Great Planes GPMA1411 User Manual

WARRANTY

Great Planes®Model Manufacturing Co. guarantees this kit to be free from defects in both material and workmanship at the date of purchase.
This warranty does not cover any component parts damaged by use or modification. In no case shall Great Planes’ liability exceed the
original cost of the purchased kit. Fur ther, Great Planes reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice.

In that Great Planes has no control over the final assembly or material used for final assembly, no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for
any damage resulting from the use by the user of the final user-assembled product.By the act of using the user-assembled 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
immediately in new and unused condition to the place of purchase.

To make a warranty claim send the defective part or item to Hobby Services at the address below:

Hobby Services

3002 N. Apollo Dr., Suite 1

Champaign, IL 61822

USA

Include a letter stating your name, return shipping address, as much contact information as possible (daytime telephone number, fax number,
e-mail address), a detailed description of the problem and a photocopy of the purchase receipt. Upon receipt of the package the problem will
be evaluated as quickly as possible.

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING
CONSTRUCTION.IT CONT AINS IMPOR T ANT INSTR UCTIONS
AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND
USE OF THIS MODEL.

GPMZ0187 for GPMA1411 V1.1Entire Contents © Copyright 2006

Champaign, Illinois

[phone], Ext 5

[e-mail]

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Wingspan: 81 in [2055 mm]
Wing Area: 1138 sq in [73.4 dm2]
Weight: 12.5 – 15.25 lb [5670 – 6860 g]
Wing Loading: 25 – 30 oz/sq ft [77 – 93 g/dm2]
Length: 68 in [1727 mm]
Radio: 4–6 channel, 7 ser vos minimum
Engine: 1.5 – 1.8 cu in [25 – 30 cc] two-stroke glow engine,

1.8 – 2.1 cu in [30 – 36 cc] four-stroke glow engine,

1.9 – 2.6 cu in [32 – 43 cc] gasoline engine

2

INTRODUCTION ...............................................................2

AMA...................................................................................2

IMAA..................................................................................3

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS..................................................3

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE........................................3

Fuel Tank Setup...........................................................3

Building Stand.............................................................4

Radio Equipment .........................................................4

Engine Recommendations..........................................4

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED.....................................4

Adhesives & Building Supplies....................................4

Optional Supplies & Tools ...........................................4

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES ......................................5

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS ..............................5

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS............................................6

METRIC CONVERSIONS .................................................6

METRIC/INCH RULER......................................................6

KIT INSPECTION..............................................................7

KIT CONTENTS ................................................................7

PREPARATIONS ...............................................................8

ASSEMBLE THE WING ....................................................8

Install the Ailerons.......................................................8

Install the Aileron Servos & Pushrods.........................9

Finish the Wing..........................................................10

ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE.........................................11

Install the Rudder & Tail Gear...................................11

Assemble & Install the Main Gear.............................12

Install the Elevators & Stabilizer ................................13

Install the Elevator Servos & Linkage.......................15

Install the Rudder Servos & Linkage

(Recommended Glow Engine Installation)......................16

Install the Rudder Servos & Linkage

(Recommended Gas Engine Installation)........................18

INSTALL THE ENGINE & FUEL TANK ...........................19

Glow Engine Installation............................................19

Install the Throttle Servo (Glow Engine)...................19

Install the Fuel Tank (Glow Engine) ..........................20

Optional Gas Engine Installation ...............................21

Install the Throttle Servo (Gas Engine) .....................23

Prepare the Cowl.......................................................23

FINISH THE MODEL .......................................................25

Install the Radio System ...........................................25

Install the Cowl..........................................................26

Install the Spinner .....................................................27

Attach the Wing & Canopy........................................27

Apply the Decals .......................................................28

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY .................................28

Check the Control Directions ....................................28

Set the Control Throws..............................................29

Balance the Model (C.G.)..........................................29

Balance the Model Laterally ......................................30

PREFLIGHT.....................................................................30

Identify Your Model ....................................................30

Charge the Batteries .................................................30

Balance the Propellers..............................................30

Ground Check...........................................................30

Range Check.............................................................30

ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.................................31

AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)....................................31

IMAA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)...................................32

CHECK LIST ...................................................................33

FLYING ............................................................................34

Fuel Mixture Adjustments..........................................34

Takeoff.......................................................................34

Flight..........................................................................34

Landing......................................................................34

ENGINE MOUNTING TEMPLATES ........Back Cover Page

The Yak 54 1.60 ARF is a great 3D model mixed with a b lend
of precision aerobatics.The Yak is fully capable of doing any
3D maneuver that exists or that you can dream of.The Yak
is also capable of doing “IMAC” style aerobatics and would
be fully acceptable for flying in the “Unlimited”class.The Yak
54 1.60 ARF is the perfect airplane for the modeler that
wants to improve his or her 3D skills or wants to start flying
IMAC with a low cost budget in mind.

The Yak 54 1.60 ARF is capable of doing blenders, torque rolls,
harriers inverted and upright, harrier rolls, waterfalls, walls,
parachutes and anything else you can dream up. It is also
designed to fly exceptionally precise for doing IMAC aerobatics.

For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to the
Yak 54 1.60 ARF, visit the Great Planes web site at
www.greatplanes.com. Open the “Airplanes” link, then
select the Yak 54 1.60 ARF. If there is new technical
information or changes to this model a “tech notice” box will
appear in the upper left corner of the page.

We urge you to join the AMA (Academy of Model
Aeronautics) and a local R/C club.The AMA is the governing
body of model aviation and membership is required to fly at
AMA clubs.Though joining the AMA provides many benefits,
one of the primary reasons to join is liability protection.
Coverage is not limited to flying at contests or on the club
field. It even applies to flying at public demonstrations and
air shows. Failure to comply with the Safety Code (excerpts
printed in the back of the manual) may endanger insurance
coverage.Additionally, training programs and instructors are
available at AMA club sites to help you get started the right
way. There are over 2,500 AMA chartered clubs across the
country. Contact the AMA at the address or toll-free phone
number below.

IMPORTANT!!! T wo of the most important things you can do
to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby are to avoid
flying near full-scale aircraft and avoid flying near or over
groups of people.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive

Muncie, IN 47302

Tele: [phone]

Fax [phone]

Or via the Internet at:

http://www.modelaircraft.org

AMA

INTRODUCTIONTABLE OF CONTENTS

The Great Planes Yak 54 1.60 ARF is an excellent sport­scale model and is eligible to fly in IMAA events.The IMAA
(International Miniature Aircraft Association) is an
organization that promotes non-competitive flying of giant­scale models. If you plan to attend an IMAA event, obtain a
copy of the IMAA Safety Code by contacting the IMAA at
the address or telephone number below.

IMAA

205 S. Hilldale Road

Salina, KS 67401

[phone]

www.fly-imaa.org/imaa/sanction.html

1.Your Yak 54 1.60 ARF should not be considered a toy, but
rather a sophisticated, working model that functions very
much like a full-size airplane. Because of its performance
capabilities, the Yak 54 1.60 ARF, if not assembled and
operated correctly, could possibly cause injury to yourself or
spectators and damage to property.

2. You must assemble the model according to the
instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as doing so
may result in an unsafe or unflyable model. In a few cases
the instructions may differ slightly from the photos.In those
instances the written instructions should be considered
as correct.

3.You must take time to build straight, true and strong.

4. You must use an R/C radio system that is in first-class
condition, and a correctly sized engine and components
(fuel tank, wheels, etc.) throughout the building process.

5.You must correctly install all R/C and other components so
that the model operates correctly on the ground and in the air .

6.You must check the operation of the model before every
flight to insure that all equipment is operating and that the
model has remained structurally sound. Be sure to check
clevises or other connectors often and replace them if they
show any signs of wear or fatigue.

7. If you are not an experienced pilot or have not flown this
type of model before, we recommend that you get the
assistance of an experienced pilot in your R/C club for your
first flights.If you're not a member of a club , y our local hobb y
shop has information about clubs in your area whose
membership includes experienced pilots.

8.While this kit has been flight tested to exceed normal use,
if the plane will be used for extremely high-stress flying,
such as racing, or if an engine larger than one in the
recommended range is used, the modeler is responsible for
taking steps to reinforce the high-stress points and/or
substituting hardware more suitable for the increased stress .

9. WARNING: The cowl and wheel spats included in this kit
are made of fiberglass, the fibers of which may cause eye,
skin and respiratory tract irritation. Never blow into a part
(cowl) to remove fiberglass dust, as the dust will blow back
into your eyes. Always wear safety goggles, a particle mask
and rubber gloves when grinding, drilling and sanding
fiberglass parts. Vacuum the parts and the work area
thoroughly after working with fiberglass parts.

Remember: Take your time and follow the instructions to
end up with a well-built model that is straight and true.

This is a partial list of items required to finish the Yak 54 1.60
ARF that may require planning or decision-making before
starting to build. Order numbers are provided in parentheses.

The fuel tank included with this kit is suitable for use with
glow fuel.However, if using a gas engine, the fuel tank must
be converted to work with gasoline. This can be done by
purchasing a Sullivan #484 Gasoline/Diesel fuel tank
conversion kit (SULQ2684), a package of Du-Bro #813 1/8"
[3.2 mm] I.D. fuel line barbs (DUBQ0670) and 3' of Great
Planes gasoline fuel tubing (GPMQ4135). Without the fuel
line barbs, some types of gas-compatible fuel line may slip
off the metal fuel tubes. If the Sullivan conversion kit is not
available, the Du-Bro #400 gas conversion stopper
(DUBQ0675) and one 12" [300 mm] piece of K+S 1/8" [3.2
mm] soft brass tubing (K+SR5128–box of 5) could also be
used to make the conversion.

Fuel T ank Setup

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE

We, as the kit manuf acturer, provide you with a top quality ,
thoroughly tested kit and instructions, but ultimately the
quality and flyability of your finished model depends on
how you build it; therefore, we cannot in any way
guarantee the performance of your completed model, and
no representations are expressed or implied as to the
performance or safety of your completed model.

PRO TECT YOUR MODEL,YOURSELF

& OTHERS...FOLLOW THESE

IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

IMAA

3

A building stand or cradle comes in handy during the build.We
use the Robart Super Stand II (ROBP1402) for all our projects
in R&D , and it can be seen in pictures throughout this manual.

Since the Yak 54 1.60 ARF is a large model capable of
extreme aerobatics, standard servos should not be used to
operate the control surfaces.Servos with a minimum torque
rating of 98 oz-in [7.1 kg-cm] are required except for the
throttle servo, which may be operated by a standard servo.

The following servo extensions and Y-harnesses were also
used to build the Yak 54 1.60 ARF as shown in the manual.

• (2) 36" [910mm] servo extensions for elevator servos
(HCAM2726 for Futaba J-connector)

• (2) 36" [910mm] servo extension for tail mounted rudder
servos (HCAM2726 for Futaba J-connector)

• (2) 24" [610mm] servo extensions for aileron servos
(HCAM2721 for Futaba J-connector)

• (2) 6" [150mm] servo extensions for forward mounted
rudder servos (HCAM2701 for Futaba J-connector)

• (1) 12" [305mm] servo extension for throttle servo
(HCAM2711 for Futaba J-connector)

Optional: (If using a radio system that does not support
mixing of the elevator, rudder, and aileron servos,
Y-harnesses will be required)

• (2) Hobbico®Pro HD Y-Harness (HCAM2751 for Futaba
J-connector)

• (1) Reversing Y-Har ness (for elevator servos)

• A battery pack with a minimum of 1500mAh should also
be used. When flying large models such as this,
ALWAYS check the battery condition before each flight.

