Great Planes GPMA17 User 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. Fur ther, 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 buyers are not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of this product,they are advised
to return this kit immediately in new and unused condition to the place of purchase.

READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL
FIRST. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS
AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY
AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

GPMZ0228 V1.1 For GPMA17** Entire Contents © Copyright 2002

P.O.Box 788 Urbana, IL 61801 [phone]

[e-mail]

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

™

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

PREPARATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Building Supplies and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Optional Supplies and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Other Required Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

General Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Important Building Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Metric Conversions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Metric/Inch Ruler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

PARTS LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

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

ASSEMBLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Wing Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Tail Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Wing Dowel Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Radio Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Balance The Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Checking For Warps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

PREFLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Find a Safe Place to Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Range Check Your Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

AMA SAFETY CODE (EXCERPT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Radio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Trim Flights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

First Flights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Thermal Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Facts About Thermals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Thermal Soaring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Pointers for Contest Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

FLIGHT LOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Your SPECTRA™SELECT is not a toy, but rather a

sophisticated, working model that functions very much like a
full-size sailplane. Because of its realistic performance, the
SPECTRA SELECT, if not assembled and operated

correctly, could possibly cause injury to yourself or
spectators and damage property.

To make your R/C modeling experience totally enjoyable,
we recommend that you get experienced, knowledgeable
help with assembly and during your first flights.You’ll learn

faster and av oid risking your model before you’re truly ready to
solo.Your local hobby shop has information about flying clubs
in your area whose membership includes qualified instructors.
You can also contact the national Academy of Model
Aeronautics (AMA), which has more than 2,500 chartered
clubs across the country.

Through any one of them, instructor training programs and
insured newcomer training are available. Contact the AMA at
the address or toll-free phone number below.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive

Muncie, IN 47302-9252

Tele. [phone]

Fax [phone]

or via the Internet at http://www.modelaircraft.org

1. Build the plane according to the plan and instructions.Do
not alter or modify the model, as doing so may result in an
unsafe or unflyable model. In a few cases the plan and
instructions may differ slightly from the photos. In those
instances the plan and written instructions are correct.

2.Take time to build straight, true and strong.

3. Use an R/C radio system that is in first-class condition,
and a correctly sized motor and components (batteries,
etc.) throughout your building process.

4.You must properly install all components so that the model
operates properly on the ground and in the air.

5.You must check the operation of the model before every
flight to ensure that all equipment is operating and that the
model has remained structurally sound. Be sure to check
nylon clevises or other connectors often and replace them if
they show signs of wear or fatigue.

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

Please inspect all parts carefully before starting to
build! If any parts are missing, broken or defective,or if
you have any questions about building or flying this
airplane, please call us at:

[phone]

or e-mail us at:

[e-mail].

If you are calling for replacement parts, please
reference the part numbers and the kit identification
number (stamped on the end of the carton) and have
them ready when calling.

Note:We, as the kit manufacturer, provide you with a top

quality kit and great instructions, but ultimately the quality
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.

PRO TECT YOUR MODEL,YOURSELF

& OTHERS...FOLLOW THESE

IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

The SPECTRA SELECT is a very stable and predictable
aircraft, allowing pilots of differing skill levels to enjoy it.It is
easy to build, flies great, and would be a great selection as
your first R/C airplane.

These are the building supplies and tools that are required.
We recommend Great Planes brand accessories.

❏ Phillips Screwdriver
❏ Pliers
❏ Great Planes Pro

™

Threadlocker (GPMR6060)

❏ Top Flite

®

Sealing Iron (TOPR2100)

❏ Top Flite Hot Sock

™

Iron Cover (TOPR2175)

❏ Top Flite Heat Gun (TOPR2000)

❏ 8-AA Alkaline Batter ies
❏ Charger for 7-cell, 2100 mAh NiCd Battery.

Remove the fuselage, wing panels, rudder assembly and
stabilizer assembly from their individual bags. Inspect all
items closely to check for any damage. If any damage is
found, contact the place where your SPECTRA SELECT
was purchased, or Hobby Services, to obtain a
replacement for your damaged items.

Your SPECTRA SELECT is covered using Top Flite

®

MonoKote®covering. Eliminate any wrinkles you find in the
covering by shrinking them away with a heat gun. Then,
apply pressure to the area with a covering iron and a
hot sock. This will securely bond the covering to the wood

so the wrinkles will be less likely to reappear in the future.

Several times during construction we refer to the “top” or
“bottom” of the model or a part of the model. It is
understood that the “top” or “bottom” of the model is as it
would be when the airplane is right side up and will be
referred to as the “top”even if the model is being worked on
upside-down.

Important Building Notes

General Inspection

Other Required Items

Optional Supplies and Tools

Building Supplies and Tools

PREPARATIONS

3

1/64" = .4 mm
1/32" = .8 mm
1/16" = 1.6 mm
3/32" = 2.4 mm

1/8" = 3.2 mm
5/32" = 4.0 mm
3/16" = 4.8 mm

1/4" = 6.4 mm

3/8" = 9.5 mm
1/2" = 12.7 mm
5/8" = 15.9 mm
3/4" = 19.0 mm

1" = 25.4 mm
2" = 50.8 mm
3" = 76.2 mm
6" = 152.4 mm

12" = 304.8 mm
18" = 457.2 mm
21" = 533.4 mm
24" = 609.6 mm
30" = 762.0 mm
36" = 914.4 mm

Metric Conversions

4

8
9

10

11
12

13

1
2
3

4

6

7

5

Key # Description Qty

1 TRANSMITTER.................................1

2 RIGHT WING PANEL ........................1

3 BATTERY...........................................1

4 CANOPY............................................1

5 SPINNER/PROPELLER....................1

6 RUBBER BANDS ..............................4

7 WING DOWELS ................................2

8 STAB & ELEVATOR ...........................1

Key # Description Qty

9 FUSELAGE........................................1

10 LEFT WING PANEL...........................1

11 WING JOINER...................................1

12 PLASTIC WING DOWEL CAPS........4

13 METAL HARDWARE

PARTS LIST

REPLACEMENT PARTS

If needed, replacement parts for your Spectra Select are available through your hobby supplier.

GPMA2340......Wing Kit

GPMA2341......Fuselage

GPMA2342......Tail Set

GPMA2343......Motor

GPMA2344......Battery

GPMA2345......ESC

GPMQ1690.....Propeller