GREAT PLANES Spectra Select Instruction Manual - Page 7
Browse online or download pdf Instruction Manual for Toy GREAT PLANES Spectra Select. GREAT PLANES Spectra Select 12 pages. Ready-to-fly 2-meter electric sailplane
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To start your Spectra Select motor you need to follow this
procedure:
• Make sure the motor ratchet on the transmitter is in
the "Off" position.
• Move the prop away from any objects.
• Switch on the transmitter.
• Connect the motor battery and switch on the receiver.
• Press the safety switch once.
• The motor is now armed. If you move the motor
ratchet to the right, the motor will turn on.
Balance the Model
Note: This section is very important and must not be
omitted! A model that is not properly balanced will be
unstable and possibly unflyable.
The C.G.–Center of Gravity–range for this airplane is
located 2-3/4" to 3-1/2" [70mm to 88mm] from the LE. If your
model balances anywhere within this range, it will fly fine.
Generally if the C.G. is in the forward part of the range, the
model will have extra stability but its overall performance will
decrease slightly and the stall speed will increase. If the
C.G. is in the aft side of the range, the sailplane will be more
agile with a lighter and "snappier" feel. The aft C.G. also
improves the Spectra Select's response to air currents. The
downside of the aft C.G. is that it makes the Spectra Select
less stable and it can cause the model to "tuck under" or dive
when its flying speed increases. Do not fly the Spectra
Select with the C.G. outside the recommended range.
To balance your model, attach the wings to the fuselage with
the rubber bands included. The model should now be ready
to fly, with all parts installed. Make two marks on the
underside of each wing 2-3/4" and 3-1/2" [70mm and 80mm]
RATCHET
from the leading edge. Pick up the model with your fingers
under the wing within the C.G. range. Move your fingers
under the wing (always within the C.G. range) until the
stabilizer of the Spectra Select stays horizontal when you
pick it up. If your model balances within the C.G. range, then
you are safe to fly. If you need to pick up the model at a point
outside the C.G. range, then you need to add weight to the
nose or to the tail to get it to balance. Moving the radio
components inside the fuselage may help too.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLY WITHOUT FIRST ACHIEVING
THE PROPER BALANCE.
Checking for Warps
This is a very important step and should be done
occasionally throughout the flying season. A sailplane's
wing is most efficient when it is not twisted or warped at all.
"Washout" (wing trailing edges twisted up at the tip) helps
make a poor wing design fly better by adding some stability
(preventing stalls) at slow speeds but it cuts down on the
wing efficiency at normal speeds. The Spectra Select's wing
is designed to fly well at slow speeds without any washout,
and therefore we recommend you check to make sure the
wings are "flat" using the following procedure:
Set the wing so an inner panel is resting on a flat surface.
Any warp (twist) will show up by causing a corner of the
panel to rise off the work surface.
To remove the warp, gently twist the wing in the opposite
direction while a helper glides an iron or heat gun over the
covering on both the top and the bottom of the panel to re-
shrink the covering. Hold the twist until the covering cools
and then recheck for warps. It may take several tries to get
a warp out but it is worth it as you will end up with a
sailplane that flies straight and true and responds to air
currents like a high performance sailplane should.
Follow the same procedure to check all four wing panels
and then go back and double check them. Sometimes you
put a warp in one panel while trying to fix another. You
should also look at the tail surfaces as they too can warp.
PREFLIGHT
The radio supplied with the Spectra Select uses non-
rechargeable dry batteries. We recommend you to use good
quality Alkaline batteries for better performance. The motor
battery supplied with the Spectra Select is a 7-cell 2100
NiCd battery. You should use a charger adequate for
charging this battery. Follow the charger's instructions to
charge the motor battery.
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