Hobbico AVISTAR 40 Select User Manual

1610 Interstate Drive Champaign, IL 61822

[phone], Ext. 2

[e-mail]

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT
INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

WARRANTY

Hobbico guarantees this kit to be free from def ects 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 Hobbico’s liability exceed the original cost of
the purchased kit. Further, Hobbico reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice.

In that Hobbico 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 user­assembled 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 .

HCAZ3039 for HCAA16** Ver 1.0 © Copyright 2002

See more of our products at

www.hobbico.com

®

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Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Hobbico
Avistar .40 Select.You’v e made the right decision b y purchasing
a “real” model airplane with a .40-size engine and a 4-channel
radio.Once assembled and set up, there will be no fiddling with
a temperamental engine or constant troubleshooting to figure
out how to get the model to fly. Under the guidance of a flight
instructor, all you’ll have to do is concentrate on learning to fly.
And after you’ve mastered the A vistar, the engine and radio may
be installed in your next model!

The first two parts of this manual provide instructions on how to
get the model ready. Part I, Assembly, guides you through a f ew
simple steps to put the model together.Part II, Setup, takes you
through initial adjustments and flight preparation.Do not overlook
any of the important setup procedures and follow the instructions
all the way to the end.Anything skipped in the shop will have to
be done at the field which reduces some of your flight time.

If there is no hobby shop in your area, contact the AMA
(Academy of Model Aeronautics), the governing body of model
aeronautics. The AMA can direct you to the closest R/C club
whose membership should have qualified flight instructors.
With the added benefit of insurance coverage provided by the
AMA, most clubs require AMA membership to fly at their field.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive

Muncie, IN 47302-9252

Tele. [phone]

Fax [phone]

Or via the Internet at:

http://www.modelaircraft.org

1. Your Avistar .40 Select 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 Avistar .40 Select, 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.

3.You must check the oper ation 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.

Before starting to build, inspect the parts in this kit to make sure
they are of acceptable quality.If any parts are not of acceptable
quality, or if you need assistance with assembly, contact

Hobbico Product Support.

Hobbico Product Support

Phone: [phone]

Fax:[phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

When ready to fly, you’ll need the equipment to fuel the plane
and start the engine. Perhaps you’ve already made
arrangements with the R/C club or your flight instructor to
borrow their equipment, but eventually you’ll want to get your
own. Refer to the side panel on the kit box cover for a list and
photos of some of the suggested items you’ll need. Note the
Hobbico ARF/RTF Field Pack near the end of the box that
includes these items in an “economy” version.

Field Equipment

We, as the kit manuf acturer , provide y ou with a top quality 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.

Protect Y our Model,Y ourself

and Others...Follow these

Important Safety Precautions

IMPORTANT

The best thing you can do to insure success is to find a flight
instructor who will inspect your model for airworthiness and

provide flying lessons. It cannot be stated strongly enough
that, if you do not already know how to fly an R/C airplane,
you will probably not be able to fly this model by yourself. It
may appear to be easy, but ov er-controlling and disorientation
quickly overcome inexperienced fliers, swiftly ending their first
flight.Many have tried to teach themselves, b ut most become
discouraged and end up quitting the hobby, or destroy several
models before they are ab le to solo.If you haven’t yet done so,

contact the local hobby shop and ask them to introduce
you to an instructor or an R/C club representative.If there

is no club or experienced R/C pilot nearby, it would be wor th
even a long drive to find one–if only for just a few flight lessons
(then you’ll have an idea of what to expect).

Introduction

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❏ 1.In the fuselage (fuse), connect the plug from the battery pack, colored red, to the plug from the on/off s witch, labeled “BA TTERY.”
❏ 2. Presently, the rechargeable batteries in the plane and in the transmitter are not fully charged.They may require additional

charging for setting up the radio after the plane has been assembled.If you plan to assemble the plane immediately, the batteries
may be charged later. If you plan to begin assembly later, charge the batteries following the instructions in the accompanying
Futaba®instruction manual that came with this kit.

Note: When charging the receiver batteries (inside the plane), connect the charger to the plug labeled “CHARGE.”

Assemble the Wing

Charge the Batteries

PART I: ASSEMBLY

❏ 3. Connect the pushrods to the torque rod

horns with the clevises and clevis retainers.

❏ 1. Insert the stabilizer (stab) into the fuse.

❏ 1.Join both wing halves using the steel rod and the

alignment pin.

❏ 2. Fasten the wing halves with two metal straps

and four of the 3x6mm screws (the smaller screws in
the hardware bag with the washers attached).

❏ 2. Insert the fin into the stab, guiding the

metal rods through the holes in the stab and the
bottom of the fuse.Secure the fin and stab with a
washer and a 3mm lock nut.Be certain to tighten
the nuts securely, but do not over tighten so as to
damage the bottom of the fuse. Optional: Apply
RTV silicone rubber around the joint between the
stab and fuse.

Retainer

Clevis

Assemble the Fuselage

Check the box as

you complete each step.

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❏ 5. Insert the wood dowels into the fuselage. Secure the

dowels with a plastic dowel cap and the remaining four small
screws (the ones with the washers attached).

CAUTION: The model is not yet
ready to fly. Proceed to the setup
procedures in the following section
to prepare the model for flying.

❏ 7. Use a 10mm wrench or a crescent wrench to tighten the nut 1/2

turn, plus 1/8 turn. Fit the spinner cone to the backplate, then use a
#1 Phillips screwdriver to tighten the spinner screws.

❏ 3. Connect the elevator pushrod to the fourth hole in the

elevator control horn. Connect the rudder pushrod to the
second hole in the r udder control hor n.

❏ 4. Inser t the main landing gear wires into the holes in the

landing gear blocks in the bottom of the fuselage. Secure the
gear with two nylon straps and four #2 x 3/8" screws.

❏ 6.Fit the spinner back plate, followed b y the prop, washer

and nut on the engine.Tighten the nut with your fingers.

+ 1/8 Turn

1/2 Turn