The recommended engine size range for the Yak 54 1.60
ARF is 1.5 to 1.8 cu in [25–30 cc] two-stroke glow engine,

1.8 to 2.1 cu in [30–36 cc] four-stroke glow engine, or 1.9 to

2.6 cu in [32–43 cc] gasoline engine.We recommend either

the O.S.®1.60 FX glow engine (OSMG0661) or the Fuji­Imvac™BT-43 EI™gasoline engine (FJIG0143).Both of these
engines will allow the Yak 54 1.60 ARF to perform the 3D
maneuvers it was designed for and the installations of both
engines are covered in this manual. Do not install an

engine larger than recommended!

This is the list of Adhesives and Building Supplies that are
required to finish the Yak 54.

❏ Pro

™

30-minute epoxy (GPMR6047)

❏ Pro 6-minute epoxy (GPMR6045)
❏ 1/2 oz.[15 g] Thin Pro CA (GPMR6001)
❏ 1/2 oz.[15 g] Medium Pro CA+ (GPMR6007)
❏ Hobbico 60 watt soldering iron (HCAR0776)
❏ Hobby Heat

™

Micro Torch II (HCAR0755)

❏ Silver solder w/flux (GPMR8070)
❏ Petroleum jelly (Vaseline

®

)

❏ 3' [900 mm] Standard silicone fuel tubing (GPMQ4131)
❏ R/C foam rubber (1/4" [6 mm] – HCAQ1000)
❏ Microballoons (TOPR1090)
❏ Drill bits: 1/16" [1.6 mm], 3/32" [2.4 mm], 7/64" [2.8 mm],

9/64" [3.6 mm], 5/32" [4 mm]

❏ Denatured alcohol (for epoxy clean up)
❏ 8-32 Tap and drill set (GPMR8103)
❏ #1 Hobby knife (HCAR0105)
❏ #11 Blades (5-pack, HCAR0211)

Here is a list of optional tools mentioned in the manual and
others items that will help you build the Yak 54 1.60 ARF.

❏ Fuel filler valve for glow fuel (GPMQ4160)
❏ Fuel filler valve for gasoline (GPMQ4161)
❏ 1/2 oz.[15 g] Thick Pro CA- (GPMR6013)
❏ Milled fiberglass (GPMR6165)
❏ Tap handle (GPMR8120)
❏ Stick-on segmented lead weights (GPMQ4485)
❏ Large scale single-sided servo arm (GPMM1100)
❏ Epoxy brushes (6, GPMR8060)
❏ Mixing sticks (50, GPMR8055)
❏ Mixing cups (GPMR8056)
❏ Builder’s Triangle Set (HCAR0480)
❏ 36" Metal ruler (HCAR0475)
❏ Pliers with wire cutter (HCAR0630)
❏ Hobbico Duster

™

can of compressed air (HCAR5500)

❏ Masking tape (TOPR8018)
❏ Panel Line Pen (TOPQ2510)
❏ Rotary tool such as Dremel

®

❏ Rotary tool reinforced cut-off wheel (GPMR8200)
❏ Servo horn drill (HCAR0698)
❏ Dead Center

™

Engine Mount Hole Locator (GPMR8130)

Optional Supplies & Tools

Adhesives & Building Supplies

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED

Engine Recommendations

Radio Equipment

Building Stand

4

❏ CG Machine

™

(GPMR2400)

❏ #64 Rubber bands (1/4 lb [113 g] box, HCAQ2020)
❏ Semi-Flexible Pushrod System (GPMQ3714)

• There are two types of screws used in this kit:

• Sheet metal screws (SMS) are designated by a number

and a length. For example #6 x 3/4" [19 mm]

This is a number six screw that is 3/4" [19 mm] long.

• Machine screws (MS) are designated by a number,

threads per inch, and a length. For example 4-40 x
3/4" [19 mm].

This is a number four screw that is 3/4" [19 mm] long

with forty threads per inch.

• Socket head cap screws (SHCS) are designated by a

number, threads per inch, and a length. For example
4-40 x 1-1/2" [38 mm]

This is a number four screw that is 1-1/2" [38 mm] long

with forty threads per inch.

• When you see the term

test fit

in the instructions, it
means that you should first position the part on the
assembly without using any glue, then slightly modify or

custom fit

the part as necessar y for the best fit.

• Whenever the term

glue

is written, you should rely upon
your experience to decide what type of glue to use.When a
specific type of adhesive works best for that step, the
instructions will make a recommendation.

• Whenever just

epoxy

is specified, you may use either
30-minute (or 45-minute) epoxy or 6-minute epoxy. When
30-minute epoxy is specified, it is highly recommended that
you use only 30-minute (or 45-minute) epoxy, because you
will need the working time and/or the additional strength.

•

Photos

and

sketches

are placed before the step they
refer to. Frequently you can study photos in following steps
to get another view of the same parts.

• The Yak 54 is factory-covered with Top Flite®MonoKote

®

film. Should repairs ever be required, MonoKote can be

patched with additional MonoKote purchased separately.
MonoKote is packaged in six-foot rolls, but some hobby
shops also sell it by the foot. If only a small piece of
MonoKote is needed for a minor patch, perhaps a fellow
modeler would give you some. MonoKote is applied with a
model airplane covering iron, but in an emergency a regular
iron could be used. A roll of MonoKote includes full
instructions for application.Following are the colors used on
this model and order numbers for six foot rolls.

Metallic Blue – TOPQ0402

Metallic Red – TOPQ0405

White – TOPQ0204

• The stabilizer and wing incidences and engine thrust
angles have been factory-built into this model. However,
some technically-minded modelers may wish to check these
measurements anyway.To view this information visit the web
site at www.greatplanes.com and click on “Technical Data. ”
Due to manufacturing tolerances which will have little or no
effect on the way your model will fly, please expect slight
deviations between your model and the published values.

Replacement parts for the Great Planes Yak 54 ARF are
available using the order numbers in the Replacement Parts
List that follows.The fastest, most economical service can be
provided by your hobby dealer or mail-order company.

To locate a hobby dealer, visit the Hobbico web site at
www.hobbico.com. Choose “Where to Buy” at the bottom
of the menu on the left side of the page. Follow the
instructions provided on the page to locate a U.S., Canadian
or International dealer.

Parts may also be ordered directly from Hobby Services by
calling [phone], or via facsimile at [phone],
but full retail prices and shipping and handling charges will
apply. Illinois and Nevada residents will also be charged
sales tax. If ordering via fax, include a Visa

®

or MasterCard

®

number and expiration date for payment.
Mail parts orders and payments by personal check to:

Hobby Services

3002 N. Apollo Drive, Suite 1

Champaign, IL 61822

Be certain to specify the order number exactly as listed in
the Replacement Parts List. Payment by credit card or
personal check only; no C.O.D.

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES

5

If additional assistance is required for any reason contact Product
Support by e-mail at [e-mail], or
by telephone at [phone].

Replacement Parts List

Order Number Description How to Purchase

Missing pieces Contact Product Support
Instruction manual Contact Product Support

Full-size plans Not available
GPMA2871 Wing Kit Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2872 Fuse Kit Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2873 Tail Set Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2874 Cowl Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2875 Canopy Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2876 Landing Gear Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2877 Wheel Spats Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2878 Tail Wheel Assembly Contact Hobby Supplier
GPMA2879 Decal Sheet Contact Hobby Supplier

Fuse = Fuselage

Stab = Horizontal Stabilizer

Fin = Ver tical Fin

LE = Leading Edge

TE = Trailing Edge
LG = Landing Gear
Ply = Plywood

" = Inches

mm = Millimeters

1" = 25.4 mm (conversion factor)

METRIC CONVERSIONS

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS

6

1/64" = .4 mm
1/32" = .8 mm
1/16" = 1.6 mm
3/32" = 2.4 mm

1/8" = 3.2 mm
5/32" = 4.0 mm
3/16" = 4.8 mm

1/4" = 6.4 mm

3/8" = 9.5 mm

1/2" = 12.7 mm

5/8" = 15.9 mm

3/4" = 19.0 mm

1" = 25.4 mm
2" = 50.8 mm
3" = 76.2 mm

6" = 152.4 mm
12" = 304.8 mm
18" = 457.2 mm
21" = 533.4 mm
24" = 609.6 mm
30" = 762.0 mm
36" = 914.4 mm

7

Before starting to build, take an inventory of this kit to make sure it is complete, and inspect the parts to make sure they
are of acceptable quality. If any parts are missing or are not of acceptable quality, or if you need assistance with assembly ,
contact Product Support. When reporting defective or missing parts, use the part names exactly as they are written in
the Kit Contents list.

Great Planes Product Support

3002 N. Apollo Drive, Suite 1

Champaign, IL 61822

Telephone: [phone], ext. 5

Fax:[phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

KIT INSPECTION

(8) 4-40 Steel Threaded Clevis
(6) Solder Clevis
(2) 3/16" [4.8 mm] Axles
(1) Screw-Lock Pushrod Connector

(for throttle pushrod)

(4) Heavy-Duty Screw-Lock Pushrod

Connector (for rudder servos)
(8) 4-40 Hex Nuts
(6) 6-32 Blind Nuts
(2) 5/16" x 24 Lock Nuts
(4) 3/32" [2.4 mm] Push Nuts (retainers

for heavy-duty screw-lock connectors)
(1) Nylon Clevis (for throttle pushrod)
(6) Heavy-Duty Nylon Control Horn
(1) Retainer for Screw-Lock Pushrod

Connector
(13) 1/4" [6 mm] Clevis Retainers
(8) 2-56 x 3/8" [9.5 mm] Phillips Screw
(4) 6-32 x 1/4" [6 mm] SHCS
(24) #4 x 5/8" [16 mm] SMS

(5) 4-40 x 1/4" [6 mm] SHCS (for screw-

lock pushrod connectors)
(6) 6-32 x 5/8" [16 mm] SHCS
(4) 4-40 x 1" [25 mm] SHCS
(10) 4-40 x 1/2" [13 mm] SHCS
(4) 8-32 x 1-1/4" [32 mm] SHCS
(4) 8-32 x 1" [25 mm] SHCS
(2) 1/8" x 3" [3 x 76 mm] Heat-Shrink Tubing
(6) 3/8" x 3" [9.5 x 76 mm] Heat-Shrink

Tubing
(4) 3/16" [4.8 mm] Wheel Collars
(1) .074 x 12" [305 mm] Wire Threaded

One End
(6) 4-40 x 12" [305 mm] Wire Threaded

One End
(10) #4 Lock Washers
(10) #4 Flat Washers
(8) #2 Flat Washers
(8) #8 Split Ring Lock Washers
(8) #8 Flat Washers

(6) #6 Lock Washers
(19) Hinge Points
(4) 5/16" [8 mm] Anti-Rotation Pins
(2) Long Tie-Straps
(10) Cowl Alignment Disks
(1) Throttle Servo Tray
(1) 3/8"-24 Spinner Adapter
(1) 5 x 54 mm Spinner Screw
(1) 5 x 70 mm Spinner Screw
(1) 5 mm Nut
(2) 1/4"-20 Nylon Wing Bolts
(2) Canopy Alignment Pegs
(1) Pull-Pull Rudder System (includes

pull-pull cable, brass couplers,
swages, aluminum servo arm
extensions, and joiner rods

Kit Contents (not photographed)

KIT CONTENTS

1

4

3

9

10

13

14

15

16

11

18

17

2

7

Kit Contents

1. Aluminum Spinner

2. Cowl

3. Canopy

4. Fuselage

5. Cowl Ring

6. Fuel Tank

7. Main Wheels (2)

8. Wheel Spats (L&R)

9. Main Landing Gear (L&R)

10. Engine Mount (L&R)

11. Aft Receiver/Battery Tray

12. Aluminum Wing Tube

13. Horizontal Stabilizer & Elevators

14. Hook & Loop Material

15. Rudder

16. Tailwheel Assembly

17. Left Wing Panel & Aileron

18. Right Wing Panel & Aileron

5

6

12

8

❏ 1. If you have not done so already, remove the major

parts of the kit from the box and inspect for damage. If any
parts are damaged or missing, contact Product Suppor t at
the address or telephone number listed in the

“Kit

Inspection”

section on page 7.

