GREAT PLANES FLING Instruction Manual

WARRANTY

Great Planes®Model Manufacturing Co.

guarantees this kit to be free from defects in both material and workmanship at the date of purchase. This
warranty does not cover any component parts damaged by use or modification. In no case shall Great Planes’ liability exceed the original cost of the
purchased kit. Further, Great Planes reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice.

In that Great Planes has no control over the final assembly or material used for final assembly, no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any
damage resulting from the use by the user of the final user-assembled product. By the act of using the user-assembled product, the user accepts all
resulting liability.

If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of this product, the buyer is advised to return this kit immediately
in new and unused condition to the place of purchase.

To make a warranty claim send the defective part or item to Hobby Services at the address below:

Hobby Services

3002 N. Apollo Dr., Suite 1

Champaign IL 61822

USA

Include a letter stating your name, return shipping address, as much contact information as possible (daytime telephone number, fax number, e-mail
address), a detailed description of the problem and a photocopy of the purchase receipt.Upon receipt of the package the problem will be evaluated as
quickly as possible.

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING
CONSTRUCTION.IT CONT AINS IMPOR T ANT INSTRUCTIONS
AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND
USE OF THIS MODEL.

GPMZ0215 for GPMA1060 V1.0 Entire Contents © Copyright 2004

Champaign, IL

[phone], Ext. 5

[e-mail]

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Wingspan: 48.5 in [1230mm]
Wing Area: 285 sq in [18.4 dm

2

]

Weight: 6.5 – 8 oz [185 – 225g]
Wing Loading: 4 – 4.5 oz/sq ft [11 – 13 g/dm

2

]

Length: 31.5 in [800mm]
Radio: Minimum 2-channel with two micro or nano

servos, micro receiver , and micro Rx battery pack

™

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................2

AMA....................................................................................................2

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS...................................................................2

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED......................................................3

Radio Equipment.........................................................................3

Adhesives & Building Supplies....................................................3

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES.......................................................3

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS.............................................................4

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS ...............................................4

METRIC/INCH RULER.......................................................................4

KIT CONTENTS .................................................................................5

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS ............................................................6

Canopy Removal.........................................................................6

Assemble the Wing.....................................................................6

Assemble the Tail ........................................................................7

Mount the Tail..............................................................................7

Install the Servos.........................................................................8

Final Installation & C.G. ..............................................................9

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY....................................................9

Charge the Batteries...................................................................9

Range Check.............................................................................10

AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpt).......................................................10

CHECK LIST ....................................................................................10

FLYING .............................................................................................11

Preparations..............................................................................11

Tr im Flights................................................................................11

First Flights................................................................................11

Your First Hi-Star t Launch.........................................................12

THERMAL FLYING ...........................................................................12

Facts About Thermals ...............................................................12

Thermal Soaring........................................................................12

Slope Soaring............................................................................13

Slope Landings .........................................................................13

The Fling™ARF is a great way to ha ve fun and try your hand
at R/C soaring flight. The Fling ARF uses two channels for
control–rudder and elevator, and easy to set up pull-pull
control surface actuation. The Fling ARF has few parts
enabling easy and quick assembly, and will get you to the
flying field fast, whether it be a sports park or a larger flying
site. The Fling ARF can be hand-launched for low-level
thermal hunting fun, or you can use the included mini
hi-start and send your Fling ARF to higher soaring flights.

Items required for assembly are micro or nano servos, a
micro receiver, and a micro Rx battery pack. The specific
recommended radio gear is listed in the

“Radio Equipment”

section of the manual.
Have a friend get a Fling ARF too , and you can have “first up /

last down” contests or compete against each other trying to
land the Fling ARF closest to a certain place, a spot
landing! Have fun with your new Fling ARF!

For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to the
Fling ARF, visit the Great Planes web site at

www.g reatplanes.com

. Open the “Airplanes” link, and then

select the Fling ARF. If there is new technical information or

changes to this model, a “tech notice” box will appear in the
upper left corner of the page.

