| To Test For | Test Procedure | Observations | Y/N | Adjustments |
| Control Neutrals | Fly model straight and level | Use transmitter trims to achieve hands-off straight and level flight. | Adjust clevises to center transmitter trims. | |
| Control throws | Fly model and apply full deflection of each control | Check the response rate for each control. | Aileron
Hi Rate: 3 rolls in 4 seconds Aileron Lo Rate: 3 rolls in 6 seconds Elevator Hi Rate: For smooth square corners Elevator Lo Rate: For loop of approx. 130' diameter Rudder Hi Rate: For Stall Turns Rudder Lo Rate: to maintain knife-edge |
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| Center of Gravity | Method 1: Roll into near vertical banked turn | 1-A: Nose Drops | 1-A: Add tail weight | |
| 1-B: Tails Drops | 1-B: Add nose weight | |||
| Method 2: Roll inverted | 2-A: Requires lots of down elevator to maintain level flight. | 2-A: Add tail weight | ||
| 2-B: Requires no down or model climbs. | 2-B: Add nose weight | |||
| Incidence | Method
1: Power-off vertical dive, cross wind (if any). Release controls when model is vertical. |
1-A: Model continues if straight down. | 1-A: No adjustment | |
| 1-B: Model starts to pull up (to top). | 1-B: Reduce incidence | |||
| 1-C: Model starts to tuck under (to bottom). | 1-C: Increase incidence | |||
| Method 2: Remove power and then suddenly apply power. | 2-A: Model maintains level flight. | 2-A: No adjustment | ||
| 2-B: Model tends to climb when power is applied. | 2-B: Reduce incidence | |||
| 2-C: Model tends to dive when power is applied. | 2-C: Increase incidence | |||
| Side Thrust | Fly away from yourself into any wind. Pull into vertical climb. Watch for deviations as model slows. | A. Model continues straight up. | A. No adjustment | |
| B. Model veers left. | B. Increase right thrust. | |||
| C. Model veers right. | C. Decrease right thrust/add left thrust. | |||
| Up/Down Thrust | Method 1: Fly into wind, parallel to strip at around 300 ft. out. At center, pull into vertical climb and release elevator. | 1-A: Model continues to straight up. | 1-A: No adjustment | |
| 1-B: Model pitches up (towards top). | 1-B: Increase down thrust. | |||
| 1-C: Model pitches down (towards bottom). | 1-C: Decrease down thrust. | |||
| Method 2: Maintain level flight and suddenly cut power | 2-A: Model maintains level glide slope. | 2-A: No adjustment | ||
| 2-B: Model dives when power is cut. | 2-B: Increase down thrust. | |||
| 2-C: Model climbs when power is cut. | 2-C: Decrease down thrust. | |||
| Aileron Differential | Method 1: Fly towards yourself, pull into vertical climb, neutralize controls then half-roll model. | 1-A: No heading change | 1-A: No adjustment | |
| 1-B: Heading changes opposite roll direction (i.e. heading veers to left after right half-roll). | 1-B: Increase differential | |||
| 1-C: Heading changes in same direction as roll command. | 1-C: Decrease differential | |||
| Method 2: Fly model on normal pass and perform 3 or more rolls. | 2-A: Roll axis on model centerline. | 2-A: No adjustment | ||
| 2-B: Roll axis off to same side of model as roll direction (i.e. right roll, roll axis off right wing tip). | 2-B: Increase differential | |||
| 2-C: Roll axis off to opposite side of model as roll command | 2-C: Decrease differential | |||
| Dihedral | Fly knife-edge pass; maintain altitude with top rudder (NOT full rudder unless needed). Perform test in both left and right knife-edge flight. | A. Model has no rolling tendency in knife-edge flight. | A. Dihedral ok. | |
| B. Model rolls in direction of applied rudder. | B. Decrease dihedral | |||
| C. Rolls in opposite directions (both tests). | C. Increase dihedral | |||
| Elevator Alignment (for models with independent elevator halves). | Fly away form yourself wings level, pull into inside loop; Roll inverted and repeat as above pushing into outside loop. | A. No rolling tendency with elevator. | A. Elevator alignment is correct. | |
| B. Model rolls in same direction in both inside and outside loops. | B. Elevator halves not aligned at neutral. Raise one half and/or lower other. | |||
| C. Model rolls in opposite direction in inside and outside loops. | C. One elevator half has more throw than the other (Model rolls to the side with more throw). Reduce/Increase throw on one side. | |||
| Tip Weight (Course adjustment) | Fly straight & level upright, check aileron trim for wings-level. Roll inverted, level wings, release aileron | A. Wings remain level. | A. No adjustment | |
| B. Left wing drops. | B. Add weight to right tip. | |||
| C. Right wing drops. | C. Add weight to left tip. | |||
| Tip Weight (Fine adjustment) | Method 1: Fly away from yourself into any wind. Pull into fairly small inside loop. (1 loop only). | 1-A: Model exits wings level. | 1-A: No adjustment | |
| 1-B: Model exits w/right wing low. | 1-B: Add weight to left tip/subtract from right. | |||
| 1-C: Model exits w/left wing low. | 1-C: Add weight to right tip/subtract from left. | |||
| Method 2: Fly away from yourself into any wind. Push into a fairly small outside loop. (1 loop only). | 2-A: Model exits wing level. | 2-A: No adjustment | ||
| 2-B: Model exits w/right wing low. | 2-B: Add weight to left tip/subtract from right. | |||
| 2-C: Model exits w/left wing low. | 2-C: Add weight to right tip/subtract from left. |