❏ 2. Carefully remove the tape and separate all the control

surfaces.Use a cov ering iron with a covering sock to tighten
the covering if necessary. Apply pressure over sheeted
areas to thoroughly bond the covering to the wood.

Do the left wing first so your work matches the photos
the first time through.You can do one wing at a time, or
work on them together.

❏ ❏ 1.Test fit the included hinge points into the pre-drilled

holes in the wing panel and aileron.Press the hinge points
into the holes.

❏ ❏ 2.The hinge points should seat into the hinge holes all

the way to the metal pin in order to minimize the gap
between the aileron and wing. Use a hobby knife to enlarge
the surface of the hinge holes as necessary until the proper
fit is achieved.Test fit the aileron to the wing.The hinge gap
between the aileron and wing should only be wide enough
to allow a small line of light through. Excessive gap will
decrease the effectiveness of the ailerons.

❏ ❏ 3. Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly or something

similar to the center of each hinge to prevent epo xy from sticking
to the joints and preventing the hinge from operating smoothly.

Read all of Step 4 before proceeding.

❏ ❏ 4. Mix up a 1/2 oz. [15 cc] of 30-minute epoxy. Using a

toothpick or wood scrap, apply epoxy to the inside of each
hinge point hole. The holes are drilled through to the open
cavity in the wing, so be careful that you do not apply too much
to the walls of the holes as it will simply drip into the wing.
Apply a light coat of epoxy to one end of all the hinges for one
wing panel. Insert the hinge points into the holes in the wing
panel. Wipe away excess epoxy with a paper towel and
denatured alcohol. Be sure the hinges are inserted in the
correct orientation.Apply epoxy to the other ends of the hinges
and slide the aileron into position. Use masking tape to hold
the aileron in place while the epoxy cures.

❏ ❏ 5. Cut the covering 1/8" [3 mm] inside the opening in

the wing for the aileron servo. Use a trim iron to seal the
covering to the inner edges of the opening.

❏ 6. Repeat these steps for the right wing panel.

Install the Ailerons

ASSEMBLE THE WING

PREPARATIONS

8

❏ ❏ 1. Installing the servos in the wing will require the use

of one 24" [610 mm] servo extension for each aileron servo.
One Y-harness connector is required and is used to allow
the aileron servos to plug into one slot in your receiver.You
may have a computer radio that allows you to plug the
servos into separate slots and then mix them together
through the radio transmitter. If you choose to mix them
together with the radio rather than a Y-harness, refer to the
manual with your particular model radio system.

❏ ❏ 2. Attach the 24" [610 mm] servo extension to the

aileron servo and secure it with a piece of the included large
heat-shrink tubing.Only 1-1/2" [38 mm] of heat-shrink tubing
is required for each connector.

❏ ❏ 3.Tie the string from inside the opening for the aileron

servo to the end of the servo extension. Remove the tape
holding the other end of the string to the wing root rib and
pull the servo wire and extension through the wing.

❏ ❏ 4.Temporarily position the aileron servo into the servo

bay. Drill a 1/16" [1.6 mm] hole through the four mounting
holes of the servo, drilling through the plywood mounting

plate in the wing.Install and remove a servo mounting screw
into each of the four holes. Apply a drop of thin CA into the
holes to harden the wood. After the glue has cured, install
the servo into the opening using the hardware that came
with your servo.Center the servo with your radio system and
install a servo arm as shown.

The next three images are used for steps 5 and 6.

❏ ❏ 5.The aileron has a plywood plate for mounting the control

horn. You can see the outline of it under neath the covering by
looking at the aileron at a shallow angle.If you cannot see it, the
plate is approximately 1-5/8" [41 mm] wide and will be centered
with the servo arm. Use a T-pin to lightly puncture the covering
to be sure you are over the plywood plate.

❏ ❏ 6. Place a heavy-duty nylon control horn on the aileron,

positioning it over the hinge line as shown in the sketch and
aligning it with the servo arm. Mar k the location for the screw
holes. Drill through the mar ks you made with a 3/32" [2.4 mm]
drill bit. (Be sure you are drilling into the plywood plate mounted
in the bottom of the aileron.) Drill through the plate only. Do not

Install the Aileron Servos & Pushrods

9

drill all the way through the aileron!) Using a #4 x 5/8" [16 mm]
sheet metal screw , install and then remo ve a screw into each of
the holes.Harden the holes with thin CA.Install the control horn
with four #4 x 5/8" [16 mm] sheet metal screws.

❏ ❏ 7. Locate a .095" x 12" [2.4 x 305 mm] pushrod wire

threaded on one end. Thread a 4-40 nut, a silicone clevis
retainer and a threaded metal clevis onto the threaded end
of the wire 20 turns. Tighten the nut against the clevis and
then install the clevis on the middle hole of the aileron
control horn.

❏ ❏ 8. Be sure the aileron servo is centered. Install a 4-40

metal solder clevis onto the outer most hole in the servo
arm. Center the servo arm and center the aileron. Using the
solder clevis as a guide, mark where to cut the pushrod wire.
Remove the pushrod and clevis from the control horn and
the solder clevis from the servo arm. Cut the pushrod to
length. Install another silicone clevis retainer onto the wire
and solder the clevis to the pushrod using the

Expert Tip

that follows.

❏ ❏ 9. Install the pushrod and clevises to the outer hole in

the servo arm and the middle hole in the control horn. Adjust

the linkage until the aileron and the servo arm are both
centered. Then, tighten the nut against the clevis. Slide the
two silicone clevis retainers to the end of each clevis.

❏ 10. Repeat these steps for the right wing panel.

❏ 1. Locate the four 5/16" [8 mm] diameter anti-rotation pins.

❏ 2.Using 6-minute epo xy, coat half of the anti-rotation pins

and insert them into the forward and aft holes in the wing
panel root ribs. It may be necessary to carefully tap them
into place. The pins should extend out approximately 1/2"
[13 mm]. Wipe away any excess epoxy with a paper towel
and denatured alcohol before the epoxy cures.

❏ 3. Use sandpaper to bevel the ends of the anti-rotation

pins to ease their insertion into the fuselage.

Finish the Wing

How to solder the clevis to the pushrod

1. Where the pushrod will make contact with the solder
clevis, roughen the wire with 220-grit sandpaper.

2. Use a denatured alcohol to remove any oil residue
from the wire pushrod.

3. Apply a couple of drops of flux to the wire. Slide the
solder clevis onto the wire. Using a small torch or
soldering iron, heat the wire, allowing the heated wire
to heat the solder clevis. Apply a small amount of
solder to the joint. When the wire and clevis are hot
enough, the solder will flow into the joint. Avoid using
too much solder, causing solder to flow out of the joint
and clump. Use just enough solder to make a good
joint. Allow the wire and clevis to cool.

4. Put a couple of drops of oil onto a rag and wipe the
joint.This will prevent rust from forming on the joint.

10

❏ 1. Trim the covering from the fuselage for the tail

wheel bushing.

❏ 2. Apply CA or epoxy to the bushing and then, insert it

into the hole by gently tapping it into place until fully seated.
Be sure not to get glue into the hole in the bushing.

❏ 3. Just as you did with the ailerons, prepare the hinge

point holes in the rudder and fuselage by test fitting the
hinges and enlarging the holes as necessary.

❏ 4. Cut away 3/8" [10mm] from one end of the hinge that

will be installed in between the small blue and red stripes (the
hinge that is second from the bottom on the rudder).The end
that has been cut should be the end that gets installed into
the fuselage.Doing so will prevent this hinge from interfering
with the installation of the horizontal stabilizer.

❏ 5. Mix up 1/4 oz. [7.5 cc] of 30-minute epoxy. Using a

toothpick or wood scrap, apply epoxy to the inside of each
hinge point hole.Apply a light coat of epoxy to one end of all
the hinges for the rudder. Insert the hinge points into the
holes, wiping away excess epoxy with a paper towel and
denatured alcohol. Be sure the hinges are inserted in the
correct orientation. Apply epoxy to the other ends of the
hinges and slide the rudder into place. Use masking tape to
hold the rudder in position while the epoxy cures.

❏ 6. Measure 1-1/2" [38 mm] back from the leading edge

bevel of the rudder and make a mark on the underside
center of the rudder.

❏ 7. Use a 5/32" [4 mm] drill bit to make a 1/2" [13 mm] deep

hole at the mark. Insert the nylon retainer into the hole by
tapping it gently, leaving 3/16" [4.8 mm] extending outside the
hole. Align the hole to run parallel with the rudder.

Install the Rudder &Tail Gear

ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE

11

❏ 8. Slide the 1" [25 mm] tail wheel onto the tail gear

assembly and secure it with a 3mm [1/8"] set screw and

3mm [1/8"] wheel collar. Be sure that the tail wheel rotates
freely. Oil the tail wheel axle if necessary.

❏ 9. Slide the large 3mm [1/8"] tail wheel collar onto the

base of the tail gear and temporarily insert the assembly into
the tail wheel bushing. Center the tail gear bracket on the
fuselage against the tail wheel collar as shown. Mark the
location of the two holes in the bracket on the fuselage.

❏ 10. Drill 1/16" [1.6 mm] diameter holes at the marks.Thread

a 2 x 8mm [5/64" x 5/16"] self-tapping screw into each of the
holes and remove it. Add a drop of thin CA glue to harden the
holes. Now secure the tail gear assembly to the fuselage by
sliding the guide wire through the nylon retainer and inserting
the base of the tail gear into the bushing. Use a 3 x 4mm set
screw to tighten the tail wire collar to the tail gear and install the
bracket with two 2 x 8mm [5/64" x 5/16"] self-tapping scre ws.Cut
off the excess guide wire leaving 1/2" [13 mm] beyond the
retainer.Add a few drops of thin CA to the nylon retainer being
sure not to get glue on the guide wire or in the hole.

❏ 1. Temporarily assemble the main landing gear by

inserting the 3/16" [4.8 mm] axles into the holes in the main
gear.Slide a 3/16" [4.8 mm] wheel collar, 4" [102 mm] main
wheel, and then another 3/16" [4.8 mm] wheel collar onto
each axle.Mark the locations of the wheel collar screws onto
the axles. Remove the wheel collars and wheels from the
axles and file or grind flat spots at the marks for the wheel
collar screws to tighten against.

❏ 2. Reassemble the gear, securing the axles with 5/16" x

24 lock nuts.Using four 4-40 x 1/2" [13 mm] SHCS and four
4-40 lock nuts, attach the wheel spats to the landing gear as
shown. Loosely thread four 6-32 x 1/4" [6 mm] SHCS into
the wheel collars. Slide a wheel collar, 4" [102 mm] wheel,
and another wheel collar onto each axle and tighten the
collar screws onto the flat spots on the axles. Be sure that
the wheels rotate freely.

Assemble & Install the Main Gear

12

❏ 3. Locate the slots in the fuselage for the main landing

gear and trim the covering away.

❏ 4. Attach the landing gear to the fuselage using six 6-32 x

5/8" [16 mm] SHCS and six #6 lock washers Apply thread­locking compound to the socket head cap screws. Be careful
not to push the pre-installed blind nuts out of the landing gear
mounting rails when threading in the socket head cap screws.

❏ 1. Just as you did with the ailerons and rudder, prepare

the hinge point holes in the stabilizer and elevators by test
fitting the hinges and enlarging the holes as necessary.

❏ 2. Locate the stabilizer slots near the aft end of the

fuselage and trim away the covering. Seal the edges of the
slots with a trim iron.

❏ 3. You will need to temporarily install the wing panels in

order to align the stabilizer in the fuselage. Slide the black
aluminum wing tube into the fiberglass joiner tube inside
the fuselage and center its position.

