TM eSKA INSTRUCTION MANUAL Electric Sport Aerobatic Park Flyer R/C Aircraft Length: 26.5“ • Wing Span: 31” • Wing Area: 230 sq. in.Weight: 10.5–12 oz. • Wing Loading: 6.6–7.5 oz. per ft2. 3 1200–1500 mAh LiPoly Cells @ 7 amps. • Total Input Watts: 77 or 110 watts per lb. Unlimited Verticals, 20 minutes of Aerobatics or 50 minutes of Relaxed Sport Flying with Astro .010 & LiPoly 1500s APC Slow-Flyer Prop: 10” x 7” @ 5,300 rpm • Top Speed: 32 mph • Thrust: 16 oz. Recommended Motor: Astro Brushless .010 Geared (801G) • Prop 10"x7" APC Slow Flyer Controller: Phoenix 10 w/BEC • Radio/Transmitter : 4 Channel • Receiver: FMA M5 • Servos: 3 Hitec HS55 ElectroFlying, Inc. 2547 83rd Court North, Minneapolis, MN 55444 763-560-5529 • info@electroflying.com © 2003, ElectroFlying, Inc. All Rights Reserved Rev.#9 11/9/2006 eSKA - INTRODUCTION M O Read through this manual before starting construction. It contains important instructions and warnings concerning the assembly and use of this model. The eSKA Design e-SKA (electric Simple Kit Airplane - pronounced EeSKA) is an original kit designed for modelers with an interest in electric powered airplanes capable of park flying and sport aerobatics. eSKA was designed from the beginning for a light-weight brushless motors and LiPoly cells. This airplane makes use of strong, lightweight design and construction which improves electric powered flight performance and duration. Using the suggested motor and cells, eSKA will have unlimited vertical performance. eSKA was designed to fly a wide range of aerobatics from very tight maneuvers to large, powerful loops, slow rolls, snaps and big stall turns. eSKA's light weight and thin, semi-symmetrical, progressive airfoil allows for a wide speed range. eSKA is controllable and flies smoothly even in high winds, yet will slow down and land like a feather. eSKA is a great flying electric powered model that flies predictably, not your typical "flip-&-flop" park flyer. eSKA should not be flown by a beginner R/C pilot. eSKA was designed to make motor battery changes as easy as possible, with no tools required. You don't have to turn the airplane over or remove the wing to change batteries. The recommended motor for eSKA is the Astro brushless .010 geared motor powered by 3S - 1200mAh LiPoly cells at 7 amps. This combination give spectacular performance and long flight times. eSKA is light yet tough and its’ pop-off battery hatch and sliding wing help reduce damage from less than perfect landings. eSKA is a simple-to-build, fly-anywhere airplane that is just plain fun to fly. This kit features leading edge design and interlocking laser cut parts for exceptional fit, quality and ease of construction, however, you should have some kit building experience or help from an experienced kit builder when building this kit. The eSKA Plans were drawn with the aid of a computer using professional design software. We believe that the eSKA Plans are a work of art and set a new standard in kit manufacturing. We would not be surprised, if eSKA is the most enjoyable building and flying park flyer that you have owned. Your next favorite airplane kit…eSKA! WARNING! This is not a beginner's airplane. This R/C kit and the model you will build from it is not a toy! It is capable of serious bodily harm and property damage. It is your responsibility, and yours alone, to build this kit correctly, properly install all R/C components and flying gear (motor, batteries, speed control, radio, servos, pushrods, etc.) and to test the model and fly it only with experienced competent help, using common sense and in accordance with all safety standards as set forth in the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Safety Code. It is suggested that you join the AMA and become properly insured before attempting to fly this model. Warranty ElectroFlying, Inc. guarantees this kit to be free from defects in both materials and workmanship at the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover any components damaged by use or modification. In no case shall ElectroFlyings' D E L S liability exceed the original cost of the purchased kit. Further, ElectroFlying reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice. ElectroFlying has no control over the final assembly or material used for final assembly, therefore no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any damage resulting from the use by the user of the final user-assembled aircraft kit. By the act of using the user-assembled aircraft kit, the user accepts all resulting liability. If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of this aircraft kit, the buyer is advised to return this kit immediately in new and unused condition to ElectroFlying, Inc. Follow these important safety precautions: 1. This kit 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, it could cause injury to yourself and spectators or damage to property, if it is not assembled and operated correctly. 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 un-flyable model. 3. You must take time to build straight and strong. You should not use any materials or kit supplied parts that you suspect are defective or damaged. Request replacement kit parts from ElectroFlying, Inc. 4. You should only use R/C radio systems that are in perfect working order. 5. You must check the operation of the model before every flight to ensure that all equipment is operating and that the model has remained structurally sound. Replace any part that shows any sign of wear or fatigue. 6. Check control surface travel and direction before each flight. 7. Do a radio range check before the first flight or after any change to the model's radio system. Never use a radio system that has been involved in a crash without a professional check-out and repair if needed. 