthe w
orkshop and keep a Great P
lanes Fingertip P
ropB
alancer (GP
MQ
5000) in our flight box.
En
gin
e Ch
eck
If the engine is new, follow
the engine manufacturer’s
instructions to break-in the engine.A
fter break-in,confirm
that the engine idles reliably, and maintains
full power–indefinitely.
After you run the engine on
the model, inspect the m
odel closely to make sure all
screws rem
ained tight, the hinges are secure, theprop is secure and all connectors are secure.
Co
ntro
l Ch
eck
With the lines connected to the leadouts and your
assistant holding the model, operate the controls to
make sure they m
ove smoothly.
If any binding orh
esita
tion
is
de
tecte
d,
insp
ect
the
m
od
el
an
delim
inate the problem.
This is w
here your model should balance for the first
flights.Later, you may w
ish to experiment by shifting
the C.G
.up to 3/8" [9.5 mm
] forward or 3/8" [9.5 m
m]
back to change the flying characteristics.Moving the
C.G
.forw
ard m
ay im
prove the
smoothness
andstability, but the m
odel may then require m
ore speedfor takeoff and m
ake it more difficult to slow
forlanding.M
oving the C.G
.aft makes the m
odel more
maneuverable, but could also cause it to becom
etoo difficult to control.
In any case, start at therecom
mended balance point
and do not at anytim
e balance the model outside the specified range.
Ad
just L
eado
uts
This m
odel is equipped with adjustable leadouts.T
helines can be adjusted by m
eans of a Phillips head set
screw located inside the slot provided for the leadouts.
The leadouts can be loosened, then slid fore and aft.
When they are in place, tighten the set screw
down to
prevent the leadouts from m
oving back and forth inflight.You should also check the leadouts after eachflight, m
aking sure the screw is tight.
As
a general
guideline, positioning
the leadouts
further aft makes the plane pull harder on the lines
(for windy days), but also m
akes the plane “handle”orreact a little slow
er.This positioning is recom
mended
for less-powerful engines or longer lines and is also a
good way to counter the effect of having not enough
wing tip w
eight.
Further forw
ard makes the plane pull less hard on
the lines, thus quickening response.T
his can bebetter
for calm
days,
and better
for faster,
more
powerful engines or shorter lines.It is also a w
ay tocounter the effect of having too m
uch wing tip w
eight.
The exact placem
ent of these leadouts will be a m
atterof experim
entation to match your flying style;how
ever,w
e recomm
end centering the two leadouts in their
slots as a starting point.
EN
GIN
E S
AF
ET
Y P
RE
CA
UT
ION
S
•K
eep all engine fuel in a safe place, away from
highheat, sparks or flam
es, as fuel is very flamm
able.D
o not
smoke
near the
engine or
fuel;and
remem
ber that engine exhaust gives off a greatdeal of deadly carbon m
onoxide.Therefore d
o n
ot
run
the en
gin
e in a clo
sed ro
om
or g
arage.
•G
et help from an experienced pilot w
hen learningto operate engines.
•U
se safety glasses when starting or running engines.
•D
o not run the engine in an area of loose gravel orsand;
the propeller may throw
such material in
your face or eyes.
•K
eep your face and body as well as all spectators
away from
the plane of rotation of the propeller asyou start and run the engine.
•K
eep these
items
away
from
the prop:
looseclothing, shirt sleeves, ties, scarfs, long hair orloose objects such as pencils or screw
drivers thatm
ay fall out of shirt or jacket pockets into the prop.
•U
se a “chicken stick”or electric starter to start the
engine.D
o not
use your
fingers to
flip the
propeller.M
ake certain
the glow
plug
clip or
connector is secure so that it will not pop off or
otherwise get into the running propeller.
•M
ake all
engine adjustm
ents from
behind
therotating propeller.
•T
he engine gets hot! Do not touch it during or right
after operation.M
ake sure fuel lines are in goodcondition so fuel w
ill not leak onto a hot engine,causing a fire.
•To stop a glow
engine, cut off the fuel supply byclosing
off the
fuel line
or follow
ing the
enginem
anufacturer’s recom
mendations.
