KAVAN Beta 1400 Kit - Instruction manual
Introduction
Congratulation on your purchase of the BETA 1400 motor powered glider. You are about to embark on a magical journey into the fascinating world of electric powered RC aeroplanes. The BETA 1400 manufactured of the virtually unbreakable EPO foam packed with the latest 2.4GHz radio technology and powered with a mighty brushless motor and LiPo batteries will help to become an experienced pilot in no time! BETA 1400 is not just an entry level plane but actually a quite good thermal glider that will please any Sunday pilot – a newcomer as well as a seasoned pro!
Features
- Builder’s kit, EPO foam parts
- Aileron, elevator, rudder and throttle control
- Easy handling and high stability, durable, virtually unbreakable electric motor powered glider
- Powerful brushless outrunner motor (not supplied in the kit)
- Large wing area, low weight
- Lightweight LiPo flight pack (not supplied in the kit)
Technical specifications
| Wingspan | 1400 mm |
| Length | 966 mm |
| All-up weight | 700–770 g |
| Wing Area | 24.5 dm² |
| Wing Loading | 28.6–31.4 g/dm² |
| Motor | C2814-1400 outrunner |
| ESC | KAVAN R-20B 20 A with BEC 5 V |
*) Not supplied in the kit.
Precautions
This RC model is not a toy. Use it with care and strictly follow the instructions in this manual.
Assemble this model following strictly these instructions. DO NOT modify or alter the model. Failure to do so, the warranty will lapse automatically. Follow the instructions to obtain a safe and solid model at the end of the assembly.
Children under the age of 14 must operate the model under the supervision of an adult.
Assure that the model is in perfect condition before every flight, taking care that all the equipment works correctly and that the model is undamaged in its structure.
Fly only on days with a light breeze and in a safe place away from any obstacles.
Safety precautions
General Warnings
An RC aeroplane is not a toy! If misused, it can cause serious bodily harm and damage to property. Fly only in a safe place, following all instructions and recommendations in this manual. Beware of the propeller! Keep loose items that can get entangled in the propeller away from the spinning propeller, including loose clothing or other objects such as pencils and screwdrivers. Ensure that your and other people’s hands and face are kept away from the rotating propeller.
Note on Lithium Polymer Batteries
Lithium Polymer batteries are significantly more vulnerable than alkaline or NiCd/NiMH batteries used in R/C applications. All manufacturer’s instructions and warnings must be followed closely. Mishandling of LiPo batteries can result in fire. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when disposing of Lithium Polymer batteries.
Additional Safety Precautions and Warnings
As the user of this product, you are solely responsible for operating it in a manner that does not endanger yourself and others or result in damage to the product or the property of others. 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 to avoid collisions or injury.
Never operate your model with low transmitter batteries.
Always operate your model in an open area away from power lines, cars, traffic, or people.
Avoid operating your model in populated areas where injury or damage can occur.
Carefully follow the directions and warnings for this and any optional support equipment (chargers, rechargeable batteries, etc.) which 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.
Kit contents
- EPO foam moulded parts
- small accessories
- 7×6" folding prop and spinner
- 2 sheets of stickers
You will also need the following accessories and tools (not included in the kit)
RC set, power unit, battery
- at least a 4-channel transmitter and receiver
- LiPo flight pack 11.1 V 1600–2700 mAh
- KAVAN C2814–1400 brushless motor or similar
- KAVAN R–20B 20 A ESC or similar
- 4× KAVAN GO–09 servos or similar
- short Y-cable or 2× 20–30 cm extension cable
Tools
- small Phillips and flat screwdrivers
- 1.5 mm Allen key or screwdriver
- hot melt glue gun
- sandpaper No. 150–200
Glue
- medium or thick cyanoacrylate glue (e.g. KAV9952 or KAV9953)
- low or medium strength thread locker (blue - e.g. KAV9970)
- hot melt glue or MS polymer glue (e.g. BISON Poly Max®, Soudal T-Rex®)
- clear sticky tape
Assembly
Fuselage
The fuselage is supplied unassembled (with pre-installed push rods, carbon and plywood reinforcements) in the Kit. You are supposed to install the servos, motor and glue the fuselage halves together. Roughen the contact areas with No. 150–200 sandpaper before applying glue.