8. Do not over-power this kit. Use only recommended electric motors and cells. 9. If you are not already an experienced R/C pilot, you should fly the model only with the help of a competent, experienced R/C pilot. 10. While this airplane kit has been flight tested to exceed normal use, the airplane should not be used for high stress flying, such as racing. We, as the kit manufacturer, provide you 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. Abbreviations Fuse = Fuselage Fin = Vertical Stabilizer or Fin LE = Leading Edge " = Inches Stab = Horizontal Stabilizer LG = Landing Gear TE = Trailing Edge Lite-Ply = Light Weight Plywood eSKA - INTRODUCTION M O Before You Start Compare the parts in this kit with the parts list on page 3, and note any missing parts. Also inspect all parts to make sure they are of acceptable quality. If any part is missing, broken or poor quality, or if you have any questions about building or flying this airplane, please call us at 763-560-5529, or email us at info@electroflying.com. If you are contacting us for replacement parts, please include the kit name, part name, part code/number and your mailing address. You can also check our web site at www.electroflying.com for the latest updates. Radio Equipment The ElectroFlying eSKA can use any standard 4 channel narrow-band receiver, but to save a little weight you may want to use one of the smaller receivers such as the Hitec 555 (Without case) or FMA M5. eSKA has been design to use 2–3 Hitec HS-55 servos and BEC. Motor and Batteries eSKA has been designed to use either an Astro Brushless .010 geared motor. The Astro Brushless motor should be used with 3S - 1200mAh LiPoly cells. The Astro .010 motor mount is included in the kit. The optional motor mounts for other brushless motors can be requested at no charge. D E L S (1) 3/16" x 11/16" Birch Dowels (Wing Mounting Dowel) (2) 1/8"x 1/4"x 18" Balsa Stick (Wing Trailing Edges) (2) 1/4" x 3/8" x 18" Balsa Stick (Wing Leading Edges) (2) 1/8" x 3/8" x 18" Balsa Stick (Top Wing Spar) (1) 1/16" x 1/4" x 12" Balsa Stick (Aileron Braces/Ribs) (1) 1/8" sq. x 18" Balsa Stick (Tail Surface Braces/Ribs & LG Brace) Hardware (4) Small Rubber Bands (Hatch Hold Down) (4) Du-BroMicro E/Z Links (4) Du-Bro Mini E/Z Connector Sets (4) Du-Bro .032 Micro Pushrod System Wires (1) 5/64"x 14" Music Wire (Landing Gear Legs) (2) 1-1/2" Du-Bro Light Weight Foam Wheels (2) 3/32" Du-Bro Wheel Collars and Set Screws (4) #2 x 3/8" Button Head Sheet Metal Screws (Du-Bro 526) (1) 3" x 3/4" Adhesive Back Velcro Strip (Hook and Loop Set) Additional Items Required to Complete eSKA Propeller - APC Slow Flyer 10" x 7" (Astro Brushless .010) 1 Roll of Light Weight Iron-On Plastic Covering (Nelson LiteFILM or Ultra Coat Lite Film) Clear Packing Tape for Hinges Supplied Parts List (Or What's In The Box) Use the check-list below to make sure you have everything before you start. If you are missing any parts, contact us at 763-560-5529 or at info@electroflying.com. General (1) This Manual (20 Pages, Illustrated) (1) Plan Sheets Rolled (24" x 36") Wood (Balsa, Birch & Lite-Ply) (1) Laser Cut 1/32" Plywood Sheet V1S1 (Doublers & Control Horns) (1) Laser Cut 1/16" Balsa Sheet V1S2 (Wing Ribs 2, 3, 4, 5, TE & Fuse Top) (1) Laser Cut 1/16" Balsa Sheet V1S3 (Wing Ribs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10) (1) Laser Cut 1/16" Balsa Sheet V1S4 (Fuse Bottom & LGM2) (1) Laser Cut 1/16" Balsa Sheet V1S5 (Fuse Bottom Sheeting) (1) Laser Cut 3/32" Balsa Sheet V1S6 (Fuse & Hatch Right Side) (1) Laser Cut 3/32" Balsa Sheet V1S7 (Fuse & Hatch Left Side) (1) Laser Cut 1/8" Balsa Sheet V1S8 (Fin, Rudder & Elevator) (1) Laser Cut 1/8" Balsa Sheet V1S9 (Wing Spar & Horizontal Stabilizer) (1) Laser Cut 1/8" Balsa Sheet V1S10 (Stab, Fin, TE Joiner & LG Cover) (1) Laser Cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Sheet V1S11 (Fuselage Formers, Motor Mount, Wing Spar Joiners, Landing Gear Mount, Wing Hooks & Servo Mounts) (1) Laser Cut 3/32" Balsa Sheet V1S12 (Ribs 1, 11 & Wing Tips) (1) Laser Cut 3/32" Balsa Sheet V2S13 (Left Aileron) (1) Laser Cut 3/32" Balsa Sheet V2S14 (Right Aileron) Building Supplies/Adhesives 1 oz. Thin C/A and 1 oz. Thick C/A C/A Accelerator (Optional) 120, 220 and 400 Grit Sanding Paper Waxed Paper Thread Locker Lite Hobby Filler Building Tools Flat level building surface (2' x 4' Ceiling Tile) Hobby Knife and #11 Blades Small T-Pins .050 Hex Ball Wrench Electric Drill, 1/16" and 3/16" Drill Bits Small and Medium Flat Blade Screw Drivers Small and Medium Phillips Screw Drivers Pliers or Vice Grips and Various Small Clamps Various Size Sanding Blocks Covering Iron and Sock 24" Straightedge/Ruler Cutting Mat Masking Tape and/or Small Rubber Bands Rotary Tool and Reinforced Cut-off Wheel eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS M O D E L S Building Notes Whenever you see the term GLUE written in the instructions, you should use a quality hobby grade Thin CA type glue. Photos and drawings in the instructions are placed to the left of the steps they refer to. It may be helpful to look ahead in the instructions or refer to the Plan callouts if you are confused about the current step or photo. Part numbers on laser cut parts are top-side-up, unless otherwise noted. Most of the wood parts in this kit have been laser cut for accuracy and quality. The parts are held in place in each sheet by small tabs or breaks in the laser cut. If you have trouble removing the parts from the sheets without damage, you can use a hobby knife to cut the tabs. Take your time and inspect all the parts after you have them removed. Save the wood scraps until you have finished the kit. Very light sanding of the parts can remove any tab bumps, but this should be unnecessary for the most part. The