❏ 4. Fit the wing panels onto the wing tube, pushing them

into the fuselage until the root ribs are pressed against the
inner fuselage formers. The anti-rotation pins will fit into
receiving holes in the fuselage.Use the included nylon wing
bolts to draw the wing panels in tight.

Install the Elevators & Stabilizer

13

❏ 5.Test fit the stabilizer in the fuselage. Center the stab left

and right in the fuselage. Stand back 15 to 20 ft [5 to 6 m] and
check to be sure the stab is parallel to the wing.Adjust the stab
saddle as needed until the stab and wing are parallel. If
necessary , weight can be added to one side of the stabilizer as
shown above to bring the stab parallel to the wing.When the
stab is glued in place permanently , the same amount of weight
will be added temporarily while the epoxy cures.

❏ 6. Measure the distance from the tip of each wing to the

tip of the stab.Adjust the stab until the distance from the tip
of the stab to the tip of the wing is equal on both sides.
Center the stab in the fuse left and right.

❏ 7.Use a f elt-tip marker to mark the outline of the fuselage

onto the top and bottom of the stab.

❏ 8.Remove the stab from the fuse.Use a sharp #11 hobby

knife or use the following

Expert Tip

to cut the covering
1/16" [1.6 mm] inside of the lines you marked. Use care to
cut only in the covering and not into the wood.

❏ 9.Use 30-minute epoxy to glue the stab into the fuselage.

For the most strength, apply epoxy to both sides of the stab
and inside the fuse where the stab fits. Slide the stab into
position. Wipe away any excess epoxy with a paper towel
and denatured alcohol. Do not disturb the model until the
epoxy has fully hardened.

❏ 10. Mix up 1/4 oz. [7.5 cc] of 30-minute epoxy. Using a

toothpick or wood scrap, apply epoxy to the inside of each
hinge point hole.Apply a light coat of epoxy to one end of all
the hinges for the elevators. Inser t the hinge points into the
holes, wiping away excess epoxy with a paper towel and
denatured alcohol. Be sure the hinges are inserted in the
correct orientation. Apply epoxy to the other ends of the
hinges and slide the elevators into place. Use masking tape
to hold the elevators in position while the epoxy cures.

Use a soldering iron to cut the covering from a balsa
sheeted surface.The tip of the soldering iron doesn’t have
to be sharp, but a fine-tip does work best.Allow the iron to
heat fully.Use a straightedge to guide the soldering iron at
a rate that will just melt the covering and not burn into the
wood. The hotter the soldering iron, the faster it must
travel to melt a fine cut.Peel off the covering.

How to cut covering from balsa

14

❏ 1. Locate the cutouts for the elevator servos on both

sides of the fuselage just forward of the horizontal stabilizer.
Cut the covering 1/8" [3mm] inside the openings.Use a trim
iron to seal the covering to the inner edges of the opening.

❏ 2.Attach a 36" [914 mm] servo extension to each ele v ator

servo.Secure the connections with heat-shrink tubing.

❏ 3. Temporarily position the elevator servos into the servo

bays. Drill a 1/16" [1.6 mm] hole through the four mounting
holes of each servo, drilling through the plywood mounting
plates in the fuselage. Install and remove a servo mounting
screw into each of the eight holes. Apply a drop of thin CA
into the holes to harden the wood. After the glue has cured,
install the servos into the openings using the hardware that
came with your servos. Center the servos with your radio
system and install servo arms as shown.

❏ 4. Just as you did with the ailerons, look closely on the

bottom of the elevators and you will notice a plywood plate
visible under the covering.Place a heavy-duty nylon control
horn on each of the elevators, positioning it as shown and
aligning it with the servo arm. Mark the location for the screw
holes. Drill through the marks you made with a 3/32" [2.4

mm] drill bit. (Be sure you are drilling into the plywood plates
mounted in the bottom of the elevators. Drill through the
plate only. Do not drill all the way through the elevators!)
Using a #4 x 5/8" [16 mm] sheet metal screw, install and
then remove a screw into each of the holes. Harden the
holes with thin CA. Install the control horns with eight #4 x
5/8" [16 mm] sheet metal screws.

❏ 5. Locate two .095" x 12" [2.4 x 305 mm] pushrod wires

threaded on one end. Thread a 4-40 nut, a silicone clevis
retainer and a threaded metal clevis onto the threaded ends
of the wires 20 turns. Tighten the nut against the clevis and
then install the clevis on the elevator control horns.

❏ 6. Be sure the elevator servos are centered. Install a 4-40

metal solder clevis onto the outer most hole in each servo arm.
Center the servo arms and center the elevators. Using the
solder clevis as a guide, mark where to cut the pushrod wire.
Remove the pushrods and clevises from the control horns and
the solder clevises from the servo arms. Cut the pushrod to
length, install another silicone clevis retainer, and solder the
clevises to the pushrods.

Important! Please Read Before Installing the Rudder
Servos. This model has the option of two different rudder

servo installations.This is to help balance the airplane and
accommodate different engine weights. If you are
installing a glow engine, you most likely will be a little tail
heavy. You will probably wish to install the servos as
shown in the

“Install the Rudder Servos & Linkage

(Recommended Glow Engine Installation)”

section that
follows. If you are installing a gasoline engine, you will
most likely need tail weight and should follow the

“Install
the Rudder Servos & Linkage (Recommended Gas
Engine Installation)”

section instructions starting on
page 18.Adding dead weight is something we strive not to
do to our models since extra weight detracts from the
performance of the airplane. Take a moment to read
through both installation methods to determine which is
best for your application. If you are unsure which
installation is best for your engine choice you may wish to
skip the installation of the rudder servos at this time and
install them after you balance the airplane.

Install the Rudder Servos & Linkage

(Recommended Glow Engine Installation)

Install the Elevator Servos & Linkage

15

❏ 1. Secure a 6" [152 mm] servo extension to each rudder

servo. Position the rudder servos into the servo tray as
shown and mark the mounting hole locations. Drill a 1/16"
[1.6 mm] hole through the mounting holes of each servo.
Install and remove a mounting screw from each hole and
apply a drop of thin CA into the holes to harden the wood.
After the glue has cured, install the servos into the openings
using the hardware that came with your servos. Center the
servos with your radio system.

❏ 2. Trim the covering from the rudder cable exit slots as

shown in step 3.

❏ 3. Locate the plywood mounting plates beneath the

covering on both sides of the rudder.Place a heavy-duty nylon
control horn on each side of the rudder. Position them as
shown, aligning them with the slots for the rudder cable.Mark
the location for the screw holes. Dr ill through the marks you
made with a 3/32" [2.4 mm] drill bit. Using a #4 x 5/8" [16 mm]
sheet metal screw, install and then remove a screw into each
of the holes. Harden the holes with thin CA. Install the control
horns with eight #4 x 5/8" [16 mm] sheet metal screws.

❏ 4. Cut the provided pull-pull cable into two equal lengths.

Thread a 4-40 nut and a silicone clevis retainer onto each of
the four brass pull-pull threaded couplers and then thread
the couplers into four 4-40 metal clevises twelve complete
turns. Feed only one end of each cable through the hole in
the brass coupler 3/4" [19 mm] and fold it back onto itself.
Slide a swage onto the cable over the short end, loop the
short end around through the swage again, and crimp them
together using heavy-duty pliers as shown.The other ends
of the cables will be connected to the threaded couplers
after being installed into the fuselage.

❏ 5. Feed the pull-pull wires through the slots in the

fuselage near the rudder control horns. Be sure that the
other ends make it through the fuselage to the rudder
servos. Turning the airplane up on its nose and feeding the
cable ends into the fuse makes this task easier.

❏ 6.Two 3-9/16" [90mm] aluminum servo arm extensions are

included for the rudder pull-pull system.Locate the large servo

16

wheels included with the rudder servos (Different model
servos may come with servo wheels that are larger or smaller
than the ones shown in the picture.The actual size of the servo
wheels being used is not critical.) Fit the aluminum servo
extensions to the undersides of the servo wheels and tape
them in place. Use a 1/16" [1.6mm] drill bit to drill through the
four mounting holes in the servo extensions into the plastic
servo wheels. Remove the servo wheels from the extensions
and enlarge the holes with a 3/32" [2.4mm] drill bit.

❏ 7. Using eight 2-56 x 3/8" [9.5 mm] Phillips screws and

eight #2 flat washers, attach the servo extensions to the
servo wheels. Apply a drop of thread-locking compound to
each screw. With a cut-off wheel, cut off the ends of the
screws that protrude from underneath the servo extensions.

❏ 8. Drill out the inner holes of both servo extensions using a

7/64" [2.8 mm] bit.Do not use any other size drill bit for this step .
Secure a screw-lock pushrod connector to each arm in the holes
you just drilled out with a metal retainer.Thread four 4-40 x 1/4"
[6 mm] SHCS loosely into the screw-lock pushrod connectors.

❏ 9. With the servos centered, align the servo arms

perpendicular with the fuselage and parallel with each other
and secure them to the rudder servos with the servo arm

screws. Insert the two rudder servo joiner rods (included
with the kit), through the screw-lock pushrod connectors as
shown and tighten the 4-40 x 1/4" [6 mm] SHCS. Use wire
cutters to cut away the excess joiner rod length.

❏ 10. Connect the other two clevis ends with the brass

couplers installed onto the outer holes of the aft rudder
servo arm. Check to be sure that the elevator servo wires
are not entangled in the rudder pull-pull cables. Slide a 3"
[76 mm] piece of 1/8" [3 mm] heat-shrink tubing and then a
swage onto the ends of the pull-pull cables inside the
fuselage. Move the rudder to the neutral position and feed
the ends of the cables through the holes in the couplers.The
pull-pull cables will cross each other inside the fuselage.
With both pull-pull cables having tension and the rudder in
the neutral position, crimp the swages onto the cable ends
to secure them as you did in step 4.You can fine-tune the
tension on the lines by threading the clevises up or down on
the couplers until satisfied. Then, tighten the 4-40 nuts
against the clevises.

17

❏ 11. Apply heat to the heat-shrink tubing on the cables.

Slide the heat-shrink down the cables toward the tail,
centering the pieces on the location where the cables cross
each other.This will prevent the metal cables from rubbing
against each other which could cause radio interference.
With the heat-shrink tubes in place, use medium CA glue to
adhere the heat-shrink to the cables. Be careful not to glue
the heat-shrink tubes to each other.

❏ 1. Locate the cutouts for the rudder servos on both sides

of the fuselage beneath the horizontal stabilizer. Cut the
covering 1/8" [3 mm] inside the openings.Use a trim iron to
seal the covering to the inner edges of the opening.

❏ 2.Attach a 36" [914 mm] servo extension to each ele v ator

servo.Secure the connections with heat-shrink tubing.

❏ 3. Temporarily position the r udder servos into the servo

bays. Drill a 1/16" [1.6 mm] hole through the four mounting
holes of each servo, drilling through the plywood mounting
plates in the fuselage. Install and remove a servo mounting
screw into each of the eight holes. Apply a drop of thin CA
into the holes to harden the wood. After the glue has cured,

install the servos into the openings using the hardware that
came with your servos. Center the servos with your radio
system and install servo arms as shown.

❏ 4. Just as you did with the ailerons, look closely on the

sides of the rudder and you will notice a plywood plate
visible under the covering.Place a heavy-duty nylon control
horn on each side of the rudder, positioning it as shown and
aligning it with the outer hole of the servo arm. Mark the
location for the screw holes. Drill through the marks you
made with a 3/32" [2.4 mm] drill bit. (Be sure you are drilling
into the plywood plates mounted in the rudder.Drill through
the plate only. Do not drill all the way through the rudder!)
Using a #4 x 5/8" [16 mm] sheet metal screw, install and
then remove a screw into each of the holes. Harden the
holes with thin CA. Install the control horns with eight #4 x
5/8" [16 mm] sheet metal screws.