Do
not use
hands, fingers or any other body part to try to stopthe engine.D
o not throw anything into the propeller
of a running engine.
AM
A S
AF
ET
Y C
OD
E (E
XC
ER
PT
S)
Read and abide by the follow
ing excerpts from the
Academ
y of Model A
eronautics Safety C
ode.For the
complete
Safety
Code
refer to
Model
Aviation
magazine, the A
MA
web site or the C
ode that came
with your A
MA
license.
Gen
eral
1.I will not fly m
y model aircraft in sanctioned events,
air shows, or m
odel flying demonstrations until it
has been proven to be airworthy by having been
previously, successfully flight tested.3.W
here established, I will abide by the safety rules
for the flying site I use, and I will not w
illfully anddeliberately fly m
y models in a careless, reckless
and/or dangerous manner.
5.I will not fly m
y model unless it is identified w
ith my
name and address or A
MA
number, on or in the
model.N
ote:This does not apply to m
odels while
being flown indoors.
7.I will not operate m
odels with pyrotechnics (any
device that explodes, burns, or propels a projectileof any kind).
Failure to
follo
w th
ese safety precau
tion
s may
result in
severe inju
ry to yo
urself an
d o
thers.
- 15-
8.I will not consum
e alcoholic beverages prior to, norduring, participation in any m
odel operations.9.C
hildren under 6 years old are only allowed on the
flight line as a pilot or while under flight instruction.
Co
ntro
l Lin
e
1.I will subject m
y complete control system
(includingsafety thong, w
here applicable) to an inspection andpull test prior to flying.P
ull test will be in accordance
with
the current
Com
petition R
egulations for
applicable m
odel category.
Models
not fitting
aspecific category as detailed shall use those pull testrequirem
ents for Control Line P
recision Aerobatics.
2.I will assure that m
y flying area is safely clear of allutility w
ires or poles.3.I w
ill assure that my flying area is safely clear of all
non-essential participants and spectators beforeperm
itting my engine to be started.
4.I will not fly a m
odel closer than 50 feet [15m] to
any electrical power line.
CH
EC
K L
IST
❏1.
Fuelproof all areas exposed to fuel or exhaust
residue such as the fuel tank compartm
ent.❏
2.C
heck the C.G
.according to the measurem
entsprovided in the m
anual.❏
3.U
se
thre
ad
lockin
g
com
po
un
d
to
secu
re
critical components.
❏4.
Add a drop of oil to the axles so the w
heels will
turn freely.❏
5.M
ake sure all hinges are securely glued in place.
❏6.
Reinforce holes for w
ood screws w
ith thin CA
where appropriate.
❏7.
Confirm
that the flaps and elevators operatefreely and sm
oothly by pulling on the leadouts.❏
8.M
ake sure there are silicone retainers on all the clevises.
❏9.
Secure the pressure tap (if used) to the m
ufflerw
ith high temp R
TV
silicone, thread lockingcom
pound or J.B.W
eld.❏
10.Make sure the fuel lines are connected and
are not kinked.❏
11.Balance your propeller (and spare propellers).
❏12.T
ighten the propeller nut and spinner.❏
13.If you wish to photograph your m
odel, do sobefore your first flight.
FLY
ING
Flyin
g P
recautio
ns
Preflig
ht
No
te:T
he Top Flite S
core AR
F is not a beginner’s
model.It is intended for beginning to advanced stunt
pilots w
ho have
had som
e previous
control line
experience.If you are an inexperienced pilot seek
the assistance of a knowledgeable control line pilot
who can help you w
ith your first flights.
Beginning stunt pilots should m
ake their first flights incalm
or low w
ind conditions.S
tronger winds m
ayblow
the
model
inward
which
will
decrease line
tension resulting in loss of control.If the lines ever dogo slack, quickly step back to tighten the lines andregain
control.O
f course,
this is
most
likely to
happen, and
should be
expected, as
the m
odelapproaches the upw
ind half of the circle.
Stu
dy th
ese flying
safety precau
tion
s befo
reflyin
g th
e Sco
re AR
F.1.