wood will have a light brown edge from the laser that will not have any effect on building strength. You may want to sand the brown edge of parts that will be visible when using transparent coverings. Be careful not to over-sand the soft balsa wood and change the shape or size. Take your time and enjoy building your eSKA. Building from a kit can be a satisfying part of this sport and can add to your skills as an R/C pilot. You will have a better understanding of your airplane because unlike an ARF, you will get to know every part and function as you build. eSKA has been designed to build quickly and with eSKA's laser cut parts, building accuracy is easier to achieve. Building your own R/C airplane from a kit can be one of the most rewarding experiences in this sport. The following instructions will lead you through the building process, so clean off the building board and get started building your eSKA. Tail Group Construction Start the Horizontal Stabilizer and Elevator construction by covering the Plan with wax paper to protect the Plan and keep the parts from sticking to it. The Stabilizer and Elevator are constructed from 1/8" balsa stock. 2 Position and pin laser cut Balsa pieces HS1 through HS5 over Plans. Use a straightedge to keep the TE of the Stab straight. Note: You should build the Stabilizer bottom side up with the part labels up as shown here. The Rudder Push Rod Slot will be on the opposite side from the Top View shown on the Plans. 3 Glue all Joints. 4 Position Elevator near TE of the Stabilizer. 5 Cut and glue 1/8" sq. Balsa Sticks between LE and TE of Stabilizer and Elevator as shown on plans. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS M O D E L S 6 Start the Vertical Fin and Rudder construction by covering the Plan with wax paper to protect the Plan and keep the parts from sticking to it. The Vertical Fin and Rudder are constructed from 1/8" Balsa stock. 7 Position and pin laser cut Balsa pieces F1 through F4 over Plans and CA in place. 8 If you will not be using a Rudder control, glue the Rudder to the TE of the Fin. 09 Cut and glue 1/8" sq. Balsa Sticks between LE and TE of Fin and Rudder. 10 Sand Stabilizer, Elevator, Fin and Rudder flat. Round LE of Fin and top of Rudder. Round LE of Stabilizer. 11 Taper TE of Rudder and Elevator to match the profile on the plans. The Rudder and Elevator should be 1/16" Thick at the Trailing Edge. 12 Bevel the LE of the Elevator as shown on plans. 13 If you plan to use a Rudder Servo, bevel the LE of the Rudder as shown on the plans. Note: Your finished Fin, Rudder, Stabilizer and Elevator should look like this when your done. They should weigh less than 0.5 oz. after sanding. You can harden all the Balsa corners with Thin CA for a little more durability. Wing Construction 14 Start the wing construction by covering the Wing Plan with wax paper to keep the wing from sticking to it.The Wing is built topside-up over the plans. Note: You will build the Left Wing Panel first. The Left Wing Panel is lifted 1/2" at Rib 11 for the correct dihedral, then the Right Wing Panel is built onto the Left Wing Panel. 15 Locate the wing pieces and lay them out in order so you don't assemble them in the wrong order. Be careful, there is only a small difference between each Wing Rib. Rib labels should be topside-up when they are glued to the Wing Spar. Check and doublecheck before you glue each Rib in place, you don’t want to have to build another wing. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS M O D E L S 16 While holding the laser cut 1/8" Balsa Wing Spar (WS) and 1/8" Lite-Ply Rear Spar Joiner (RSJ) together, slide the laser cut 1/16" Balsa Rib 1 (R1) into slot. Glue Joiner to Spar with Thin C/A. 17 Glue laser cut 1/16" Balsa Left Bottom Trailing Edge (LBTE) to a 1/8"x 1/4"x 15-1/4" Balsa Trailing Edge. Use a straightedge to keep TE straight. Refer to plans for alignment. 18 Position Wing Spar, Joiner and Rib 1 over plans and pin in place. Position Trailing Edge assembly over plans Align the root end with the center of the Wing. 19 Position Trailing Edge over Plans. Ribs fit in notch of LBTE and against the vertical edge of the Trailing Edge. Glue the rear of Rib 1 to the Trailing Edge. 20 Glue the laser cut 3/32" Balsa Rib 11 (R11) and Wing Tip (WT) to end of Spar. Align Rib 11 and TE with Plan and pin in place. 21 Slide the laser cut 1/16" Balsa Full Ribs 3, 5, 7 and 9 (R3, R5, R7 & R9) into slots on Spar. Glue Ribs to the TE, BUT NOT the Spar. 22 Glue the 1/4"x 3/8"x 15" Balsa Leading Edge to front of Rib 1 and Rib 11. Adjust the other Ribs so they line-up with the Leading Edge and glue in place at the leading edge and at the Spar. 23 Slide the laser cut 1/16" Balsa Sub Ribs 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10 (R2, R4, R6, R8 & R10) into place on Spar and line-up front tips with the Leading Edge. Glue Sub Ribs to Spar and LE. 24 Position 1/8"x 3/8"x 15-1/4" Balsa Top Wing Spar in Rib slots. Align root end with Wing center. Glue in place. Trim excess off at Rib 11. 25 Remove pins near Wing Tip and tip Wing up. Place a 1/2" spacer between building board and Wing at Rib 11.This will set the correct dihedral as you build the Right wing half onto the completed Left Wing half. 26 Locate the laser cut 1/16" Balsa Right Bottom Trailing Edge (RBTE) and 1/8"x 1/4"x 15-1/4" Balsa Trailing Edge. Make up the other Trailing Edge assembly as before. 27 Position Trailing Edge over Plans and pin in place. Glue the two TE root ends together. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS M O D E L S 28 Position the laser cut 1/8" Balsa Wing Spar, 1/8" Lite-Ply Wing Joiner and 1/16" Balsa Rib 1 over plans. 29 Glue the rear of Rib 1 to the Trailing Edge. 30 Glue the laser cut 3/32" Balsa Rib 11 (R11) and Wing Tip (WT) to end of Spar. Align Rib 11 and TE with Plan and pin in place. 