1. Rudder servo installation (Fig. 1)
- Locate the right fuselage half. You will find the KAVAN GO-09-sized bay for the rudder servo in the rear part of the cockpit compartment.
- Prepare the one side arm supplied with the KAVAN GO-09 (or cut a two-side arm to one-side arm). Turn on your transmitter, set the rudder stick and trim to the centre (neutral). Connect the rudder servo to the appropriate receiver output (CH4 with the T8FB), plug the ESC’s cable to the throttle channel (CH3 with the T8FB) and connect the flight pack. Insert the Z-bend on the end of the elevator push rod into the middle hole in the servo arm (ca 10 mm from the centre of the arm). Now insert the servo into the servo bay, so the servo output shaft was closer to the nose.
- Now attach the servo arm on the output shaft of the servo - it should be square to the side of the servo case as much as possible. Secure the servo arm with the screw supplied with the servo. Glue the servo with drops of hot melt glue or MS polymer glue over the servo lugs. You can use a medium CA as well, but the hot melt glue or MS polymer glue could be easily removed without damage to your model if you ever needed to get the servo out.
2. Motor mount (Fig. 2+3)
- KAVAN C2814–1400 brushless motor is to be secured to the supplied aluminium mount by two M3 setting screws. Check the correct alignment of the motor mount - the setting screws have to point straight to the access holes in the side of the fuselage. Glue the motor mount using thick cyano or MS polymer glue into the slot in the fuselage.
- Please note the motor is offset up and right. This "up thrust" and "side thrust" is correct and purely intentional. It compensates the effect of the propeller stream on the fuselage and tail. Check the correct alignment of the both two fuselage halves prior to gluing the motor mount permanently into the right fuselage shell.
- Motor direction of rotation check: Connect the motor cables to your ESC and secure the motor into the motor mount with two M2×6 mm setting screws. With your radio on, check the direction of rotation of your motor (see fig. 3) as described in the chapter "RC SET INSTALLATION/7. Testing the power system" in this manual. Once set correctly, remove the motor from the motor mount.
3. Elevator servo installation (Fig. 4)
- Locate the left fuselage half and install the elevator servo in the same way as you did with the rudder servo. Do not forget to set the servo (CH2 with the T8FB) into the neutral position with your radio on.
4. Joining the fuselage shells (Fig. 5)
- Attach the left and right fuselage shell together. Take care they are correctly aligned all around. If necessary, sand the contact area flush to create a neat joint. Once satisfied, apply a bead of thick cyano or MS polymer glue on the right fuselage shell. (Slow setting glue is required here in order to give you some time aligns the fuselage shells correctly - and double check it). Attach the shells together, check the correct alignment and secure them with modelling pins or masking tape until the glue sets down. Double-check the fuselage was straight and untwisted; looking along the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, the joint of the fuselage shells must straight. Take extra care of the good alignment at the wing and tailplane area. This is the most critical step of the entire assembly - now you can make a straight and true fuselage that will give you a pleasant plane to fly - or not.
5. Finishing the fuselage (Fig. 6)
- Check the correct polarity of the canopy lock magnets and cyano them into the respective recess in the rear side of the cockpit and canopy. Cover it with a piece of clear sticky tape in the end.
- Cyano (alternatively you can use a thin double-sided sticky tape or contact cement) the plastic reinforcement to the bottom side of the fuselage.
- After the motor (do not forget to apply a blue thread locker to the setting screws) and ESC have been installed, secure the plastic servo cover into the fuselage using drops of hot melt glue, small pieces of hook and loop tape or small magnets (not supplied in the kit). The point is securing the cover in place - yet making it removable to access the servos if needed.
- Install the propeller yoke and secure it with two M3×6 mm setting screws (do not forget to apply a blue thread locker to the screws). Finally, install the spinner using two M2×8 mm screws. Be sure the propeller rotates freely. No matter what, the propeller blades may not graze the fuselage. (Fig. 2)
Wing
1. Releasing the Ailerons
- Deflect the ailerons 10 times up and down carefully in order to make them move easily.