❏ 5. Locate two .095" x 12" [2.4 x 305 mm] pushrod wires

threaded on one end. Thread a 4-40 nut, a silicone clevis
retainer and a threaded metal clevis onto the threaded ends
of the wires 20 turns. Tighten the nut against the clevis and
then install the clevis on the rudder control horns.

❏ 6. Be sure the rudder servos are centered (with the arms

pointing down). Install a 4-40 metal solder clevis onto the
outer most hole in each servo arm. Center the ser vo arms
and center the rudder. Using the solder clevis as a guide,
mark where to cut the pushrod wire. Remove the pushrods
and clevises from the control horns and the solder clevises
from the servo arms. Cut the pushrod to length, install
another silicone clevis retainer, and solder the clevises to
the pushrods.

Install the Rudder Servos & Linkage

(Recommended Gas Engine Installation)

18

If you are installing a brand of glow engine other than the O.S.

1.60 FX, read through the installation instructions for the O.S.

1.60 FX.The procedure should be similar.The most important
thing is to be sure to follow the spacing dimensions from the
engine drive washer back to the firewall.

If you are installing the Fuji-Imvac BT-43 EI or other gasoline
engine, skip ahead to the instructions for mounting that
engine.If you will be using another brand of gasoline engine ,
read through the installation instructions for the Fuji-Imvac
BT-43 EI. You should find the mounting instructions for the
Fuji-Imvac BT-43 EI helpful in determining the best way to
mount your particular brand of gasoline engine.

❏ 1. Cut the template out of the back cover page of this

manual for mounting the O.S. 1.60 FX. Use tape or spray
adhesive to hold the glow engine mount template to the
firewall. Align the vertical and horizontal lines on the
template with the embossed lines on the firewall.

❏ 2.Use a large T-pin or a wire sharpened on the end to transfer

each bolt hole center mark on the template into the firewall.

❏ 3. Drill 13/64" [5.2 mm] holes at the marks. Apply a few

dabs of epoxy to the front of four 8-32 blind nuts. Use an
8-32 x 1-1/4" [32 mm] bolt with a few #8 washers to dr a w the
blind nuts into the back of the firewall.

❏ 4. Attach the engine mount to the firewall as shown

using four 8-32 x 1-1/4" [32 mm] SHCS, four #8 flat washers
and four #8 lock washers. When installing the mount, be

sure that you have the mount positioned allo wing the engine
to be mounted on its side.

❏ 5. Place the engine in the mount. The distance from the

firewall to the front of the drive washer is 7-1/8" [181 mm].
Use a Great Planes Engine Hole Locator or a small drill bit
to mark the engine mounting holes into the engine mounts.

❏ 6. Take the engine off the mount.Then drill 9/64" [3.6 mm]

holes at the marks.Use an 8-32 tap to cut threads into the holes.

❏ 7. Mount the engine to the mount with four 8-32 x 1"

[25 mm] SHCS, four #8 flat washers and four #8 lock washers.

❏ 1. Connect the throttle servo to a 12" [305 mm] servo

extension. Secure the connection using heat-shrink tubing.

❏ 2. Attach the throttle ser vo to the firewall box as shown

using the hardware included with the servo. Harden the
mounting holes with thin CA glue.

Install the Throttle Servo (Glow Engine)

Glow Engine Installation

INSTALL THE ENGINE & FUEL TANK

19

❏ 3. Install a servo arm downward and angled towards the

rear of the plane.

❏ 4. If you have not already done so, install the muffler for

your engine.The throttle pushrod will need to be routed so it
will clear the muffler.

❏ 5. Install a brass screw-lock pushrod connector, nylon

retainer ring and a 4-40 x 1/4" [6 mm] SHCS onto the outer
hole of the servo arm. Bend a .074 x 12" [305 mm] threaded
rod to fit from the throttle servo arm to the throttle carburetor

arm.When bending the wire, be sure that you have clearance
between the pushrod and any of the engine/muffler
components. Metal contact may create radio interference.
Thread a 2-56 nylon clevis and silicone cle vis retainer onto the
threaded rod and connect it to the carburetor.

❏ 6. Using your radio system, adjust the throttle servo and

carburetor arm movement as desired.

❏ 1.Locate the fuel tank.The hardware needed for the fuel

tank assembly is inside of the tank.Remove the stopper and
shake out the contents.

❏ 2.The fuel system for the Y ak 54 1.60 ARF utilizes a three

line system.There is a fill and drain line, carb line, and vent
line (to muffler). The fill and drain line will allow fueling and
defueling without removing the cowl.The fill line is optional
and may be omitted if desired.

❏ 3.Slide the three aluminum fuel tubes into the rubber stopper.
❏ 4. Cut the fill line and carb line tubes such that the tubes

extend 1/2" [13 mm] out from both ends of the stopper.The
vent line should be bent upwards and left uncut.

❏ 5. Install the metal plates on the front and back of the

stopper and loosely thread the 3 x 26mm [1"] Phillips screw
through the plates.

❏ 6. Attach a silicone fuel line 6" [153 mm] in length to the

carb tube on the stopper.Install the included fuel clunk onto
this line. If you want to have the ability to drain the fuel tank
through the fill line, install another piece of silicone fuel line
and a fuel clunk onto the fill line.

Install the Fuel Tank (Glow Engine)

20

❏ 7.Insert the stopper into the tank and check the length of

the carb line and fill lines. The clunks should rest almost
against the back of the tank when the stopper is in place but
move freely. Adjust the length of the fuel line until the proper
length has been reached.Once you are satisfied with the fit,
secure the stopper using the Phillips head screw in the
stopper assembly. Be careful not to overtighten as the fuel
tank could split.

❏ 8.Cut a piece of 1/4" [6.4 mm] f oam rubber (not included)

to fit the fuel tank mounting tray. Glue it in place using CA.
Temporarily insert the fuel tank into the fuselage as shown.

❏ 9. Drill a hole through the firewall for the carburetor fuel

line to pass through. Use the position of the fuel tank lines
and the fuel inlet on the carburetor to locate the hole. An
extended drill bit can be used, or mark where the hole is to
be drilled and remove the engine from the mount to use a
standard length drill bit. Drill another hole (if you equipped
your fuel tank with a fill line) on the underside of the engine
mounting box for the fill line .The vent line can also be routed
out the underside of the mounting box.

❏ 10. Secure the fuel tank to the mounting tray using the

included tie-straps. Align the grooves in the tank with the
grooves cut out of the sides of the mounting tray. Fit the tie­straps around these grooves.

Note: The fuel line and stopper included in the Great Planes
Yak 54 1.60 ARF are NOT gasoline safe. Gasoline will
degrade the rubber stopper and silicone fuel tubing
supplied.You will need to purchase a gasoline safe stopper
and gasoline safe tubing to use for the fuel system on this
model. The Sullivan #484 Gasoline/Diesel fuel tank

conversion kit (SULQ2684) works well for this. See the

“Fuel T ank Setup”

section on page 3.

A mounting template for the Fuji-Imvac BT-43 EI engine is
provided on the back cov er page of this manual and pictures
taken show the installation of this model gas engine. If
another model engine is used, the engine manufacturer ma y
provide a mounting template to use on the firewall.The gas
engine installation will be similar for most model engines.

Because of the possibility of ignition engines creating
radio noise, we use a plastic pushrod for the throttle
servo installation. This isolates the engine and any
radio noise from the servos. This is an IMPORTANT
selection, and we cannot recommend strongly
enough that you DO NOT change this pushrod to a
metal pushrod. All radio equipment – including
throttle servo, receiver battery, electronic kill switch,
receiver on/off switch, servo leads – should be
mounted at least 10" [250 mm] away from anything
related to the ignition/gasoline engine. Any material
used between the engine and the radio equipment is
STRONGLY recommended to be plastic, nylon, or
otherwise non-metallic and nonconductive to
minimize ignition noise transmission.

Optional Gas Engine Installation

21

❏ 1. Cut the mounting bolt template for the Fuji-Imvac

BT-43 EI Gas Engine from the rear of this manual and tape it
to the firewall.Align the vertical and horizontal lines as shown.

❏ 2. Mark the hole centers with a pin and drill 3/32"

[2.5 mm] pilot holes at the cross marks for the bolt holes.

❏ 3. Remove the template and enlarge the holes using a

1/4" [6 mm] drill bit.

❏ 4. Install 10-32 blind nuts (not included) into the rear of

the firewall using epoxy. Thread a 10-32 bolt with a washer
into each blind nut to draw them tight against the firewall.

❏ 5. Mount the engine inverted to the firewall using 10-32 x

1-1/4 " [ 32 mm ] bolts, #10 flat washers and #10 lock washers
(not included).If the nec k of the blind nuts you are using protrude
from the front of the firewall, install #10 washers (not included)
in between the engine and firewall over the blind nuts.The face
of the prop hub will be approximately 6-3/4" [171 mm] when
installing the Fuji-Imvac BT-43 EI engine. Other brand engines
may vary slightly in length. The acceptable range is 6-3/4" to
7-1/4" [171 to 184 mm] (this distance will automatically be
adjusted for when using the cowl ring).

❏ 6. Mount the ignition unit and gas ignition kill switch

following the guidelines from the shaded box on the bottom
right-hand column on page 21 and following your engine
manufacturer’s instructions.There is space available behind
the firewall.

❏ 7. Remove the stopper from the included fuel tank and

replace it with a gas safe stopper as mentioned above.

❏ 8. Assemble the stopper using Du-Bro #813 1/8" [3.2 mm]

I.D .fuel line barbs and 1/8" [3.2 mm] brass tubing as sho wn.
Solder the barbs to the brass tubing but be careful not to
overheat the assembly as it could cause damage to the
rubber stopper.See the

Expert Tip

that follows.

B. Solder a Du-Bro fuel line barb onto one end of each of
the three tubes (be sure that the barbs are positioned on
the tubes so that they will secure the fuel tubing when
fitted in place). Slide the barbs in place and apply a small
amount of solder to the joints between the barbs and the
tubes. Solder will wick into the joints securing them in
place. Be careful not to use too much solder as it could
obstruct fuel flow inside the tubes.

Note: The item used in the picture above to hold the tubes
is the X-Acto Extra Hands Double Clip (XACR4214).

A. Cut one of the two brass tubes included with the Sullivan
conversion kit in half (approximately 1-3/4" [45 mm] pieces).
Prepare the tubes for solder by scuffing up the ends with
sandpaper and cleaning them with alcohol.

22

❏ 9. Attach gasoline safe fuel line with clunks to the tubing as

shown;remember to bend the vent line upw ards towards the top
of the fuel tank.The clunks should move freely, but rest almost
against the back of the tank when the tank is held vertical.

❏ 1. Install the throttle servo into one of the open servo

bays in the center of the fuselage. An additional throttle
servo tray is provided in case the throttle cable being used
will not work with a center mounted servo.The tray can be
glued to the side of the center servo bays, or trimmed and
mounted elsewhere inside the fuselage.

❏ 2. Using a non-metallic flexible pushrod system (not

included), connect the throttle servo to the carburetor on
your engine. The Great Planes Semi-Flexible Pushrod
System (GPMQ3714) would work well in this application.
Since engine installations can vary, the location of the holes
in the formers and firewall for the pushrod to route through
will also vary. Use the photos as a guide for the installation.
Temporarily install the wing panels and be sure that the
pushrod does not interfere with fully seating the wing panels
into the fuselage.

❏ 1. Locate the five cowl rings that match the engine you will

be installing into the Yak 54 1.60 ARF. Other model engines
besides the O.S.1.60 FX and Fuji-Imvac BT-43 EI can still use
the rings; however, modification to the holes for the drive

Prepare the Cowl

Install the Throttle Servo (Gas Engine)

C. Assemble the stopper by inserting the tubes through
the large stopper plate, stopper, and then the small
stopper plate. Join the plates and stopper together using
the screw that came with the conversion kit.