31 Slide the laser cut 1/16" Balsa Full Ribs 3, 5, 7 and 9 (R3, R5, R7 & R9) into slots on Spar. Glue Ribs to the TE, BUT NOT the Spar. 32 Glue the 1/4"x 3/8"x 15" Balsa Leading Edge to front of Rib 1 and Rib 11. Adjust the other Ribs so they line-up with the Leading Edge and glue in place at the leading edge and at the Spar. 33 Slide the laser cut 1/16" Balsa Sub Ribs 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10 (R2, R4, R6, R8 & R10) into place on Spar and line-up front tips with the Leading Edge. Glue Sub Ribs to Spar and LE. 34 Position 1/8"x 3/8"x 15-1/4" Balsa Top Wing Spar in Rib slots. Align root end with Wing center. Glue in place. Trim excess off at Rib 11. 35 Carefully remove Wing from plan. Use thick C/A to build up a fillet where each Rib contacts the Leading Edge. 36 Glue laser cut 1/16" Balsa Rib Braces (RB) between Rib 1 and Bottom Trailing Edge. 37 Glue 1/8" Lite-Ply Front Spar Joiner (FSJ) to the front center of the main Wing Spar. Part letters should face up. You may have to sand the part lenght to fit between Ribs. 38 Glue laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Wing Servo Mount (WSM) in notches of both Rib 1s. Then glue laser cut 1/32" Plywood Wing Servo Mount Doubler (WSMD) to the bottom rear of Wing Servo Mount. 39 Sand Spar, LE and TE flush with Ribs and Wing Tips. 40 Sand the Leading Edge to match the Airfoil shape. Refer to the Rib detail in the upper right corner of the plans. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS M O D E L S 41 Locate the laser cut 3/32" Balsa Ailerons, Aileron Spars and Aileron Ribs. Glue Aileron Spar To Each Aileron. Glue Aileron Ribs AR2 through AR9 in notches of Ailerons. Note: Each Aileron is marked with either an "L" for Left or "R" for Right. This marking is on the bottom of each Aileron. Ailerons are built bottom-side-up. 42 Trim end of Aileron Spars and glue Aileron Rib 1 and 10 in place at each end of Aileron. 43 Sand Ribs flush with Aileron Spar. You should also sand the Trailing Edge of the Ribs and Ailerons down to 1/16" at the trailing edge. Bevel the bottom edge of each Aileron as shown on the plans. Use sanding block and work carefully. You should bevel the edge 40º to allow for full down Aileron travel. Note: The Wing and Ailerons should weigh about 1.5 ozs.at this time. Set Wing and Ailerons aside for later. Fuselage Construction 44 Cover the Fuselage area of the plans with wax paper. 45 Locate the laser cut 3/32" Fuselage Sides (FSL & FSR) and place the bottom edges together over the plans. Each Fuselage Side is marked with the words Left or Right near the front along the top edge. Left and Right are from the pilot position looking forward. 46 Glue the laser cut 1/32" Plywood Fuselage Doublers (FDL & FDR) to the inside of each Fuselage Side. FDL should be used on the Left Fuselage Side and FDR should be used on the Right Fuselage Side. They are different because of the 1º of right thrust. Tip: You can use the Motor Mount (AMM), Fuselage Former (FF1) and Landing Gear Mount (LGM1) to help align each Doubler/Brace. 47 Glue laser cut 1/32" Plywood Landing Gear Mount Brace (LGMB) to inside of Fuselage Sides. 48 Glue the laser cut 1/32" Plywood Hatch Hook Reinforcement (HHR) and laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Hatch Hook (HH) to each Fuselage Side. Important: Make sure that the open end of the Hatch Hooks (HH) points down toward the Fuselage bottom edge. 49 Push laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Astro Motor Mount (AMM) into Left Fuselage Side holes. Do not glue. 50 Push the 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former 1A (FF1A) and the 1/8" Lite-Ply Landing Gear Mount 1 (LGM1) into Left Fuselage Side holes. Do not glue. You may have to fit both of these into the hole as an assembly. 51 Push the 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former 2 (FF2) into the Left Fuselage Side. Do not glue. 52 Push the 1/8" Lite-Ply Elevator Servo Mount (RESM) into the Left Fuselage Side and over FF2. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS M O D E L S 53 Position the Right Fuselage Side over Formers, Landing Gear Mount and Motor Mount. Note: This should be a nice tight fit which will help keep sides square. 54 Carefully glue Fuselage Sides, Formers, Landing Gear Mount, and Motor Mount together. Check that Formers remain square to Fuselage Sides. 55 Glue 1/8" Sq. Balsa Sticks in both corners between Landing Gear Mount Brace (LGMB) and Landing Gear Mount (LGM1). See inset photo. 56 Glue laser cut 1/16" Balsa Landing Gear Mount 2 (LGM2) to the bottom of LGM1. Refer to photo and Plans for orientation. 57 Glue laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former 1B (FF1B) to the back of FF1A between Fuselage Sides. 58 If you plan to use Rudder control, you should glue the other laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Servo Mount (RESM) to the Right Fuselage Side and Fuselage Former 2 (FF2). See inset photo. 59 There are three more Fuselage Formers to assemble between the rear Fuselage Sides. They each have two very small holes in the upper right corner. Refer to arrows in the photo. These holes are the guides for the Elevator and Rudder Pushrods. Make sure each hole is open by passing a Pushrod Wire through them. Important: In the next step, make sure that you keep the Pushrod Guide Holes in the upper right corner as you fit them between the Fuselage Sides. Be careful not to glue these Guide Holes closed when glue the Fuselage Sides, Top and Bottom to the Formers. This may also happen when gluing the Horizontal and Vertical Stabilizer on the Fuselage. 60 Fit the laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Formers FF3, FF4 and FF5 between the Fuselage Sides. Do not glue. