HobbyZone Champ Instruction Manual

Created 01/10 HBZ4900 22461

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Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Specifications .................................. 3

Champ RTF Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Safety Precautions and Warnings .................... 4

Battery Warnings and Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

First Flight Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Battery Charging ................................7

Removing and Installing the Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Installing the Flight Battery ......................... 8

Transmitter Control Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Control Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Digital Trims .................................. 11

Transmitter Binding Instructions .................... 11

Transmitter Dual Rate Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Receiver Control Unit Description,

Arming and Motor Control Test ..................... 12

Reversing Flight Controls ......................... 13

Stock Control Throw ............................ 14

Flying Checklist ................................ 14

Choosing a Flying Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Flying the Champ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Throttle Adjustment ............................. 16

Using Elevator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Landing Your Champ ............................ 17

Replacing the Propeller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Replacing the Prop Shaft ......................... 19

Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Optional Parts ................................. 20

Troubleshooting Guide ........................... 21

Warranty and Repair Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

FCC Statement ................................ 25

Compliance Information for the European Union. . . . . . . . . 26

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of the HobbyZone® Champ.
The Champ is a fully proportional 3-channel aircraft utilizing
throttle, rudder, and elevator controls. You will need to
thoroughly read the instruction manual, then charge the flight
battery prior to your first flight.

For assistance in setting up, charging, flying or
troubleshooting your Champ, please see page 24 to contact the
appropriate Horizon Product Support office.

Specications

Wingspan: 22.4 in (568.9mm)

Length: 14.3 in (365mm)

Weight: 1.3 oz (38 g)

Champ RTF Contents

Champ RTF airplane•

2.4GHz DSM2 transmitter•

150mAh 1S 3.7V Li-Po battery•

1S 3.7V Li-Po battery charger, 0.3A charge rate•

8x AA batteries•

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Safety Precautions and Warnings

This is a sophisticated hobby product and not a toy. It must be
operated with caution and common sense and requires some
basic mechanical ability. Failure to operate this product in a safe
and responsible manner could result in injury or damage to the
product or other property. This product is not intended for use
by children without direct adult supervision. The product manual
contains instructions for safety, operation and maintenance. It is
essential to read and follow all the instructions and warnings in
the manual, prior to assembly, setup or use, in order to operate
correctly and avoid damage or injury.

This model is controlled by a radio signal subject to interference
from many sources outside your control. This interference can
cause momentary loss of control so it is advisable to always
keep a safe distance in all directions around your model, as this
margin will help avoid collisions or injury.

Age Recommendation: 14 years or over. This is not a toy.
This product is not intended for use by children without
direct adult supervision.

Never operate your model with low transmitter batteries.•

Always operate your model in an open area away from cars, •
traffic or people.

Avoid operating your model in the street where injury or •
damage can occur.

Never operate the model in the street or in populated areas •
for any reason.

Carefully follow the directions and warnings for this and any •
optional support equipment (chargers, rechargeable battery
packs, etc.) you use.

Keep all chemicals, small parts and anything electrical out of •
the reach of children.

Moisture causes damage to electronics. Avoid water •
exposure to all equipment not specifically designed and
protected for this purpose.

Never lick or place any portion of your model in your mouth •
as it could cause serious injury or even death.

Battery Warnings and Guidelines

While the 1S 3.7V DC Lithium Polymer Battery Charger
(EFLB1501S) included with your Champ has been specifically
designed to safely charge the included 1S 3.7V 150mAh Li-Po
Battery (PKZ3240), you MUST read the following safety instruc­tions and warnings before handling, charging or using the Li-Po
battery.

CAUTION: Li-Po batteries are significantly more
volatile than the alkaline, Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries
used in RC applications. All instructions and warnings
must be followed exactly. Mishandling of Li-Po
batteries can result in a fire, personal injury, and/or
property damage.

By handling, charging or using the included Li-Po battery you •
assume all risks associated with lithium batteries. If you do
not agree with these conditions, return your complete
Champ model in new, unused condition to the place of
purchase immediately.

You must charge the included Li-Po battery in a safe area •
away from flammable materials.

Never charge the battery unattended. When charging the •
battery you should always remain in constant observation
to monitor the charging process and react to potential
problems that may occur.

After flight, the battery must be cooled to ambient •
temperature before charging.

DO NOT USE A Ni-Cd OR Ni-MH CHARGER. Failure to •
charge the battery with a compatible charger may
cause fire resulting in personal injury and/or property
damage.

If at any time during the charge process the battery begins •
to balloon or swell, discontinue charging or discharging
immediately. Quickly and safely disconnect the battery, then
place it in a safe area away from flammable materials to
observe it for at least 15 minutes. Continuing to charge or
discharge a battery that has begun to balloon or swell can
result in a fire.