23

washer and prop shaft may be required and it is up to the
modeler to do so.We suggest reading through the entire cowl
preparation section before building the cowl ring so you
understand how it works and will be able to modify the ring if
necessary while assembling it to match your engine.

❏ 2. Glue the three smaller rings together, being careful to

align them flush. Test fit this assembly into the front of the
cowl. It should be able to pass through the opening. If not,
sand the edges until it can.

❏ 3. Glue the two larger rings together, being careful to align

them flush. Note that one large ring has a small hole in the
center, and the other large ring has a large hole in the center.

❏ 4. Glue the two cowl ring assemblies together with the

center holes all flush. Be sure that the large ring with the
small hole in the center is at the bottom.

❏ 5. Test fit the cowl ring onto the firewall to determine its

correct orientation.The holes in the co wl ring will only line up
with the holes in the firewall one way.

❏ 6.Sand the inside perimeter of the cowl approximately 1"

[25 mm] from the aft end to prepare it for glue. Clean the
sanded area with compressed air and wipe it down with
denatured alcohol.

❏ 7.Temporarily secure the cowl ring to the firewall using a

few 4-40 x 1/2" [13 mm] socket head cap screws. Slide the
cowl over the cowl ring, aligning the colors on the cowl with
the colors on the fuselage. Overlap the fuselage with the
cowl by 1/4" [6 mm].This step has positioned the cowl ring
inside the cowl so the colors will align when the cowl is
permanently glued to the cowl ring.

❏ 8. Use the included cowl ring to accurately set the depth

and angle of the cowl so that it is centered over the spinner.
The ring fits onto the engine crankshaft with the round recess
fitting over the engine drive washer as shown. Slide the ring
onto the crankshaft until it touches the front of the cowl.While
maintaining even pressure around the ring, use it to push the

24

cowl back until the ring is fully seated on the drive washer.
(Some engine installations may require you to cut a portion of
the cowl awa y to clear the engine head in order to fit it onto the
fuselage. Cut away just enough needed to fit the cowl now. A
clean-edged, straight, cooling hole can be more carefully cut
out when finishing the model).

❏ 9. Carefully remove the cowl ring from the engine

crankshaft being sure not to disturb the position of the cowl
(masking tape will help hold the cowl in position).Temporarily
secure the cowl ring to the cowl with a couple of dots of
6-minute epoxy. Using the included extra long 3/32" [2.4 mm]
allen key, remove the 4-40 x 1/2" [13 mm] cap head screws
securing the cowl ring to the firewall. Slide the cowl and cowl
ring off of the fuselage as one piece. The friction fit between
the ring, cowl and the epoxy will hold them together.

❏ 10. Mix up 1/2 oz. [15 cc] batch of 30-minute epoxy

combined with Top Flite Microballoons Filler (if using a gas
engine, substitute Microballoons Filler with Great Planes

Pro Milled Fiberglass for a stronger joint and make a larger
fillet as described in this step).Make an epoxy fillet along the
front of the cowl ring where it meets the cowl. Do not apply
epoxy to the back of the cowl ring as it will interfere with the
ring sitting flush against the firewall. Let the cowl sit
undisturbed until the epoxy has cured.

❏ 1. Install your receiver switch or an optional switch

mounting jack (we used the Great Planes Switch/Charge
Jack Mounting Set, GPMM1000) in a position on the
fuselage so the battery and charge leads are a within reach
of the receiver tray.

Note: The Yak 54 1.60 ARF includes an optional aft
receiver/battery tray. This tray can be used if the model

requires excessive weight added to the tail in order to balance
within the range specified in the balance section of this
manual.Heavier gas engines will most likely result in required
tail weight. If tail weight is required, fit the optional aft
receiver/battery tray into the fuselage as shown and glue it in
place. Move your radio equipment to the aft tray and
rebalance the model.The servo e xtensions mentioned earlier
are long enough to reach the aft receiver/battery installation.

Install the Radio System

FINISH THE MODEL

An extra-long 3/32" [2.4 mm] allen wrench is included with
the Yak 54 1.60 ARF to install and remove the cowl
screws.If you w ould like to mak e an e xtended wrench with
a handle rather than the one supplied with an “L”-bend,
one could be made by splicing together a 3/32" [2.4 mm]
ball-end hex wrench with a piece of 4-40 pushrod and 1/8"
[3.2 mm] brass tubing. Use a file to round the ends of the
wrench so they will fit into the brass tubes.Then, hold it all
together with silver solder.

The wrench can be made to any length you like, and is so
useful that it will probably become a permanent addition to
the field box.

Make Your Own Extra-Long Hex Wrench

25

❏ 2. Connect the rudder servos, elevator servos, and

throttle servo (if using a radio system that does not support
mixing, install Y-harnesses to the servos) to the receiver and
wrap it in 1/4" [6 mm] foam rubber. Also wrap the receiver
battery in foam rubber. Cut the included hook and loop
material into two equal lengths and use it to secure the
receiver and battery to the tray as shown (the same
instructions apply if using the optional aft receiver/battery
tray).Feed the receiver antenna through the plastic antenna
tube installed on the right side of the fuse.

❏ 3. At this point, the servo wires should be organized and

secured out of the way of the rudder pull-pull cables if using
the pull-pull system. One easy way to do this is to cut a few
#64 rubber bands into 3/4" to 1" [19 to 25 mm] long pieces
and use them as wire straps by gluing them to the side of
the fuselage with CA glue. For best adhesion, roughen the
area with sandpaper before applying CA.

❏ 1.Hold the cowl up to the firewall and mark where you will

be cutting out a cooling hole (exhaust exit hole).If installing
a glow engine, you will also want to mark the position for a
glow starter hole and a needle valve hole.

❏ 2. Use a rotar y cutting tool to cut the cooling hole and a

drill for the other holes you have marked. For a clean,
finished look, use a bar sander with 220-grit sandpaper to
clean up straight cuts, and sand the curved or round cuts by
hand.Test fit the cowl onto the fuselage and make any other
adjustments necessary to clear engine components.

❏ 3. Install the cowl with the long 3/32" [2.4 mm] allen key

using six 4-40 x 1/2" [13 mm] SHCS, six #4 flat washers, and
six #4 lock washers.

Install the Cowl

26

O.S. Max 1.60 FX

❏ 1. Slide the spinner backplate onto the crankshaft. Ream

the propeller as necessary to fit the engine and push it onto
the crankshaft (don’t forget to balance your prop!).Install the
prop washer and mating jam nut onto the crankshaft and
properly tighten the nut.

❏ 2. Tighten the spinner adapter against the prop nut.

❏ 3. Secure the spinner to the adapter with the 5 x 55mm

[3/16" x 2-5/32"] spinner screw. If the screw is too long, use
a cutoff tool such as a Dremel rotary tool to shorten the
screw. Thread the included 5mm [3/16"] nut onto the spinner
screw before cutting. When the nut is removed, it will
straighten the threads on the screw that may have been
deformed from the cutting process.

Note: The procedure for attaching the spinner to a Fuji-Imvac
BT-43 EI engine is the same as the 1.60 FX. However, you will
use the spinner bolt included with the engine instead of the
spinner adapter shown above .There is a longer 70mm [2-3/4"]
spinner screw provided for use with gas engines.

❏ 1. Slide the aluminum wing tube into the fuselage.

❏ 2. Push the wing panels into position, feeding the aileron

servo extensions through the holes in the fuselage.

❏ 3. Use the included nylon wing bolts to tighten the wing

panels to the fuselage.Be sure that the root ribs in the wings
are flat against the fuselage sides.

❏ 4. Locate the four holes beneath the covering for the

canopy mounting bolts. Use a sharp hobby knife to trim the
covering from the holes.

❏ 5. Bevel the ends of the canopy alignment pegs with

sandpaper.Confirm that they will fit into the two holes in the
front of the canopy.

Attach the Wing & CanopyInstall the Spinner

27

❏ 6. Use epoxy to glue the pegs into the canopy, leaving

7/16" [11 mm] protruding from the front.

❏ 7.Tilt the canopy in place by inserting the alignment pegs

into their mating holes in the fuselage and pushing the
mounting tabs in back into the mating slots on the sides of
the fuselage. If the canopy is difficult to install, sand a bit of
material away from the pegs a little at a time until the canop y
fully seats onto the fuse.

❏ 8. Secure the canopy to the fuselage using four 4-40 x 1"

[25 mm] SHCS and four #4 flat washers.We suggest using
medium CA to glue the washers to the screws. This will
prevent the washers from falling into the fuselage when the
screws are removed.

❏ 9.The lexan canopy needs to be glued to the canopy frame.

If you choose to, no w is the time to paint the inside of the cockpit,
install the instrument panel decal, install the included canopy
floor and headrest. You can also install the pilot figure of your
choice (not included). After you have completed detailing the
cockpit, glue the lexan canop y to the canopy frame using canop y
glue such as Pacer Formula 560 canopy glue (PAAR3300).
Reinstall the six canopy screws.

1.Use scissors or a sharp hobby knife to cut the decals from
the sheet.

2. Be certain the model is clean and free from oily fingerprints
and dust. Prepare a dishpan or small bucket with a mixture of
liquid dish soap and warm water–about one teaspoon of soap
per gallon of water.Submerse the decal in the soap and water
and peel off the paper backing.Note: Even though the decals
have a “sticky-back” and are not the water transfer type,
submersing them in soap and water allows accurate
positioning and reduces air bubbles underneath.

3. Position decal on the model where desired. Holding the
decal down, use a paper towel to wipe most of the water a wa y.

4. Use a piece of soft balsa or something similar to
squeegee remaining water from under the decal. Apply the
rest of the decals the same way.

❏ 1. Turn on the transmitter and receiver and center the

trims. If necessary, remove the servo arms from the servos
and reposition them so they are centered. Reinstall the
screws that hold on the servo arms.

❏ 2. With the transmitter and receiver still on, check all the

control surfaces to see if they are centered.If necessary, adjust
the clevises on the pushrods to center the control surfaces.

❏ 3.Make certain that the control surfaces and the carburetor

respond in the correct direction as shown in the diagram.If any
of the controls respond in the wrong direction, use the servo
reversing in the transmitter to reverse the servos connected to
those controls. Be cer tain the control surfaces have remained
centered. Adjust if necessary.

Check the Control Directions

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY

Apply the Decals

28

Due to the size of the control surfaces on the GP Y ak 54 1.60
ARF, use of a Great Planes AccuThrow™is not possible for
measuring throws. A ruler should be used to accurately
measure and set the control throw of each control surface as
indicated in the chart that follows.

Note: The throws are measured at the widest part of the
elevators, rudder and ailerons.

At this stage the model should be in ready-to-fly condition
with all of the systems in place, including the engine, landing
gear, and the radio system.

❏ 1. Use a felt-tip pen or 1/8" [3 mm]-wide tape to accurately

mark the C.G. on the top of the wing on both sides of the
fuselage.The C.G. is located 5-1/8" [130 mm] back from the
leading edge of the wing at the fuselage.

❏ 2. With the wing attached to the fuselage, all parts of the

model installed (ready to fly) and an empty fuel tank, place
the model upside-down on a Great Planes CG Machine, or
lift it upside-down at the balance point you marked.

❏ 3.If the tail drops, the model is “tail heavy”and the battery

pack and/or receiver must be shifted forward or weight must
be added to the nose to balance. If the nose drops, the
model is “nose heavy” and the batter y pack and/or receiver
must be shifted aft or weight must be added to the tail to
balance. If possible, relocate the battery pack and receiver
to minimize or eliminate any additional ballast required. If
additional weight is required, nose weight may be easily
added by using a “spinner weight”(GPMQ4645 for the 1 oz.