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS 10 M O D E L S 61 Glue a 1/16"x 1/4" Balsa scrap to the bottom of Fuselage Top just ahead of the Fin slot. See Top and Side view of Plans for size and placement. 62 Press laser cut 1/16" Balsa Fuselage Top (FT) into place on the top rear of the Fuselage 63 Press laser cut 1/16" Balsa Fuselage Bottom (FB) into place on the bottom rear of the Fuselage. 64 Slide a couple of rubber bands over Fuselage rear to help hold Fuselage Sides, Top, Bottom & Formers together. 65 Carefully glue the Fuselage Sides, Top, Bottom & Formers together. Check Fuselage as you go, to make sure it does not become twisted. 66 Glue Fuselage Tail Bottom (FTB) to bottom rear of Fuselage. See inset photo. 67 Using the laser cut 1/16" Balsa from sheet V1S5 to sheet the bottom of the Fuselage (cross grain) between the rear Fuselage Bottom and the Landing Gear Mount. Note: one of the laser cut sheets is narrower and should be saved for sheeting the Battery Hatch. 68 Using the laser cut 1/16" Balsa from sheet V1S5 to sheet the bottom of the Fuselage (cross grain) between the Landing Gear Mount and the front of the Fuselage. Make sure you leave room for the Landing Gear Mount 3 (LGM3). 69 Sand Sheeting Flush with Fuselage Sides. Note: This is how your Fuselage should look at this point. The Fuselage should weigh about 1.2 oz. at this point. Now all we have left to do is build the Battery Hatch, put all the big pieces together, mount servos, install push-rods and the final sanding. 70 Sand complete Fuselage rounding corners for a nice smooth finished look and a little weight saving. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS 11 M O D E L S 71 Position the Wing on the Fuselage with the back of the Wing Spar against the front of Fuselage Former FF1A/B. Tack glue each laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Wing Hook (WH) to the inside of each Rib 1. Make sure that you pull the Wing Hook up tight in the Former FF2 slot and keep the top edge flush with the top of the Rib. Be very carefull not to glue the Wing to the Fuselage. 72 Glue the laser cut 1/8" Balsa Trailing Edge Joiner (TEJ) on top of the lower TE and between the two Wing Hooks. 73 Remove the Wing and finish glueing the Wing Hooks and Trailing Edge Joiner securely to the Wing. 74 Postion the Wing back on the Fuselage. Make sure the Wing Hooks are slid into the FF2 slots and that the back of the Wing Spar is against Fuselage Former FF1A/B. Make sure that the inside surface of Rib 1s are flush with the inside of the Fuselage Sides. Use a couple of clamps to make sure that the Wing stays in position. 75 Drill a 3/16" Hole through the front of the Wing Spar and Fuselage Former FF1A/B. 76 Glue a 3/16"x11/16" Hardwood Dowel into the Wing Spar. Be carefull not to glue the Dowel to FF1A/B. 77 Make sure you can slide the Wing forward and remove it from the Fuselage. If the Dowel sticks out to far behind FF1A/B, you will not be able to remove the Wing. The wing should fit well on the Fuselage and not rock from side-to-side. Leave the Wing mounted on the Fuselage for the next steps. 78 Tape both laser cut 3/32" Balsa Hatch Sides (BHS1) in place on the Fuselage. 79 Glue the laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Battery Hatch Former (BHF2) in place between Battery Hatch Sides. The thin edge of BHF2 should be down. This allows the rubber band to looped over. Refer to photo on the next page. 80 Glue the laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Battery Hatch Former (BHF1) in place between Battery Hatch Sides. The former should be located so that it is against the back of the motor mount and flush with the top of the Hatch Sides. The Thin edge of BHF1 should be up. Refer to photo on the next page. 81 Glue both laser cut 3/32" Balsa Battery Hatch Sides (BHS2) to the inside of BHS1. Top front edge should be flush with BHS1 and the rear edge should be 1/16" below the top of Rib 1. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS 12 M O D E L S 82 Glue a 1/8" Balsa Stick between the rear of BHS2s. 83 Remove Battery Hatch from Fuselage and sheet top with 1/16" Balsa cross-grain. Sand the completed Hatch and round corners. 84 Mount the Wing on the Fuselage and block the Fuselage up level on your building board so that you can see the Fuselage and Wing from the rear. 85 Tack glue the Stabilizer in place on the rear of the Fuselage. Make sure the slot for the Rudder Pushrod is on the Right side. The Stabilizer is notched at the front and rear to fit the Fuselage Tabs. This will help keep the Stabilizer square to the Fuselage. 86 From the rear and about 3–5 ft. away sight down the center of the Fuselage and make sure that the Stabilizer is level with the Wing. Make any corrections if need and check again. 87 Once you have the Stablilizer level with the Wing, securely glue the Stabilizer to the Fuselage. Thick C/A works best for this. 88 Position the Fin in place on the Stabilizer and Fuselage. The tabs on the Fin should fit into the Fuselage and Stabilizer slots. These tabs/slots will help keep the Fin straight on the Fuselage, but you should double check and correct if necessary. 89 Tack Glue Fin in place. Use a 90º angle to check that the Fin is perpendicular to the Stabilizer. 90 Glue the Fin securely to the Stabilizer and Fuselage. Thick C/A works best for this. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS 13 M O D E L S 91 Glue the laser cut 1/32" Plywood Aileron Control Horns (ACH) to the root end of the Ailerons. Use thick C/A to build-up a fillet. The Pushrod hole should be perpendicular to the LE. 92 If you are building the Rudder option, glue the laser cut 1/32" Plywood Rudder Control Horn (RCH) to the bottom edge of the Rudder. The Pushrod hole should be perpendicular to the LE. 93 Glue the laser cut 1/32" Plywood Elevator Control Horn (ECH) in the slot of the Elevator. The Pushrod hole should be perpendicular to the LE. 94 Sand all the Horns and blend them in to the Balsa control surfaces. Note: Photo shows old version of Ailerons. 