A battery that has ballooned or swollen even a small amount •
must be removed from use immediately.

Store the battery at room temperature in a dry area for •
best results.

When transporting or temporarily storing the battery the •
temperature range should be from 40–120º F. Do not
store battery or model in a car or direct sunlight whenever
possible. If stored in a hot car, the battery can be damaged
or even catch fire.

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Do not over-discharge the Li-Po flight battery. Discharging •
the battery too low can cause damage to the battery
resulting in reduced power, duration or failure of the battery.
(See below for details.)

Li-Po cells should not be discharged to below 3V each underload.
In the case of the Li-Po battery used for the Champ, you will not
want to allow the battery to fall below 3V during flight.

The Champ receiver unit features a soft low voltage cutoff (LVC)
that occurs when the battery reaches 3V under load. When the
soft cutoff occurs, the ESCs of the receiver unit reduce power
to the motor (regardless of the power level set with the throttle
stick) in order to prevent the voltage of the battery from
dropping below 3V. This power reduction usually requires you
to land the model immediately, at which point you should power
down the model and unplug the flight battery. While it is possible
to power the model up and to fly again after the soft LVC occurs,
this is NOT recommended as this will over-discharge the battery.

Continued discharging to the soft LVC will cause
permanent damage to the Li-Po battery resulting in lost
power and duration during subsequent flights, or failure of
the battery entirely.

Continued attempts to further discharge the battery may also
result in loss of control while the motor is running, as the voltage
may drop below the minimum operating voltage of the receiver
and the other electronics.

Also, you should not fly to the soft LVC every time you fly.
Instead, you should be aware of the power level of the battery/
airplane throughout the flight, and if at any time the airplane
begins to require more throttle than typical to maintain flight, you
should land the airplane immediately. Routinely discharging the

battery to the soft LVC can still cause permanent damage to
the battery.

Note: Battery performance can suffer greatly in cooler

temperatures. It is recommended the batteries
be warm before flight.

First Flight Preparation

Please note this checklist is not intended to be a replacement
for the content included in this manual. Although it can be used
as a quick start guide, we strongly suggest reading through this
manual completely before proceeding.

Remove and inspect contents ❏

Install 4 AA batteries into the battery charger ❏

Begin charging the flight battery ❏

Install batteries in the transmitter (as required) ❏

Test the controls ❏

Familiarize yourself with the controls ❏

Find a suitable area for flying ❏

Battery Charging

See the Battery Warning and Guidelines section and familiarize
yourself thoroughly with it before continuing. Follow these steps
to charge the Li-Po battery with the included charger.

Remove the cover on the bottom of the charger and install four
of the included AA batteries, noting proper polarity. Replace the
cover after the AA batteries are installed.

Slide the battery into the slot on the charger. The end cap of
the battery is specifically designed to allow the battery
to be slid into the slot easily one way (usually with the label on
the battery facing outward) to prevent reverse polarity
connection. However, check for proper alignment and polarity
before proceeding to the next step.

Gently press the battery and its connector into the charge jack/
connector located at the bottom of the slot in the charger.

Note: The hook and loop on the battery will cause it to be

tight in the battery slot of the charger.

When you make the connection successfully, the LED light on the
charger turns solid red, indicating charging has begun.

Charging a fully discharged (not over-discharged) 150mAh
battery takes approximately 30–40 minutes. As the battery nears
full charge, the LED light begins to blink. When the battery is fully
charged, the LED light blinks approximately every 20 seconds or
goes out entirely.

Note: The Li-Po battery included with your Champ arrives

partially charged, so the initial charge may only take
15–20 minutes.

Note: You can expect to charge the Li-Po flight battery

approximately 10–15 times before needing to replace
the AA batteries in the charger. Replacing the included
batteries with alkaline batteries results in more charge
cycles than with the included batteries.

Note: If the LED remains on for longer than 40 minutes while

charging and/or 5 seconds after removing the Li-Po
flight battery, replace the AA batteries in the charger.

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Removing and Installing the Landing Gear

To remove the landing gear, squeeze the wheels together and
gently pull the landing gear out of the fuselage. To install the
landing gear, squeeze the wheels together and slide the
landing gear wire into the slot located on the bottom of
the fuselage.

Installing the Flight Battery

After fully charging the battery, install it in the airplane by placing
it into the slot on the bottom of the fuselage with the plug facing
toward the front of the airplane.

Note: If you are using additional batteries without hook and

loop tape, we have included extra hook and loop tape
pieces to allow you to use these batteries.

Transmitter Control Identication

Mode 2
Throttle

Function

Throttle Trim

Rudder Trim

Elevator Trim

Rudder/Elevator

Functions

Mode 1
Elevator
Function

Elevator Trim

Rudder Trim

Throttle Trim

Rudder/Throttle

Functions