This is where your model should balance for the first
flights. Later, you may wish to experiment by shifting the
C.G. up to 1/2" [13 mm] forward or 1/2" [13 mm] back to
change the flying characteristics. Moving the C.G.forward
may improve the smoothness and stability, but the model
may then require more speed for tak eoff and mak e it more
difficult to slow for landing.Moving the C.G.aft makes the
model more maneuverable, but could also cause it to
become too difficult to control. In any case, start at the
recommended balance point and do not at any time
balance the model outside the specified range.

More than any other factor, the C.G. (balance point) can
have the greatest effect on how a model flies, and may
determine whether or not your first flight will be
successful. If you value this model and wish to enjoy it for
many flights, DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS IMPORTANT
PROCEDURE. A model that is not properly balanced will
be unstable and possibly unflyable.

Balance the Model (G.G.)

IMPORTANT: The Yak 54 1.60 ARF has been extensively

flown and tested to arrive at the throws at which it flies best.
Flying your model at these throws will provide you with the
greatest chance for successful first flights.If , after you have
become accustomed to the way the Yak 54 1.60 ARF flies,
you would like to change the throws to suit your taste, that
is fine. However, too much control throw could make the
model difficult to control, so remember, “more is not always
better.” In order to achieve the full 3D rates noted in the
chart above, you will need to purchase longer servo arms.
Refer to the

“Optional Supplies & Tools”

section on page

4 for part numbers.

These are the recommended control surface throws:

High Rate Low Rate

ELEVATOR: 1-1/4" [32 mm] up 7/8" [22 mm] up

1-1/4" [32 mm] down 7/8" [22 mm] down

RUDDER: 2-1/2" [64 mm] right 1" [25 mm] right

2-1/2" [64 mm] left 1" [25 mm] left

AILERONS: 1" [25 mm] up 7/8" [22 mm] up

1" [25 mm] down 7/8" [22 mm] down

3D RATES
3D ELEVATOR: 2-1/2" [64 mm] up

2-1/2" [64 mm] down

3D RUDDER: 4" [102 mm] right

4" [102 mm] left

3D AILERONS: 2-1/4" [57 mm] up

2-1/4" [57 mm] down

Set the Control Throws

29

[28 g] weight, or GPMQ4646 for the 2 oz. [57 g] weight). If
spinner weight is not practical or is not enough, use Great
Planes (GPMQ4485) “stick-on” lead. A good place to add
stick-on nose weight is to the firewall (don’t attach weight to
the cowl–it is not intended to support weight). Begin by
placing incrementally increasing amounts of weight on the
bottom of the fuse over the firew all until the model balances .
Once you have determined the amount of weight required, it
can be permanently attached. If required, tail weight may be
added by cutting open the bottom of the fuse and gluing it
permanently inside.

Note: Do not rely upon the adhesive on the back of the lead
weight to permanently hold it in place. Over time, fuel and
exhaust residue may soften the adhesive and cause the
weight to fall off .Use #2 sheet metal scre ws, RTV silicone or
epoxy to permanently hold the weight in place.

❏ 4. IMPORTANT: If you found it necessary to add any

weight, recheck the C.G.after the weight has been installed.

❏ 1. With the wing level, have an assistant help you lift the

model by the engine propeller shaft and the bottom of the
fuse under the TE of the fin.Do this several times.

❏ 2.If one wing alw ays drops when y ou lift the model, it means

that side is heavy. Balance the airplane by adding weight to the
other wing tip. An airplane that has been laterally balanced

will track better in loops and other maneuvers.

No matter if you fly at an AMA sanctioned R/C club site or if you
fly somewhere on your own, y ou should always ha ve your name,
address, telephone number and AMA number on or inside your
model. It is required at all AMA R/C club flying sites and AMA
sanctioned flying events .Fill out the identification tag on page 35
and place it on or inside your model.

Follow the battery charging instructions that came with your
radio control system to charge the batteries. You should
always charge your transmitter and receiver batteries the
night before you go flying, and at other times as
recommended by the radio manufacturer.

Carefully balance your propeller and spare propellers before
you fly. An unbalanced prop can be the single most
significant cause of vibration that can damage your model.
Not only will engine mounting screws and bolts loosen,
possibly with disastrous effect, but vibration may also
damage your radio receiver and battery. Vibration can also
cause your fuel to foam, which will, in turn, cause your
engine to run hot or quit.

We use a Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer

™

(TOPQ5700) in the workshop and keep a Great Planes
Fingertip Prop Balancer (GPMQ5000) in our flight box.

If the engine is new, follow the engine manufacturer’s
instructions to break-in the engine. After break-in, confirm
that the engine idles reliably, transitions smoothly and
rapidly to full power and maintains full power–indefinitely.
After you run the engine on the model, inspect the model
closely to make sure all screws remained tight, the hinges
are secure, the prop is secure and all pushrods and
connectors are secure.

Ground check the operational range of your r adio before the
first flight of the day. With the transmitter antenna collapsed
and the receiver and transmitter on, you should be able to
walk at least 100 feet away from the model and still have
control. Have an assistant stand by your model and, while
you work the controls, tell you what the control surfaces are
doing. Repeat this test with the engine running at various

Range Check

Ground Check

Balance the Propellers

CAUTION: Unless the instructions that came with your

radio system state differently, the initial charge on new
transmitter and receiver batteries should be done for 15
hours using the slow-charger that came with the radio
system.This will “condition” the batteries so that the next
charge may be done using the fast-charger of y our choice.
If the initial charge is done with a fast-charger the
batteries may not reach their full capacity and you may be
flying with batteries that are only partially charged.

Charge the Batteries

Identify Y our Model

PREFLIGHT

Balance the Model Laterally

30

speeds with an assistant holding the model, using hand
signals to show you what is happening. If the control
surfaces do not respond correctly, do not fly! Find and
correct the problem first.Look f or loose servo connections or
broken wires, corroded wires on old servo connectors, poor
solder joints in your battery pack or a defective cell, or a
damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash.

Keep all engine fuel in a safe place, away from high heat,
sparks or flames, as fuel is very flammable. Do not smoke
near the engine or fuel; and remember that engine exhaust
gives off a great deal of deadly carbon monoxide.Therefore,
do not run the engine in a closed room or garage.

Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to
operate engines.

Use safety glasses when starting or running engines.
Do not run the engine in an area of loose gravel or sand;the

propeller may throw such material in your face or eyes.
Keep your f ace and body as well as all spectators a wa y from the

plane of rotation of the propeller as you start and run the engine.
Keep these items away from the prop: loose clothing, shirt

sleeves, ties, scarves, long hair or loose objects such as
pencils or screwdrivers that may fall out of shirt or jacket s
into the prop.

Use a “chicken stick” or electric star ter to start the engine.
Do not use your fingers to flip the propeller .Mak e certain the
glow plug clip or connector is secure so that it will not pop
off or otherwise get into the running propeller.

Make all engine adjustments from behind the rotating propeller.
The engine gets hot! Do not touch it during or right after

operation. Make sure fuel lines are in good condition so fuel
will not leak onto a hot engine, causing a fire.

To stop a glow engine, cut off the fuel supply by closing off
the fuel line or following the engine manufacturer’s
recommendations. Do not use hands, fingers or any other
body part to try to stop the engine. To stop a gasoline
powered engine an on/off switch should be connected to the
engine coil. Do not throw anything into the propeller of a
running engine.

Read and abide by the following excerpts from the Academy
of Model Aeronautics Safety Code.For the complete Safety
Code refer to

Model Aviation

magazine, the AMA web site or

the Code that came with your AMA license.

1) I will not fly my model aircraft in sanctioned events, air
shows, or model flying demonstrations until it has been
proven to be airworthy by having been previously,
successfully flight tested.

2) I will not fly my model aircraft higher than approximately
400 feet within 3 miles of an airport without notifying the
airport operator .I will giv e right-of-wa y and av oid flying in the
proximity of full-scale aircraft.Where necessary, an observer
shall be utilized to supervise flying to avoid having models
fly in the proximity of full-scale aircraft.

3) Where established, I will abide by the safety rules for the
flying site I use, and I will not willfully and deliberately fly my
models in a careless, reckless and/or dangerous manner.

5) I will not fly my model unless it is identified with my name
and address or AMA number, on or in the model.Note:This
does not apply to models while being flown indoors.

7) I will not operate models with pyrotechnics (any device
that explodes, burns, or propels a projectile of any kind).

1) I will have completed a successful radio equipment ground
check before the first flight of a new or repaired model.

2) I will not fly my model aircraft in the presence of
spectators until I become a qualified flier, unless assisted b y
an experienced helper.

3) At all flying sites a straight or curved line(s) must be
established in front of which all flying takes place with the
other side for spectators.Only personnel involved with flying
the aircraft are allowed at or in the front of the flight line.
Intentional flying behind the flight line is prohibited.

4) I will operate my model using only radio control frequencies
currently allowed by the Federal Communications Commission.

5) I will not knowingly operate my model within three

miles of any pre-existing flying site except in
accordance with the frequency sharing agreement
listed [in the complete AMA Safety Code].

9) Under no circumstances may a pilot or other person touch
a powered model in flight; nor should any part of the

model other than the landing gear, intentionally touch
the ground, except while landing.

Radio Control

General

AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)

Failure to follow these safety precautions may result
in severe injury to yourself and others.

ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

31

Since the Yak 54 1.60 ARF qualifies as a “giant-scale”
model and is therefore eligible to fly in IMAA events,
we’ve printed excerpts from the IMAA Safety Code
which follows.

What is Giant-Scale?

The concept of large or giant-scale is generally considered
to apply to radio controlled model aircraft with minimum
wingspans of 80 inches for monoplanes and 60 inches for
multi-wing aircraft. Quarter-scale or larger replicas of
person-carrying aircraft with proper documentation
(minimum 3-view drawing) which do not fit the size
requirements will also be permitted.

SECTION 1.0: SAFETY STANDARD

1.1 – Adherence to Code: The purpose of this Safety Code
is to provide a structure whereby all participants, including
spectators, will be aware of the inherent dangers in the
operation of radio controlled aircraft. This code is meant to
serve as a minimum guideline to all participants. It is
understood that the ultimate responsibility for the safety of
any aircraft lies with the owner(s), pilot(s) and spectator(s)
involv ed in any e vent.It is the responsibility of all participants
to exercise caution when operating, or observing the
operation of all radio controlled aircraft.The pilot/owner of an
aircraft will not be dissuaded from taking whatever steps
they deem necessary, in addition to this code, to insure that
their aircraft is safe.

1.2 – The most current AMA Safety Code in effect is to
be observed.

SECTION 3.0: SAFETY REVIEW

3.4 – Flight Testing:All aircraft are to have been flight tested
and flight trimmed with a minimum of six (6) flights before
the model is allowed to fly at an IMAA Sanctioned event.

3.5 – Proof of Flight: The completing and signing of the
Declaration section of the Safety Review form (see Section

3.2) by the pilot (or owner) shall document, as fact, that the
noted aircraft has been successfully flight tested and proven
airworthy prior to the IMAA event.

SECTION 4.0: SPOTTER/HELPER

4.1 – Spotter/Helper Definition: An assistant to aid the pilot
during start-up, and taxiing onto the runway. The
spotter/helper will assist the pilot in completing a safe flight.

4.2 – Each pilot is required to have a spotter/helper at all
IMAA sanctioned events. The event Safety Committee
should be prepared to assist those pilots who do not have a
spotter/helper to make sure that every registered pilot has
the opportunity to fly at a sanctioned event.

SECTION 5.0: EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
(Kill Switch)

5.1 – Magneto spark ignition engines must have a coil­grounding switch on the aircraft to stop the engine.This will
also prevent accidental starting of the engine. This switch
shall be readily available to both pilot and spotter/helper.
This switch is to be operated manually and without the use
of the Radio System.

5.2 – Engines with battery powered ignition systems must
have a switch to turn off the power from the battery pack to
disable the engine from firing. This will also prevent
accidental starting of the engine.This switch shall be readily
available to both pilot and spotter/helper.This switch shall be
operated manually and without the use of the Radio System.