95 Tape the Elevator, Rudder and Ailerons in place on the Fuselage and Wing. Your eSKA should look like this. Take a picture of your handi-work, no ARF will ever look this good. Note: Your eSKA bare-bones without any hardware should weigh about 3.5 oz. 96 Install your Elevator and Rudder Servos in the Fuselage. Hitec HS55 servos are recomended. 97 Install the Du-Bro Micro E/Z Connectors on the Servo Arms and make sure that they do not contact each other when they move. Note: You can see the .032" Music Wire Pushrods in this photo which will be installed in the next few steps. Notice where they pass through the holes in the Formers. These holes provide a guide for the Pushrods. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS 14 M O D E L S 98 Bend and fit the .032" Music Wire Rudder Pushrod between the Rudder Control Horn and the Rudder Servo. Use the Plans as a guide for lenght and placement. 99 The Rudder Pushrod must pass through each TOP Former Guide Hole. Refer to the Photo at the bottom of this page. Make sure the Pushrod moves freely through a full 45º Rudder deflection both left and right. The rudder should move left and right 3/4" at normal throw rate and 1-1/8" at high throw rate. 100 Bend and fit the .032" Music Wire Elevator Pushrod between the Elevator Control Horn and the Elevator Servo. Use the Plans as a guide for lenght and placement. 101 The Elevator Pushrod must pass through each BOTTOM Former Guide Hole. Refer to the next Photo. Make sure the Pushrod moves freely through a full 30º Elevator deflection both up and down. The elevator should move up or down 1/2" at normal throw rate and 5/8" at high throw rate. Note: This photo shows the Pushrods passing through each Former between the Servos and and Control Horns. 102 Unhook the the Pushrods from the Control Horns and losen the Micro E/Z Connector Set Screw. Slide the Pushrods forward into the Fuselage so they will not be in the way when you do the covering. Caution: Do not remove the Pushrods from the Former Guide Holes, because it will be very difficult to re-install them after the covering is done. eSKA - INSTRUCTIONS 15 M O D E L S 103 Install the Aileron Servo inverted in the Wing center section. A Hitec HS55 Servo is recommended. 104 Install the Du-Bro Micro E/Z Connectors on the Servo Arm. 105 Bend and fit the .032" Music Wire Aileron Pushrods between Servo and Aileron Control Horns. 106 Make sure the bottom of Ailerons is level with the Wing bottom and tighten Micro E/Z Connector Set Screws. The ailerons should move up and down 3/8" at normal throw rate and 1/2" at high throw rate. 107 Remove the Servo and Pushrods before you cover the Wing. 108 Optional: If you will be installing Landing Gear, you will have to bend a piece of 5/64"x 14" Music Wire to shape using the drawings on the Plan as a guide. The Landing Gear Wire should fit in the laser cut slot in LGM2 as shown here. Note: Adding Landing Gear will add about 0.5 oz. to the weight of your eSKA. 109 If you will use Landing Gear on your eSKA, use the laser cut 1/8" Lite-Ply Landing Gear Mount (LGM3). Check the LGM3 fit with your Landing Gear Wire in place. After you have the the model covered, you will use four No. 2 x 1/2" Button Head Sheet Metal Screws to hold LGM3 and the Gear in place. You can use the laser cut 1/8" Balsa Landing Gear Mount Cover (LGMC), pictured in the photo inset, if you will not have Landing Gear on your eSKA. If you let the covering hold the LGMC in place you can add Landing Gear later if you chose. eSKA - FINISHING 16 M O 110 Cover your eSKA model with your favorite lightweight covering. We recommend using either Hanger 9 Ultracote Lite or Nelson LiteFilm covering. The Nelson LiteFilm comes in 12 colors and is only 0.6 oz. per sq. yard. After the wing is covered, build in a couple of degrees "Wash-out" at each wing tip. With the wing laying flat at Rib 1 there should be about 1/4" gap between the TE at Rib 11 and the surface. Check that both wing tips have the same amount of twist or wash-out. 111 Use 3/4" wide strips of clear packing tape to join the Ailerons to the Wing. Re-install the Aileron Servos and connect the Pushrods. Adjust the Pushrods so that the bottom of the Ailerons are level with the bottom of the Wing. 112 Use 3/4" wide strips of clear packing tape to join the Rudder to the Fin. Pull the Rudder Pushrod back through the Pushrod slot and connect it to the Rudder Control Horn. Adjust and tighten the Servo set screw. 113 Use 3/4" wide strips of clear packing tape to join the Elevator to the Stabilizer. Pull the Elevator Pushrod back and connect to the Elevator Control Horn. Adjust Elevator and tighten the Servo set screw. 114 Fasten the Receiver to the bottom of the Fuselage with double sided foam tape. Mount Motor and Speed Control, Use Adhesive Back Velcro to mount LiPoly Battery Pack to the Fuselage Floor. D E L S 115 Re-assemble your eSKA model including optional Landing Gear 116 Use a small rubber band looped through the Battery Hatch Former BHF2 and attached to the two Hatch Hooks. The hatch keeps the Wing from sliding forward during flight. You lift the hatch and turn it sideways to access the Battery Compartment. 117 Balance your eSKA. You can re-locate the Battery, Receiver, etc. to balance. The Balance point is at the rear edge of the Wing's bottom Spar. Once you have eSKA balanced, mark the location of the Motor Battery Pack. You should also check the balance side-to-side and correct if necessary. 