Knowledge Base

1. VMA-B210X Bird Dog 06-12 ARF - Supplement to the Manual

1.1. VMA-B210X Bird Dog 06-12 ARF - Battery Installation

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20050712 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 16, Figure 28B. The text below the Caption for Figure 28B refers to "...with Velcro (supplied) or ..." Please note that Bird Dogs produced prior to August 2005 did not come with Velcro and the battery should be secured using lightweight foam so that it does not move. Beginning with production in September 2005, a new laser cut battery platform and Velcro retaining strap was included along with an ADDITIONAL INFORMATION sheet that explains how to install the battery platform. The ADDITIONAL INFORMATION sheet supercedes the manual.

1.2. VMA-B210X Bird Dog 06-12 ARF - Control Horns

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20050712 (see manual back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Some Bird Dogs produced prior to August 2005, were shipped with two small plastic disc's in lieu of a single square backing plate for some of the control horns. These small disc's serve exactly the same purpose as the square backing plate... the only difference is that there are two of them... one for each screw. Beginning with production in September 2005, a new laser cut control horn assembly replaced the plastic screw type control horns previously used with the VMAR Bird Dog 06-12 ARF. If laser cut control horns have been supplied, an ADDITIONAL INFORMATION sheet has been included with the control horn parts bag and shows the correct method of installing the laser cut control horns. The ADDITIONAL INFORMATION sheet supercedes the manual.

1.3. VMA-B210X Bird Dog 06-12 ARF - Firewall Spacing - Page 8, Figure 12K

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20050712 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 8, Figure 12K. This figure shows the 3mm nuts evenly spaced at .875 in. (22 mm) from the firewall. This works well for some motor shafts but may be lessened or expanded to reflect different lengths of motor shafts. The important thing here is that the motor shaft be able to extend through the front of the cowl and still securely hold the propeller without the propeller contacting the cowl. A distance of 1-3/32 in. (27mm) works well for many popular motors.

1.4. VMA-B210X Bird Dog 06-12 ARF - Vertical Stabilizer Fit - Page 6, Step 8.1 & Figure 8A

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20050712 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 6, Step 8.1 & Figure 8A. Step 8.1 and Figure 8A describe and show the dry test fitting of the vertical stabilizer into the vertical stabilizer slot in the top of the fuselage. On some early versions of the Bird Dog produced in July and August of 2005 the slot in the fuselage is slightly too deep so that the vertical stabilizer tab shown in Figure 8D does not contact the bottom of the slot when inserted into the fuselage.

If your vertical stabilizer does not contact the bottom of the fuselage slot when inserted into the fuselage you need to rectify this with a small filler strip inserted into the fuselage slot and tacked into place with CA or other glue before installing the vertical stabilizer using 30 minute epoxy. The filler strip should be approximately 5-7mm high and the width and length of the slot. Use balsa or other light wood to make this strip. Dry fit the strip and the vertical stabilizer before gluing anything into place. The idea here is to make sure that the bottom of the vertical stabilizer tab seats firmly against the strip which in turn fills the gap in the bottom of the fuselage slot.