Set Up and Test Flights

One of the ways MRFA helps our fellow modelers is by providing help with setting up an aircraft and doing the maiden flight. If you have an aircraft that you need help with, please feel free to contact us and we'll arrange a time to check out your aircraft and conduct a test flight.

Help us help you. If you arrange an appointment, we ask that you please make sure that you have the following items or have performed the following checks:

Before we will help set up an aircraft-

• Have your batteries (transmitter, receiver, and main) fully charged.
• Bring the documentation that came with your radio and your aircraft.
• If going to the field for a set up, bring any tools or materials you may need.
• If it is a combustion engine that needs checked, bring fuel, glow igniter, starter, and your field tools. A spare glow plug (and wrench) would be helpful too.

Before we will do a maiden flight you need to verify that-

• all batteries are fully charged.
• all your controls and servos work correctly, and that the proper throws have been set.
• all mechanical linkages, fuselage parts, and hatches are properly secured.
• prop(s) are the correct size and pitch, balanced, and tightened correctly.
• landing gear functions properly.

We do not test fly planes with retracts, high-speed models, or do 3-D tests. We do test helicopters. 

When one of our pilots agree to test fly your aircraft, you accept full responsibility for its airworthiness. Unsafe or malfunctioning aircraft will not be flown. We suggest that you bring your tools or spare parts with you if you want to make any corrections to your aircraft after the initial test flight.