118 Make sure that Prop is balanced and secured to the Motor. KEEP CLEAR OF THE PROP! Secure the airplane before you connect the Motor Battery to the Speed Control. Follow your Motor and Speed Control directions on proper arming and disarming procedures. Make sure you have brake disabled and the correct voltage cut-off set for your speed control. 119 Test run the Motor. Make sure the Prop is turning in the correct direction. Note: This completes the construction phase of your eSKA. It's time to charge up the batteries and head to the flying field. TM eSKA - FINISHING 17 M O FLYING eSKA Flying Qualities eSKA is a Simple Kit Airplane design to be a fly-anywhere sport airplane. eSKA can be flown in an area as small as a baseball in-field. However, you should have more room for the first few flights until you have the airplane trimmed and you are comfortable with eSKA's handling qualities. Even though eSKA is small, it can be flown like a larger airplane including large loops, stall turns, etc. Most R/C pilots with intermediate level skills should be able to fly eSKA. eSKA's lightweight design makes a very responsive and aerobatic park-flyer airplane even with a modest 30-watt power system. An Astro brushless .010 and 3-1200mAh LiPoly cells gives you 77-watts and unlimited verticals with a APC 10"x 7" Slow Flyer Prop. This combination give you about 20 oz. thrust. D E L S Landing When you have used about half of your estimated flying time you should land and check your model over. Use a longer landing approach but don't let your airspeed drop to low. Use elevator and throttle input to control how fast your eSKA settles to the runway or grass. Turn the motor off just before you touch down. Build Flight Time and Experience eSKA has a wide speed range. Depending on weight and building accuracy eSKA will stall at about 8 m.p.h. and can be flown at a top speed of 35 m.p.h. After a few flights you can carefully build your experience with eSKA's capabilities. Learn how your eSKA behaves in different conditions. Build your experience carefully so you don't surprise yourself by attempting a maneuver that eSKA was not design for and finding you have run out of time, altitude or airspeed. Every maneuver should be deliberate and planned. Experiment at least a couple of mistakes high. Before First Flight Enjoy your eSKA and Fly Safe You should install the LiPoly motor battery and give the airplane a check-out. Make sure the battery hatch is secure and that the wing will not slide forward and off. You should review the Safety Precautions on page 2. Have another adult person help you conduct a radio range check with and without the motor running. Good luck and we hope you enjoy flying your new eSKA for years to come. We would enjoy any comments or suggestions you have about eSKA. You can send your comment to: info@electroflying.com. First Flight For the latest eSKA updates and plan or manual corrections, visit our web site at: http://www.electroflying.com. Look for the KIT UPDATES button. You can hand-launch eSKA with an over hand motion and release at about 10º up and full throttle. As your eSKA gains speed gently add a little up elevator. Maintain a gentle climb. Gain a safe altitude before turning into the traffic pattern. After you have reached safe altitude throttle back to about 1/2 power. Adjust the trim settings to maintain straight and level flight. Take it easy with your eSKA for the first few flights and allow yourself to get use to the handling qualities. Optional Motor Mounts After flying around for a minute you should practice slow flight and landing approaches. See how your eSKA handles at low speeds then add power to test how well it will climb. The kit includes a motor mount for the Astro .010 geared brusheless. We have by request motor mounts for HiMaxx out-runners, AXi out-runners, and Hacker planetary geared motors. eSKA - PLAN 18 M O D E L S 1/4" x 3/8" Balsa Strip Leading Edge R11 R10 R9 R8 WT R7 R6 R4 R3 R2 WS 1/8" Balsa Lower Wing Spar 1/8"x 3/8"x 15-1/4" Balsa Top Wing Spar Important When Building Other Wing Halves, Prop Wing Tip Up 1/2" Under Spar at Rib 11 for Correct Dihedral R5 FSJ 1/8" Lite-Ply Front Spar Joiner R1 R1 R2 3/16" Hardwood Dowel Wing Mounting Dowel Glue in Spar Hole RSJ 1/8" Lite-Ply Rear Spar Joiner HS55 Aileron Servo Du-Bro Micro E/Z Connectors WSM 1/8" Lite-Ply Wing Servo Mount 1/8" x 1/4"x 15-1/4" Balsa Strip Rear TE Strip AR10 AR9 AR8 AR7 LA 3/32" Balsa Laser Cut Left Aileron 10’x 7" APC Slow Flyer Prop AMMD 1/32" Plywood Astro Motor Mount Doubler BHF1 1/8" Lite-Ply Battery Hatch Former BHS1 3/32" Balsa Battery Hatch Side AR4 1/8"x 3/8" Balsa Wing Spar FF1B 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former & Wing Mount BHS2 3/32" Balsa Battery Hatch Side Rubber Band Loop Over the Hatch Former and Hatch Hooks on Fuselage Side LGMB 1/32" Plywood Landing Gear Mount Brace WSM 1/8" Lite-Ply Wing Servo Mount RB 1/16" Balsa Rib Brace 3/16" Hardwood Dowel Wing Mount Dowel WH 1/8" Lite-Ply Laser Cut Wing TE Hooks HHR 1/32" Plywood Hatch Hook Reinforcement FDL & FDR 1/32" Plywood Fuselage Doubler (Left and Right Side) FSL & FSR 3/32" Balsa Left and Right Fuselage Sides No. 2 x 3/8" Button Head Sheet Metel Screws (4) HH 1/8" Lite-Ply Hatch Hook 1/16" Balsa Cross Grain Sheeting for Fuselage Bottom Between Fuselage Front and Landing Gear Bracket 5/64" Music Wire Landing Gear Du-Bro Micro E/Z Connectors Receiver FMA M5 1/16" Balsa Cross Grain Sheeting for Fuselage Bottom Between Landing Gear Bracket and FF2 LGM1 1/8" Lite-Ply Landing Gear Mount LGM2 1/16" Balsa Landing Gear Mount HS55 Servos Top Right Servo for Rudder Control & Bottom Left Servo for Elevator Control HHR 1/32" Plywood Hatch Hook Reinforcement LGM3 1/8" Lite-Ply Landing Gear Mount or Optional Cover (LGMC) RESM 1/8" Lite-Ply Rudder & Elevator Servo Mount 1/16" Music Wire Landing Gear