2. Aileron servos installation (Fig. 7)
- You can find moulded servo bays in both two wing halves that fit KAVAN GO-09 servos or similar. Set the aileron servos to the neutral with your radio on (in the same way as you did with the elevator and rudder servos). Attach the one side servo arms so the arms were square to the side of the servo case as much as possible. Please note you must obtain a mirror image pair - simply lay both servos down on the table, the output shaft pointing towards each other and both the servo sides with servo cables pointing in the same direction. Now attach the servo arms - square to the servo case side, same on both two servos. Check the operation of aileron servos and secure the arms with screws supplied with the servos.
- Insert the servos into the servo bays and secure them with drops of hot melt glue or MS polymer glue over the servo lugs. Connect the supplied extension cables to the aileron servos. Deploy the servo cable (with the connector put neatly into the bay in the wing) in the aileron servo cable groove. The end of cable should stick out of the wing by 10 cm (4") in order to allow to insert the cable into the fuselage. Apply a strip of clear sticky tape over the aileron servo cable grooves.
3. Aileron linkage installation
- Locate the two short piano wire push rods with pre-formed Z-bend on one end in the accessories bag. Insert the Z-bend into the outer hole in the aileron servo arm. Insert the other end of the push rod into the push rod connector in the aileron arm. Repeat for the other wing half.
- (The position of a push rod in holes of a control arm is a way how to adjust control throws with a non-computer radio. Moving the push rod closer to the control surface gives bigger throws whilst moving the push rod to outer holes reduces the throws. You can also move the position of the push rod Z-bend on the servo arm - in this case moving the push rod closer to the centre of the servo arm reduces the throws - and vice versa.)
4. Wing joiner (Fig. 8)
- Locate the carbon tube wing joiner, insert it into the housing in the fuselage and slide both wing halves onto the joiner.
5. Connecting the aileron servos (Fig. 9)
- A. A radio featuring only one aileron channel (like the T8FB supplied in the RTF set): Connect both two aileron servos to a Y-cable (not supplied in the kit). The aileron Y-cable is to be connected to the aileron channel of your receiver (CH1 in the case of T8FB).
- B: A radio featuring 2 independent aileron servo channels: Use two 20–30 ccm extension cables (not supplied in the kit) to connect aileron servos to your receiver. Typically, CH1 and CH5 or CH6 – it depends on the transmitter and its setting. Please refer to the instruction manual of your radio.
6. Securing the wing
- Secure the wing halves by careful tightening the M5×10 mm setting screws on the bottom side of the wing. (Fig. 10)
7. Aileron Servo Covers (Fig. 7)
- Once the aileron servo operation and aileron linkage has been set and tested successfully, glue the aileron servo covers in place.
Tail feathers
1. Releasing the elevator and rudder
- Deflect the elevator and rudder 10 times up and down (left and right) carefully in order to make them move easily.
2. Horizontal tailplane installation (Fig. 11+12)
- Glue the horizontal tailplane into the fuselage using medium or thick cyano. Be sure the elevator horn is on the bottom side. Before the glue sets, check the correct alignment of the horizontal tailplane - it has to be square to the fin.
3. Elevator and rudder linkage (Fig. 13)
- Insert the elevator and rudder push rods into the push rod connector in the elevator (rudder horn).
Applying the stickers
- Cut the stickers following the printed outlines. Apply them to the surface of your model dampened by water with a few drops of a mild dish detergent. It allows re-positioning of the sticker if necessary. Once satisfied with the position, carefully smooth out the sticker with a soft cloth to remove all air bubbles.
RC set installation
Now you have to install/connect your receiver, servos and electronic speed controller (ESC).
- Remove the canopy: lift the rear part to disengage the magnetic lock.
- Following your radio instruction manual, connect the servos and ESC to your receiver – the table shows the channel assignment of the T8FB radio supplied in the RTF kit:
- Put your receiver into the fuselage (into the rear part of the cockpit). You can secure it using a strip of hook-and-loop tape to the fuselage.
- The flight battery pack is to be inserted into the nose of your BETA 1400 and secured by the hook-and-loop tape to the fuselage - the exact position of the battery pack will be determined later during the centre of gravity (CG) position check.
| Function | Receiver channel (T8FB) |
|---|---|
| Ailerons | CH1 |
| Elevator | CH2 |
| Throttle | CH3 |
| Rudder | CH4 |