Build
file:///C|/Users/Frank/Documents/Dominator/dom2.html[6/14/2011 4:26:22 PM]
22. If your airplane does not balance to your satisfaction, correct it by shifting radio gear, adding prop
shaft
weights, bolt on weights, or stick on weights as you see fit.
That's it! Your SPAD is done! We sincerely hope you found our instructions and drawings clear enough
for you to build your airplane without complications. If you found any errors, or procedures confusing,
please e-mail us, we welcome your input and will do our best to improve any problem areas. (We are in
the military and are greatly influenced by staring at Air Force technical manuals all day long).
Now, make sure you have plenty of rubber bands in your flight box, and lets go flying!
Flying the SPAD:
1. All procedures and dimensions we have presented in these instructions are tailored to flying your
airplane with a
.40 to .46 sized engine. We have however seen a SPAD sustain flight with a .15 sized engine, and fly
like a
guided missile with a .60 ( We don't recommend this)! Your flight performance will be superb with a
standard
bushing engine, and be downright wild with a ball bearing engine.
2. Attach your wing with at least 6 #64 rubber bands on each side (12 total). Note: You may use scrap
dowel inside
the trailing edge corrugation of the wing center wrap to prevent Coroplast® crush.
3. Lets go over a few things before the first take off roll!
a. Assure you have range checked your radio.
b. Assure you have built the fuselage with the proper firewall down thrust.
c. Assure your elevator, rudder and ailerons are neutral, and have 1/2" to 3/4" travel each way (1’ to 1
1/2"
total) on the rudder and elevator, and 3/8” to ½” travel on the ailerons. Any more than that, and you
better be pretty good!
d. Assure your airplane balances LEVEL at the forward wing spar or slightly NOSE HEAVY if you wish
a little
more forgiving flight performance. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLY YOUR SPAD TAIL HEAVY!!!
e. Assure the front of your wheels toe inward slightly, if they don't you may do some entertaining
ground
acrobatics!
4. Fuel up, turn on the radio, fire up the engine, tune to your satisfaction, and LET’S GO!
5. Line up into the wind, hold full up elevator, and SLOWLY advance the throttle to begin a conservative
take off
roll.
6. When you are comfortable that your airplane is tracking straight, and you have built up a little ground
speed,
let up on the elevator, advance the throttle, let the tail come up, pull back, and you will jump into the
air all
within about ten feet! Note: Your airplane may attempt to torque roll slightly to the left on take off, be
ready
for it with a little right rudder.
7. Trim your airplane for straight and level hands off flight, and then have a ball!