AMMD 1/32" Plywood Astro Motor Mount Doubler No. 2 x 3/8" Button Head Sheet Metel Screws (4) 1/8" Square Balsa Battery Hatch -Top View BHF1 1/8" Lite-Ply Battery Hatch Former BHF2 1/8" Lite-Ply Battery Hatch Former 1/16" Balsa Cross Grain Sheeting for Hatch Top AMM 1/8" Lite-Ply Astro Motor Mount LFS & RFS 3/32" Balsa Left and Right Fuselage Sides FF3 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former RESM 1/8" Lite-Ply Rudder Servo Mount FB 1/16" B Fuselage B HS55 Servos Right Servo for Rudder Cont 3/16" Hole For Wing Mount Dowl Astro .010 Brushless with 3.3:1 Gearbox 1/16" Wheel Collar FT 1/16" Balsa Fuselage Top FF4 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former RESM 1/8" Lite-Ply Elevator Servo Mount 1-1/2" Wheel Light Foam Wheel BHS1 3/32" Balsa Battery Hatch Side AR2 AR1 3/32 Bals Sand Flush with ACH 1/32" Plywood Aileron Control Horn 1/8" Square Balsa AMM 1/8" Lite-Ply Astro Motor Mount TEJ 1/8" Balsa TE Joiner TEJ 1/8" Balsa TE Joiner FF2 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former HS55 Aileron Servo Kokam HD 1500 mAh Lithium Polymer 11.1 Volt Pack 3S1P Du-Bro Micro Pushrod .032 Wire and Nylon Micro E/Z Link ACH 1/32" Plywood Laser Cut Control Horn WSMD 1/32" Plywood Wing Servo Mount Doubler FF1A 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former & Wing Mount 1/16" Balsa Cross Grain Sheeting for Hatch Top WH 1/8" Lite-Ply Laser Cut Wing TE Hooks AR2 AR1 1/8" Square Balsa Astro .010 Brushless with 3.3:1 Gearbox AR3 LAS 3/32" Balsa Laser Cut Left Aileron Spar NOTE: SIDE VIEW IS SHOWN WITH LEFT SIDE REMOVED FOR CLARITY BHF2 1/8" Lite-Ply Battery Hatch Former AR5 RB 1/16" Balsa Rib Brace WSMD 1/32" Plywood Wing Servo Mount Doubler LBTE 1/16" Balsa Left Bottom Trailing Edge AR6 R3 FDL & FDR 1/32" Plywood Fuselage Doubler (Left and Right Side) HH 1/8" Lite-Ply Hatch Hook FSL & FSR 3/32" Balsa Left and Right Fuselage Sides LGM1, 2 & 3 Landing Gear Mount FF1A 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former & Wing Mount FF1B 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former & Wing Mount 1/8" Square Balsa BHS2 3/32" Balsa Battery Hatch Side 5/64" Music Wire Landing Gear Top View 3+ Watt Sport Aerobatic Electric R/C Aircraft Designed and Drawn By: Steven E. Pauley ' 00, ElectroFlying, Inc. All Rights Reserved Wing Span: 1" Length: ." Wing Area: 0 sq." Weight: 11 oz. Wing Loading: oz. per sq. ft. Cells 100mAh LiPoly (11.1v) @ amps. Total Input Watts: or 11 watts per lb. Prop: 10" x " APC Slow Flight Recommended Motor: Astro Brushless .010 Geared and Phoenix-10 Controller Radio: Channel Servos: Hitec HS Control Throws (Each Direction) Control Normal High Elevator: 1/" /" Rudder: /" 1-1/" Ailerons: /" 1/" Rev.#7 11/9/2006 HS55 Servos Left Servo for Elevator Contro eSKA - PLAN 19 M O D E L S 1/4" x 3/8" Balsa Strip Leading Edge Sand to Shape R3 FSJ 1/8" Lite-Ply nt Spar Joiner R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 1/8" x 3/8"x 15-1/4" Balsa Strip Wing Spar Cap R11 WS 1/8" Balsa Spar WS 1/8" Balsa Lower Wing Spar 1/8"x 3/8"x 15-1/4" Balsa Top Wing Spar 3/16" Hardwood Dowel Wing Mounting Dowel Glue in Spar Hole WRSJ 1/8" Lite-Ply Wing Front Spar Joiner Du-Bro Micro E/Z Connectors NOTE: This view is of Rib 3 Drawing is not to scale RB 1/16" Balsa Rib Brace WSMD 32" Plywood g Servo Mount Doubler RBTE 1/16" Balsa Right Bottom Trailing Edge Du-Bro Micro Pushrod .032 Wire and Nylon Micro E/Z Link Ply ng TE TEJ 1/8" Balsa TE Joiner AR4 AR3 AR2 1/8" x 1/4"x 15-1/4" Balsa Strip Rear TE Strip AR10 AR9 AR8 AR7 AR6 AR5 LBTE or RBTE 1/16" Balsa Bottom TE Strip Bevel Leading Edge of Aileron F2 3/32" Balsa Sand Ribs Flush with Aileron Spar and TE Surface AR1 1/16" 3/32 Balsa Aileron Ribs Sand Flush with Top of Aileron Surface od Horn RUD 1/8" Square Balsa Fin and Rudder Braces Cut to Fit F3 HS5 F1 1/8" Balsa Laser Cut Vertical Fin, Rudder, Horizontal Stabilizer & Elevator FT 1/16" Balsa Fuselage Top FF4 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former 1/16" Balsa Scrap glued across bottom of FT RCH 1/32" Plywood Rudder Control Horn F4 HS4 Bevel Leading Edge of Elevator ECH 1/32" Plywood Elevator Control Horn LFS & RFS 3/32" Balsa Left and Right Fuselage Sides RESM 1/8" Lite-Ply Rudder Servo Mount FB 1/16" Balsa Fuselage Bottom HS55 Servos Right Servo for Rudder Control FF5 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former Du-Bro Micro Pushrod .032 Wire and Nylon Micro E/Z Link FF2 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former TS 1/8" Lite-Ply Tail Skid FTB 1/16" Balsa Fuselage Tail Bottom FF4 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former 1/8" Square Balsa Stabilizer and Elevator Braces Cut to Fit EVL Du-Bro Micro Pushrod .032 Wire and Nylon Micro E/Z Link 1/16" Balsa Scrap glued across bottom of FT HS3 RCH 1/32" Plywood Rudder Control Horn 3/16" Hole For Wing Mount Dowl RESM 1/8" Lite-Ply Elevator Servo Mount 1A ite-Ply e Former g Mount FF1B 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former & Wing Mount HS2 HS55 Servos Left Servo for Elevator Control NOTE: TOP VIEW IS SHOWN WITH BATTERY HATCH AND WING REMOVED FOR CLARITY FF3 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former FSL & FSR 3/32" Balsa Left and Right Fuselage Sides FF5 1/8" Lite-Ply Fuselage Former Bevel Leading Edge of Rudder HS1 1/8" Balsa Laser Cut Vertical Fin, Rudder, Horizontal Stabilizer & Elevator EVL 5/64" Music Wire Landing Gear Front View 5/64" Music Wire Landing Gear Side View 1/8" Square Balsa Stabilizer and Elevator Braces Cut to Fit HS4 Direction) High /" 1-1/" 1/" HS5 eSKA - INSTRUCTION MANUAL20 M O D E L S ElectroFlying, Inc. http://www.electroflying.com 2547 83rd Court North, Minneapolis, MN 55444 763-560-5529 • info@electroflying.com © 2003, ElectroFlying, Inc. All Rights Reserved Rev.#9 11/9/2006