Alw
ays inspect your equipment before each
flight.M
ake certain the lines, leadouts andhandle are in good condition.M
ake sure thereare no kinks in the lines.
2.F
ly only in unobstructed areas free from trees,
shrubs and
bushes, poles,
stakes, parking
barriers and fences.3.
Be aw
are of any spectators that may w
anderinto the flying circle.If this is a possibility, haveyour assistant ready to perform
crowd control.
4.T
he m
odel m
ust N
EV
ER
be
flown
in the
vicinity of
high-tension lines
or any
otherelectrical lines.
5.N
ever fly when thunder storm
s or lightningare present.
6.Take any precautions necessary to insure thesafety of spectators, the m
odel and property.7.
Never
touch the
engine during
or soon
after operation.8.
Keep clear of the rotating propeller and do
not let assistants or spectators get in the arcof the propeller.
During the last few
mom
ents of preparation yourm
ind
m
ay b
e
elsew
he
re
an
ticipa
ting
th
eexcitem
ent of the first flight.B
ecause of this, youm
ay be more likely to overlook certain checks and
procedures that should be performed before the
model is flow
n.To help avoid this, a check list isprovided to m
ake sure these important areas are
no
t ove
rloo
ked
.M
any
are
cove
red
in
th
einstruction m
anual, so where appropriate, refer to
the manual for com
plete instructions.B
e sure tocheck the item
s off as they are completed.
- 16-
Place the m
odel and starting equipment w
here the wind
will be behind
the model w
hen it is released for takeoff.
For the first half-circle (during the brief period w
henthe pilot has the least control before the m
odel is “upto speed”) the w
ind will push the m
odel outward to
maintain line tension.
Mark the center of the flying circle w
ith paint, chalk ora suitable object (such as a shop tow
el) so you won’t
wander.T
his is especially important if the flying area
is limited.
With your assistant holding the m
odel, walk from
them
odel toward the handle in the center of the circle
while using your fingers to keep the lines separated.
This w
ill ensure that the lines are not twisted and are
free to operate the controls.
While the pilot is holding the lines, the assistant
should walk the m
odel once around the circle to becertain the flight path is clear and to double-check thatthere are no obstructions that could snag the lines.
The pilot should double-check the operation of the
controls by pulling and pushing on the handle andhaving the assistant signal w
hat the controls aredoing (“up”
and “down”).
Takeoff
No
te:A
fully cowled engine m
ay run at a highertem
perature than an un-cowled engine.
Therefore,
the fuel mixture should be richened so the engine
runs at least 200 RP
M below
peak speed.By running
the engine slightly rich, you will help prevent dead-
stick landings caused by overheating.Traditionally,
control line pilots intentionally set their engines richso that during vertical m
aneuvers, the engine will not
“over lean,”thus causing overheating.
Further, full
RP
M is usually not desired for stunt flying.
When both the pilot and assistant are ready, the
model m
ay be fueled and started.Once the engine is
running and the model is ready to be released, the
assistant should point the nose of the model slightly
away from
the circle.This w
ill help keep the lines tautfor the first few
feet until the model gets going.
Upon the pilot’s signal, the assistant m
ay release them
odel–never push the model forw
ard as doing som
ay result in a crash.
The
pilot should
be ready–especially
duringtakeoff–to briefly step back to m
aintain line tensionuntil
the m
odel has
gained enough
air speed
toachieve line tension on its ow
n.A
llow the m
odel toroll out and gain enough speed to becom
e airborne.W
hen enough speed has been gained the pilot may
raise his arm slightly giving “up”
elevator comm
and,thus allow
ing the model to leave the ground.
Once the m
odel has lifted, maintain a slow
and steadyclim
b until a comfortable altitude has been reached
(usually between “eye-level”and approxim
ately ten feetin the air).T
he lines must rem
ain taut throughout theentire flight.If the lines ever do go slack the pilot w
illnot have control of the m
odel.During m
ost situationsthe m
odel’s factory built-in features will allow
it tom
aintain good line tension, but on occasions when the
wind blow
s the model inw
ard or the model becom
estoo
slow
the m
odeler m
ust anticipate
or notice
adecrease in “pull”and quickly step backw
ard to tightenthe lines and regain control.