We urge you to join the AMA (Academy of Model
Aeronautics) and a local R/C club. The AMA is the
governing body of model aviation and membership is
required to fly at AMA clubs. Though joining the AMA
provides many benefits, one of the primary reasons to join
is liability protection. Coverage is not limited to flying at
contests or on the club field. It even applies to flying at
public demonstrations and air shows.Failure to comply with
the Safety Code (excerpts printed in the back of the
manual) may endanger insurance coverage. Additionally,
training programs and instructors are available at AMA club
sites to help you get started the right way. There are over
2,500 AMA chartered clubs across the countr y.Contact the
AMA at the address or toll-free phone number below:

IMPORTANT!!! Two of the most important things you can
do to preserve the radio-controlled aircraft hobby are to
avoid flying near full-scale aircraft and avoid flying near or
over groups of people.

1.Your Fling ARF should not be considered a toy, but rather
a sophisticated, working model that functions very much
like a full-size airplane. Because of its performance
capabilities, the Fling ARF, if not assembled and operated
correctly, could possibly cause injury to yourself or
spectators and damage to property.

2. You must assemble the model according to the
instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as doing so
may result in an unsafe or un-flyable model. In a few cases
the instructions may differ slightly from the photos.In those
instances the written instructions should be considered
as correct.

3.You must take time to build straight, true and strong.

4. You must use an R/C radio system that is in first-class
condition.

PRO TECT YOUR MODEL,YOURSELF

& OTHERS...FOLLOW THESE

IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive

Muncie, IN 47302

Tele: [phone]

Fax [phone]

Or via the Internet at:

http://www

.modelaircraft.org

AMA

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

5.You must correctly install all R/C and other components
so that the model operates correctly on the ground and in
the air.

6.You must check the operation of the model before every
flight to insure that all equipment is operating and that the
model has remained structurally sound. Be sure to check
pushrod strings often and replace them if they show any
signs of wear or fatigue.

7. If you are not an experienced pilot or have not flown this
type of model before, we recommend that you get the
assistance of an experienced pilot in your R/C club for your
first flights. If you’re not a member of a club, your local
hobby shop has information about clubs in your area whose
membership includes experienced pilots.

Remember:Take your time and follow the instructions to
end up with a well-built model that is straight and true.

This is the list of hardware and accessories required to finish
the Fling ARF. Order numbers are provided in parentheses.

A complete radio system may be purchased for the Fling
ARF, or the individual radio components may be purchased
separately.

If purchasing a complete system, the Futaba®3FR single
stick, 3-channel transmitter with R114F mini receiver and
two S3108 micro servos is recommended (FUTJ53**).
Replace the “**”with the channel number you wish to order .
(For example, if you wish to order a system on channel 44,
order FUTJ5344).

The 3FR does not come with a receiver battery pack, so the
Great Planes 4.8V 350 mAh NiMH (GPMP0950) is
recommended.

If purchasing the radio components separately, the
following are recommended items and order numbers:

• Any 2-channel (or more) 72 MHz FM transmitter

• Great Planes ElectriFly™4-channel mini receiver w/o crystal
(GPML0044 for low band, GPML0045 for high band)

• Low band receiver crystal for Great Planes mini receivers
(channels 11 to 35, FUTL62**)

• High band receiver crystal for Great Planes mini receivers
(channels 36 to 60, FUTL63**)

• (2) Futaba S3108 micro servos (FUTM0042)

• Great Planes 4.8V 350 mAh NiMH receiver battery
(GPMP0950)

Note: An on/off receiver switch is not used.When ready to
fly, the battery is simply connected to the receiver.

In addition to common household tools and hobby tools, this
is the “short list” of the most important items required to
build the Fling ARF.

Great Planes Pro™CA and Epoxy glue

are recommended.

❏ 1/4" [6mm] R/C foam rubber – (HCAQ1000)
❏ 1/2 oz. [15g] Thin Pro CA (GPMR6001)
❏ Pro 30-minute epoxy (GPMR6047)
❏ Plan Protector (GPMR6167) or wax paper
❏ #1 Hobby knife (HCAR0105)
❏ #11 Blades (5-pack, HCAR0211)
❏ 2 oz. [57g] Spray CA activator (GPMR6035)
❏ Mixing cups (GPMR8056)
❏ Epoxy brushes (6, GPMR8060)
❏ Builder’s Triangle Set (HCAR0480)

• When you see the term

test fit

in the instructions, it
means that you should first position the part on the
assembly without using any glue, and then slightly modify
or

custom fit

the part as necessar y for the best fit.

