1- Introduction:
Welcome to the Pilot-Rc Team!
Thank you for choosing a Pilot-Rc plane as your next model. We hope that you enjoy many successful and exhilarating flights with your new plane. Please read through these instructions before you start building or flying to assure a successful experience, and welcome to Team Pilot-Rc!
MODEL:
| Model: | FC1 |
| Wingspan: | 74.8″ (1,900mm) |
| Length: | 120″ (3,055mm) |
| Wing area: | 1,734″2 (11,190cm2) |
| Weight: | 31.0lbs (14.1kg) with JetCat P220Rxi turbine and full UAT |
INCLUDED HARDWARE:
- Complete air frame (including carbon wing-tubes and preinstalled and painted fibreglass control horns)
- Servo extension leads
- Vector thrust pipe
- 4.500ml fuel tank
- 250ml UAT tank
- Pre-prepared pushrods with ball links
REQUIRED HARDWARE:
Turbine size:
- 140-190N for normal sport flying
- 200-260N for 3D vector flight – Avoid high speed, high G flying
Servos: Total x10 (x9 standard size + x1 medium size)
x9 standard size high torque
x2 for ailerons (minimum 35kg)
x2 for flaps (minimum 20kg)
x1 for vector elevator (minimum 20kg)
x1 for vector rudder (minimum 20kg)
x2 for elevators (minimum 20kg)
x1 for rudder (minimum 20kg)
x1 medium size servo for steering (size: 35x15x30mm)
Also requires all the usual accessories such as transmitter, receiver, batteries, powerbox and possibly other small accessories.
PILOT-RC RECOMMENDED HARDWARE:
- Servos: Pilot-Rc PW38AH for elevator/rudder/flap
- Servos: Pilot-Rc PW27AH for aileron and vector
- Servos: Pilot-Rc PY10AH for steering
- Servo arms: Pilot-Rc 1.6″, 1,2″ and 0,8″ Aluminium arms (included with Pilot-Rc servos)
PILOT-RC RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES:
Other accessories needed to complete:
- Epoxy Adhesives
- Cyanocrylate adhesives
- X-Acto and Saw knives
- Sandpaper
- Thread lock
- Aircraft stand or support
- Drill, screw drivers, allen keys, wrench set or pliers
2- Disclaimer
All Pilot-RC products are guaranteed against defects for 30 days of your receiving the model. This warranty is limited to construction or production defects in both material and workmanship, and does not cover any parts damaged due to misuse or modification.
Should you wish to return this airplane for any reason, all shipping costs are the responsibility of customer.
If any parts are needed to be replaced by the manufacturer, the original parts must be returned, at the costumers expense.
Do not regard this plane as a toy! This plane is meant for ages 14 and above.
The manufacturer can not supervise the assembly and maintenance of the model or ensure your correct radio installation. Therefore, the manufacturer can not be made responsible or liable for any damage occurring during the use of this radio controlled model. As such all responsibility for the correct build, maintantence and operation must be accepted by the customer. The operation of the model is taken as acceptance by the customer of their acceptance to the above.
The model is highly prefabricated and ready for use, however please also assure that any pre-installed (such as pushrodand ball link sets, fuel tank, etc) components are tight, secure and airworthy both for the first flight and subsequent flights as part of your routine maintenence and verification.
In no event does Pilot-RC accept any liability to exceed the original cost of the basic Pilot-Rc airframe provided (accesories such as engine or radio system are also excluded from liability).
To ensure safety, please read the instruction manual thoroughly before assembly. Building and operating model planes requires diligent practice and correct guidance. Any neglect, carelessness or lack of experience can cause serious bodily harm or damage to property.
Seek the assistant of local model flying clubs and or an experienced aeromodeller for assembly, operation and maintenance to ensure a quick and successful learning process.
Fly only at designated model flying fields approved by the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics), the MAAC (Model Aeronautic Association of Canada) or the similar corresponding governing body for your country.
Pilot-RC reserves the right to update the model, instructions and limited warranty without notice.
3- Assembly
landing gear assembly:
We recommend choosing the Pilot-RC FC1 with Electric Retracts combo, for an easy installation of the landing gear into the model. This would include Pilot-RC’s electric retract set, with electric brakes and electronic controller.
Being designed for the model, installation is very simple and can be completed in minutes, just screw the retract mechanisms into their allocated locations and route the wires down the side of the fuselage, making sure of a bind free operation of the legs and wheels.
Installing the AILERON SERVOS:
The control horns are pre-installed at the factory, ready for use.
Screw the servo to the included aluminium L shaped brackets, then install the servo arm on to the servo, making sure that this is centred.
Place the servo over the servo plate making sure that the arm moves freely within the provided slot, and mark out the placement of the four screw holes.
Remove the servo, and drill out the four holes in the plate, then securely screw the servo to the inside of the plate using the metal screws provided.
Attach the included pushrods and ball links between the servo arm and the control horn.
Route the servo wire through the inside of the wing toward the fuselage, before securely screwing the servo plate to the wing with four wood screws.
Installing the FLAP SERVOS:
The control horns are pre-installed at the factory, ready for use.
Slot the flap servo into its placement inside the wing former, and screw it into place.