- 17-
To clim
b, the
pilot w
ill slow
ly raise
his arm
.To
descend, the
pilot w
ill slow
ly low
er his
arm.
Tom
aintain level
flight the
pilot w
ill hold
his arm
horizontally.Beginning pilots should control the m
odelby keeping their arm
straight and bending at theelbow
with little or no w
rist movem
ent.Later, w
henthey becom
e more experienced, w
rist movem
ent may
be increased to increase control response.All control
inputs should be smooth.C
ontinue flying the model in
a level attitude, getting used to how the controls react
and how the m
odel “feels.”D
o this until the engineruns out of fuel.A
ctual flight time depends on several
factors, such as the engine size and brand, needlevalve
setting, propeller
size, fuel,
atmospheric
conditions, etc.
Lan
din
g
When the engine starts to sputter and/or speed up, this
is an indication that the tank is nearly empty.C
ontinue tofly the m
odel in a level attitude until the engine finallyquits.T
he same as any tim
e the model slow
s, the pilotshould step back to keep the lines taut and m
aintaincontrol.A
llow the m
odel to descend until it is about two
feet off the ground.When the m
odel has lost nearly allflying speed and is a foot or tw
o from the ground the pilot
should raise his arm to keep the lines taut and apply full
up elevator, allowing the m
odel to gently touch down.
After the m
odel has come to a stop the assistant m
ayretrieve the m
odel and return it to the starting area.In doing so the lines should be kept taut so they donot becom
e twisted or entangled.
Clean the m
odel using paper towels and household
cleaner to
wipe
off exhaust
residue.Inspect
them
odel thoroughly, looking for loose fasteners andsigns of dam
age or fatigue.Also m
ake sure the prophas not been dam
aged.P
erform any m
aintenancenecessary to prepare the m
odel for the next flight.
At the end of the flying session any residual fuel
should be drained from the tank.
After you have becom
e familiar w
ith the way your
Score flies and you are ready to begin perform
ingstunts, seek the assistance of an experienced stuntpilot before attem
pting to learn new m
aneuvers onyour ow
n.A
lmost any control line stunt m
aneuversare started w
ith the model dow
nwind from
the pilot,i.e.w
ind on the pilot’s back.Consult the A
MA
Control
Line section for stunt maneuvers.
One final note about flying your m
odel.Have a goal or
flight plan in mind for every
flight.This can be learning
a new m
aneuver(s), improving a m
aneuver(s) youalready know
, or learning how the m
odel behaves incertain
conditions (such
as w
hen testing
differentpropellers or fuel).T
his is not necessarily to improve
your skills (though it is never a bad idea!), but more
importantly
so you
do not
surprise yourself
byim
pulsively attem
pting a
maneuver
and suddenly
finding that you’ve run out of time, altitude or airspeed.
Every m
aneuver should be deliberate, not impulsive.
For example, if you’re going to do a loop, check your
altitude and mind the w
ind direction.A
flight plangreatly reduces the chances of crashing your m
odeljust because of poor planning and im
pulsive moves.
Rem
emb
er to th
ink!
Have a b
all,keep th
e lines tau
tan
d alw
ays fly in a safe m
ann
er.
GO
OD
LU
CK
,GR
EA
T F
LYIN
G,A
ND
HA
VE
FU
N!
- 18-
Co
nsecu
tive Ou
tside S
qu
are Lo
op
s
Co
nsecu
tive Insid
e Lo
op
s
- 19-
Takeoff
Co
nsecu
tive Insid
e Sq
uare L
oo
ps
Co
nsecu
tive Insid
eTrian
gu
lar Lo
op
s
AM
A S
TU
NT
MA
NE
UV
ER
SH
ere are some of the A
MA
Stunt M
aneuvers.Refer to the A
MA
Rule B
ook for full descriptions.
Co
nsecu
tive Ou
tside L
oo
ps
Ho
rizon
tal Eig
hts
Engine MountingTemplate for
SuperTigre .51 C/L
Engine MountingTemplate for
O.S. .40 LA-S
Inverted F
ligh
t
Reverse W
ing
overs