• Whenever the term

glue

is written, you should rely
upon your experience to decide what type of glue to use.
When a specific type of adhesive works best for that step,
the instructions will make a recommendation.

•

Photos and sketches

are placed before the step they
refer to. Frequently you can study photos in following steps
to get another view of the same parts.

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES

Adhesives & Building Supplies

Radio Equipment

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED

We, as the kit manufacturer, provide you with a top
quality, thoroughly tested kit and instructions, but
ultimately the quality and flyability of your finished model
depends on how you build it;therefore, we cannot in any
way guarantee the performance of your completed
model, and no representations are expressed or implied
as to the performance or safety of your completed model.

3

• The stabilizer and wing incidences have been factory­built into this model. However, some technically-minded
modelers may wish to check these measurements anyway.
To view this information visit the web site at

www.greatplanes.com

and click on “Technical Data.” Due to
manufacturing tolerances which will have little or no effect
on the way your model will fly, please expect slight
deviations between your model and the published values.

Fuse = Fuselage

Stab = Horizontal Stabilizer

Fin = Ver tical Fin

LE = Leading Edge
TE = Trailing Edge

LG = Landing Gear

" = Inches

mm = millimeters

COMMON ABBREVIATIONS

4

Replacement parts for the Great Planes Fling ARF are available using the order numbers in the Replacement Parts List that
follows.The fastest, most economical service can be provided by your hobby dealer or mail-order company.Parts may also be ordered
directly from Hobby Services, but full retail prices and shipping and handling charges will apply. Illinois and Nevada residents will also
be charged sales tax.

To locate a hobby dealer, visit the Hobbico

®

web site at

www

.hobbico.com

. Choose “Where to Buy” at the bottom of the menu on
the left side of the page.Follow the instructions provided on the page to locate a U.S., Canadian or International dealer.If a hobby shop
is not available, replacement parts may also be ordered from Tower Hobbies at

www

.towerhobbies.com

, or by calling toll free

[phone].

Parts may also be ordered directly from Hobby Services by calling [phone], or via f acsimile at [phone], b ut full retail
prices and shipping and handling charges will apply. Illinois and Nevada residents will also be charged sales tax. If ordering via fax,
include a Visa

®

or MasterCard®number and expiration date for payment.
Mail parts orders and payments by personal check or money order to:Hobby Services, 3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1, Champaign, IL, 61822.
Be certain to specify the order number exactly as listed in the Replacement Parts List.Payment by credit card or personal check

only; no C.O.D.

If additional assistance is required for any reason, contact Product Support by e-mail at

[e-mail]

, or by

telephone at [phone].

Replacement Parts List

Or

der Number Description How to Purchase

Missing pieces.......................Contact Product Support

Instruction manual.................Contact Product Support

Full-size plans........................Not available

GPMA2700 Wing Kit
GPMA2701 Fuse Kit
GPMA2702 Tail Set
GPMA2703 Canopy
GPMA2704 Decals
GPMA2705 Mini Hi-start

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS

................

Contact Your Hobby
Supplier to Purchase
These Items

To convert inches to millimeters, multiply inches by 25.4

5

1. Right Wing Panel

2. Left Wing Panel

3. Fuselage with Canopy

4. Wing Joiner

5. TE Support

6. Control Horns (2)

7. Rubber Bands (4)

8. Wing Dowels (2)

9. Stab & Elevator

10. Fin and Rudder

11. Mini Hi-Start

Before starting to build, take an inventory of this kit to make sure it is complete, and inspect the parts to make sure they
are of acceptable quality. If any parts are missing or are not of acceptable quality, or if you need assistance with assembly,
contact Product Support.When reporting defective or missing parts, use the part names exactly as they are written in the
Kit Contents list.

Great Planes Product Support:

3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1

Champaign, IL 61822

Telephone: [phone], ext. 5

Fax: [phone]

E-mail:

[e-mail]

KIT CONTENTS

1

2

4

7

3

10

11

9

5

6

8

Kit Contents