Open the wing as necessary to assure a bind free operation of the servo arm, and finish by connecting the servo to the surface using the included pushrod and ball links.
Thread the aileron and flap servo wires through to your chosen location on the fuselage for easy connection
Installing the RUDDER SERVO:
The control horn is pre-installed at the factory, ready for use.
Installation of the rudder servo is following the same procedure as for the flap servo.
Insert the servo into the rudder, in its allocated slot, with the servo shaft closest to the rudder.
Screw the servo in place, and then install the servo arm on to the servo, making sure that this is centred.
Attach the included pushrods and ball links between the servo arm and the control horn.
The extension lead location in the fuselage is as per the image below.
The vertical fin is secured in place using the screw shown below, which traverses the carbon tube and thus fixes the fin in place.
Due to the rudder extension wire running close to the turbine and thrust pipe, please make sure to securely fix the wire in place, and protect from possible hot starts with some aluminium tape. We also recommend the use of Powerbox-Systems Premium Servo Wire due to its flame retarding coating.
Installing the ELEVATOR SERVOS:
Control is directly from the pivot tube due to the fully mobile elevator.
Tightly screw the all aluminium control horns onto the elevator pivot tube.
Install the servos at the back of the model, just in front of the elevator pivot point, slotting into the pre-installed wooden formers designed for this purpose.
Join everything up using short pushrods and ball links provided.
Assembly and disassembly at the flying field is made easy, simply unscrew the bolts going through the aluminium control horn, and you can then pull out each of the elevator halves for easy transport.
VECTOR THRUST:
Screw the pre-prepared vector thrust unit into the tail end of the model, matching up with the straight thrust tube that must also be secure at the front end next to the turbine.
This is done by simply screwing the unit into the center of the rear former inside the tail cone, as shown in the images below.
Please follow your turbine manufacturers recommendation as to distance between turbine and thrust tube.
Please note the orientation of the ball links on the vector thrust, do not reverse.
FUEL TANK INSTALLATION:
Use double sided tape to fix the fuel tank inside the fuselage. This is intended to avoid the tank from sliding around during 3D flights.
Once secured with the double sided tape, also secure the fuel tank with some velcro straps wrapped around to prevent it from lifting away from its correct location.
Finally, tie the bottle neck to the wooden mount using a cable tie.
*Do not remove the screw cap from the bottle / fuel tank. Once removed, there is no guarantee of a correct and leak free seal.
*Please note that the smoke tank shown is available separately from the basic kit.
BATTERY TRAY:
Mount your batteries onto the provided quick release tray, suited to your own model setup and necessary CG.
The tray is installed simply by lifting the spring releases and sliding into place. Once in the correct position, the springs will lock the tray in place. Removal is following the same procedure.
FINAL INSTLLATION:
Final installation will depend on your own chosen components, however here is an example of a finished setup:
ENRICO’s INSTALLATION:
If looking to get the best performance from your FC1 in 3D flight, it is recommended to keep the build as light as possible. This involves not making unnecessary supports and bling accessories. As you can see from Enrico’s setup below, this is not a beautiful method, however it is super light and functional :
Balancing the CG of airplane:
Put the model together as if you are going to fly, with all ancillary items such as batteries installed and connected.
With the landing gear inside, and empty fuel tank, the CG is located 175mm forward of the leading edge of the wing tube.
If it does not balance, please move your batteries accordingly until correctly balanced.
ELEVATOR CENTER POSITION:
Elevator center position is 35mm down from the top of the fuselage side area, as per the following image:
Control throw deflections and suggested expo:
The following is Enrico Thaeter’s setup (co-designer and member of Elster Jet Team):
NORMAL FLYING:
-Wing configuration: Normal (separate aileron and elevator)
-Vector elevator: Off
-Vector rudder: 50% of maximum
3D FLYING
-Wing configuration: Taileron + Aileron (elevators act as ailerons also, at maximum travel)
-Vector elevator: Maximum
-Vector rudder: Maximum
| Surface | Deflection | Expo |
| Ailerons: | 40mm up / 40mm down | 40% |
| Elevators: | 55mm up / 55mm down (measured from front) | 40% |
| Rudder: | 50mm left / 50mm right | 35% |
GYRO SETUP (with Powerbox iGyro SAT)
| Surface | Gain – Normal flying | Gain – 3D flying |
| Gain in the radio: | 45% | 180% |
| Aileron | 40% – Attitude ON | 45% – Normal mode |
| Elevator | 40% – Attitude ON | 50% – Normal mode |
| Vector elevator | 0% – OFF | 100% – Normal mode |
| Vector rudder | 0% – OFF | 100% – Normal mode |
*Warning! These gain settings are specific to Enrico’s setup, and will vary depending on your servo speed, servo arm length and other factors. Test with care and start with low speed and lower rates.
Testing the gyro gain. Start low and work your way up, both in speed and gain. Test the aileron gain by performing a roll with a dead stop. The model should stop immediately. If it shakes or bounces back, the gain is too high, and could become a problem flying with this gain setting in high wind conditions.
Double check:
Double check that all screws are installed, all components tightly secured, batteries and or fuel tank are full, all surfaces are working in the correct directions, balance is correct and range test passed before performing your maiden flight.
We wish you a succesful maiden and many happy flights with your new model.
Tony Tan, Pilot-Rc