5.3 – There must also be a means to stop the engine from
the transmitter.The most common method is to completely
close the carburetor throat using throttle trim;howev er, other
methods are acceptable. This requirement applies to all
glow/gas ignition engines regardless of size.

SECTION 6.0: RADIO REQUIREMENTS

6.1 – All transmitters must be FCC type certified.

6.2 – FCC Technician or higher-class license required for 6
meter band operation only.

ADDITIONAL IMAA GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations are included in the Safety
Code not to police such items, but rather to offer basic
suggestions for enhanced safety. It is expected that IMAA
members will avail themselv es of technological adv ances as
such become available, to promote the safety of all aircraft
and participants.

Servos need to be of a rating capable to handle the loads
that the control surfaces impose upon the servos. Standard
servos are not recommended for control surfaces. Servos
should be rated heavy-duty. For flight-critical control
functions a minimum of 45 inch/ounces of torque should be
considered. This should be considered a minimum for
smaller aircraft and higher torque servos are strongly
encouraged for larger aircraft.The use of one servo for each
aileron and one for each stabilizer half is strongly
recommended. Use of dual servos is also recommended on
larger aircraft.

On-board batteries should be, at a minimum, 1000mAh up
to 20 lbs., 1200mAh to 30 lbs., 1800mAh to 40 lbs., and
2000mAh over 40 lbs.flying weight.The number and size of
servos, size and loads on control surfaces, and added
features should be considered as an increase to these
minimums. Batteries should be able to sustain power to the
onboard radio components for a minimum of one hour total
flying time before recharging.

IMAA SAFETY CODE (excerpts)

32

Dependable, redundant and fail-safe battery systems
are recommended.

The use of anti-glitch devices for long leads is recommended.
There is no maximum engine displacement limit, as it is the

position of this body that an under powered aircraft presents a
greater danger than an over powered aircraft. However, the
selections of engine size relative to airframe strength and
power loading mandates good discretionary judgment by the
designer and builder. Current AMA maximums for engine
displacement are 6.0 cu in for two-stroke and 9.6 cu in f or f our­stroke engines.These maximums apply only to AMA Sanction
competition events (such as 511, 512, 515 and 520). All non
competition events should be sanctioned as Class C e v ents, in
which these engine size maximums do not apply.

Generally, it is recommended that no attempt should be made
to fly a radio controlled model aircraft with a gasoline engine in
which the model aircraft weight would exceed 12 pounds per
cubic inch of engine displacement (under powered), or be less
than 5 pounds per cubic inch of engine displacement
(overpowered). Example: Using a 3 cu in engine, a model
would likely be under powered at an aircraft weight greater
than 36 pounds. With the same engine, an aircraft weighing
less than 15 pounds would likely be overpowered.

Servo arms and control horns should be rated heavy-duty.
Glass-filled servo arms and control horns are
highly recommended.

Control surface linkages are listed in order of preference:

1. Cable system (pull-pull).A tiller bar is highly recommended
along with necessary bracing.

2. Arrow Shaft, fiberglass or aluminum, 1/4" or 5/16" OD.
Bracing every six (6) to ten (10) inches is
highly recommended.

3. Tube-in-tube (nyrod). Bracing every few inches is highly
recommended. Inner tube should be totally enclosed in
outer tube.

4. Hardwood dowel, 3/8" O.D. Bracing every six (6) to ten
(10) inches is highly recommended.

Hinges should be rated heavy-duty and manufactured
primarily for use in giant-scale aircraft. Homemade and
original design hinges are acceptable if determined to be
adequate for the intended use.

Clevis (steel, excluding heavy-duty ball links) and
attachment hardware should be heavy-duty 4-40 threaded
rod type. 2-56 threaded size rod is acceptable for some
applications (e.g.throttle). Clevises must have lock nuts and
sleeve (fuel tubing) or spring keepers.

Propeller tips should be painted or colored in a visible and
contrasting manner to increase the visibility of the propeller
tip arc.

❏ 1. Fuelproof all areas exposed to fuel or exhaust

residue such as the cowl ring, cowl mounting blocks,
wing saddle area, etc.

❏ 2. Check the C.G. according to the measurements

provided in the manual.

❏ 3. Be certain the battery and receiver are securely

mounted in the fuse. Simply stuffing them into place
with foam rubber is not sufficient.

❏ 4. Extend your receiver antenna and make sure it has a

strain relief inside the fuselage to keep tension off the
solder joint inside the receiver.

❏ 5. Balance your model

laterally

as explained in

the instructions.

❏ 6. Use thread-locking compound to secure critical

fasteners such as the set screws that hold the wheel
axles to the struts, screws that hold the carburetor arm
(if applicable), screw-lock pushrod connectors, etc.

❏ 7. Add a drop of oil to the axles so the wheels will

turn freely.

❏ 8. Make sure all hinges are securely glued in place.
❏ 9. Reinforce holes for wood screws with thin CA where

appropriate (servo mounting screws, control horn
screws, etc.).

❏ 10. Confir m that all controls operate in the correct direction

and the throws are set up according to the manual.

❏ 11. Make sure there are silicone retainers on all the

clevises and that all servo arms are secured to the
servos with the screws included with your radio.

❏ 12.Secure connections between servo wires and

Y-connectors or servo extensions, and the
connection between your battery pack and the on/off
switch with vinyl tape, heat-shrink tubing or special
clips suitable for that purpose.

❏ 13. Make sure any servo extension cords you may have

used do not interfere with other systems (servo arms,
pushrods, etc.).

❏ 14. Secure the pressure tap (if used) to the muffler with

high temp RTV silicone, thread-locking compound or
J.B. Weld.

❏ 15.Make sure the fuel lines are connected and are

not kinked.

❏ 16. Balance your propeller (and spare propellers).
❏ 17. Tighten the propeller nut and spinner.
❏ 18.Place your name, address, AMA number and

telephone number on or inside your model.

During the last few moments of preparation your mind may
be elsewhere anticipating the excitement of the first flight.
Because of this, you may be more likely to overlook certain
checks and procedures that should be performed before the
model is flown.To help avoid this, a check list is provided to
make sure these important areas are not overlooked. Many
are covered in the instruction manual, so where appropriate,
refer to the manual for complete instructions. Be sure to
check the items off as they are completed.

CHECK LIST

33

❏ 19. Cycle your receiver battery pack (if necessary) and

make sure it is fully charged.

❏ 20. If you wish to photograph your model, do so before

your first flight.

❏ 21. Range check your radio when you get to the flying field.

The Yak 54 1.60 ARF is a great-flying model that flies
smoothly and predictably. The Yak 54 1.60 ARF does not,
however, possess the self-recovery characteristics of a
primary R/C trainer and should be flown only by experienced
R/C pilots.

A fully cowled engine may run at a higher temperature than
an un-cowled engine. For this reason, the fuel mixture
should be richened so the engine runs at about 200 RPM
below peak speed. By running the engine slightly rich, you
will help prevent dead-stic k landings caused by overheating.

Before you get ready to tak e off, see how the model handles
on the ground by doing a few practice runs at low speeds
on the runway. Hold “up” elevator to keep the tail wheel on
the ground. If necessar y, adjust the tail wheel so the model
will roll straight down the runway. If you need to calm your
nerves before the maiden flight, shut the engine down and

bring the model back into the pits.Top off the fuel, and then
check all fasteners and control linkages for peace of mind.
Remember to take off into the wind. When you’re ready,
point the model straight down the runway, hold a bit of up
elevator to keep the tail on the ground to maintain tail wheel
steering, and then gradually advance the throttle. As the
model gains speed, decrease up elevator, allowing the tail to
come off the ground. One of the most impor tant things to
remember with a tail dragger is to always be ready to apply
right rudder to counteract engine torque. Gain as much
speed as your runway and flying site will practically allow
before gently applying up elevator, lifting the model into the
air.At this moment it is likely that you will need to apply more
right rudder to counteract engine torque. Be smooth on the
elevator stick, allowing the model to establish a gentle climb
to a safe altitude before turning into the traffic pattern.

For reassurance and to keep an eye on other traffic, it is a
good idea to have an assistant on the flight line with you.Tell
him to remind you to throttle back once the plane gets to a
comfortable altitude.While full throttle is usually desirable for
takeoff, most models fly more smoothly at reduced speeds.

Take it easy with the Yak 54 1.60 ARF for the first few flights,
gradually getting acquainted with it as you gain confidence.
Adjust the trims to maintain straight and level flight. After
flying around for a while, and while still at a saf e altitude with
plenty of fuel, practice slow flight and execute practice
landing approaches by reducing the throttle to see how the
model handles at slower speeds.Add power to see ho w she
climbs as well. Continue to fly around, executing various
maneuvers and making mental notes (or having your
assistant write them down) of what trim or C.G. changes
may be required to fine- tune the model so it flies the way
you like. Mind your fuel level, but use this first flight to
become familiar with your model before landing.

To initiate a landing approach, lower the throttle while on the
downwind leg. Allow the nose of the model to pitch
downward to gradually bleed off altitude. Continue to lose
altitude, but maintain airspeed by k eeping the nose down as
you turn onto the crosswind leg.Make your final turn toward
the runway (into the wind), keeping the nose down to
maintain airspeed and control. Level the attitude when the
model reaches the runway threshold, modulating the throttle
as necessary to maintain your glide path and airspeed. If
you are going to overshoot, smoothly advance the throttle
(always ready on the right rudder to counteract torque) and
climb out to make another attempt. When you’re ready to
make your landing flare and the model is a foot or so off the
deck, smoothly increase up elevator until it gently touches
down. Once the model is on the r unway and has lost flying
speed, hold up elevator to place the tail on the ground,
regaining tail wheel control.

Landing

Flight

Takeoff

Fuel Mixture Adjustments

CAUTION (THIS APPLIES TO ALL

R/C AIRPLANES): If,
while flying, you notice an alarming or unusual sound
such as a low-pitched “buzz,” this may indicate control
surface

flutter

.Flutter occurs when a control surface (such
as an aileron or elevator) or a flying surface (such as a
wing or stab) rapidly vibrates up and down (thus causing
the noise). In extreme cases, if not detected immediately,
flutter can actually cause the control surface to detach or
the flying surface to fail, thus causing loss of control
followed by an impending crash. The best thing to do
when flutter is detected is to slow the model immediately
by reducing power, then land as soon as safely possible.
Identify which surface fluttered (so the problem may be
resolved) by checking all the servo grommets for
deterioration or signs of vibration. Make certain all
pushrod linkages are secure and free of play. If it fluttered
once, under similar circumstances it will probably flutter
again unless the problem is fixed.Some things which can
cause flutter are; Excessive hinge gap; Not mounting
control horns solidly; Poor fit of clevis pin in horn; Side­play of wire pushrods caused by large bends; Excessive
free play in servo gears; Insecure servo mounting; and
one of the most prevalent causes of flutter;Flying an over­powered model at excessive speeds.

FLYING

34

One final note about flying your model. Have a goal or flight
plan in mind for every flight. This can be learning a new
maneuver(s), improving a maneuver(s) y ou already kno w, or
learning how the model behaves in certain conditions (such
as on high or low rates). This is not necessarily to improve
your skills

(though it is never a bad idea!)

, but more
importantly so you do not surprise yourself by impulsively
attempting a maneuver and suddenly finding that you’v e run
out of time, altitude or airspeed. Every maneuver should be
deliberate, not impulsive.For example, if you’re going to do
a loop, check your altitude, mind the wind direction
(anticipating rudder corrections that will be required to
maintain heading), remember to throttle back at the top, and
make certain you are on the desired rates (high/low rates).
A flight plan greatly reduces the chances of crashing your
model just because of poor planning and impulsive moves.

Remember to think.

Have a ball! But always stay in control and fly in a
safe manner.

GOOD LUCK AND GREAT FLYING!

35

ENGINE MOUNTING TEMPLATES