Beautiful carving skills shown on that cowling, Fred!
Chris...

If you have an old model that can use the .72 drop in a 3-line bellcrank and give it a try. that will give you experience with the 3-line system on a hack airplane before you drop it into the good model.

Then you can use those same lines on the good model later on. You can also break in and test the motor

Find a model with similar wingspan and weight and convert it to CL

Fred

Yeah that is close, you don't have time

When ever I test fly a model I do 2 or 3 taxi laps checking how the model tracks around the circle. If the model tracks ok at slow speed then I go faster but not so fast that it can fly. Then get the speed up so the tail gets flying so you can feel out how the model is responding and rolls on the mains.

Once you get enough airspeed to get airborne take it slowly, if it flies ok take it all the way and climb out. If the model is too pitch sensitive you will know it and don't take it up.

I saw a model do a test flight, they went to full power rolled a 1/4 lap got airbone, climbed out too steep, stalled and then crash 1/2 lap later.

Might be a conservative test flight but I find out early if there any problems

Fred