Great Planes GPMA1805 User Manual

SPECIFICATIONS

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Wingspan: 31 in [785mm]

Wing Area: 112 in

Wing Loading: 21.9–23.1 oz/ft

Length: 24.5 in [620mm]

2

[7.2 dm2]

2

[67–70 g/dm2]

Motor, ESC, Battery: 24-33-3180kV Ammo inrunner,

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

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT

INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

Weight: 17–18 oz [480–510 g]

Radio: 3-channel, 2 nano servos, mini receiver

25A ESC, 1500mAh 11.1V 25C LiPo

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.

Champaign, Illinois

[phone], Ext 5

[e-mail]

Entire Contents © 2010 GPMA1805 Mnl

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

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

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

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Motor, Battery and ESC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Servos, Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Propeller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Battery Chargers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Adhesives and Building Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Optional Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

KIT INSPECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

KIT CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Hook Up the Elevator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Install the Motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Mount the Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Mark the Balance Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Hook Up the Ailerons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Mount the Landing Skids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Apply the decals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Set the Control Throws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Balance the Model (C.G.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Balance the Model Laterally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

PREFLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Identify Your Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Charge the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Radio Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

FLYING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Mount the Wing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Ground Check and Range Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Hand-Launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

still breathe a sigh of relief after every landing, but you’ll
become addicted to the speed and be ready for the next
fl ight after you’ve calmed your nerves.

For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to
the Rifl e visit the Great Planes web site at www.greatplanes.
com. Open the “Airplanes” link, then select Rifl e 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.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

If you are not already a member of the AMA, please join!

The AMA is the governing body of model aviation and

membership provides liability insurance coverage, protects
modelers’ rights and interests and is required to fl y at most
R/C sites.

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

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

PROTECT YOUR MODEL, YOURSELF

& OTHERS… FOLLOW THESE

IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1. Your Rifl e 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 Rifl e, if not assembled and operated
correctly, could possibly cause injury to yourself or
spectators and damage to property.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing the Great Planes Rifl e ARF.

Prepare to be thrilled! Before fl ying your Rifl e make sure
you’ re really ready; get a good night’s sleep and do what you

can to optimize your reaction time and concentration level,
because the Rifl e’s small size and extreme speed can cause
it to get out of visual range within a few seconds! We’ve
clocked it at average speeds of 90mph, but in actuality it
seems like it’s going over 200! The Rifl e does fl y predictably
and smoothly, so TOC (Tournament of Champions) skills
are not required, but you still must be a competent pilot with
the ability to remain calm and react decisively when being
challenged. And even after you get used to your Rifl e, you’ll

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 unfl yable 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 good condition,
a correctly sized motor, and other components as specifi ed
in this instruction manual. All components must be correctly
installed so that the model operates correctly on the ground
and in the air. You must check the operation of the model
and all components before every fl ight.

2

5. If you are not an experienced pilot or have not fl own this
type of model before, we recommend that you get the
assistance of an experienced pilot in your R/C club for
your fi rst fl ights. 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.

6. While this kit has been fl ight tested to exceed normal use,
if the plane will be used for extremely high stress fl ying,
such as racing, or if a motor larger than recommended
is used, the modeler is responsible for taking steps
to reinforce the high stress points and/or substituting
hardware more suitable for the increased stress.

7. WARNING: The fuselage, wing and horizontal stabiliz er
included in this kit are made of fi berglass, the fi bers of
which may cause eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation.
Never blow into a part to remove fi berglass dust, as the
dust will blow back into your eyes. Always wear safety
goggles, a particle mask and rubber gloves when
grinding, drilling and sanding fi berglass parts. Vacuum
the parts and the work area thoroughly after working with
fi berglass parts.

We, as the kit manuf acturer, provide you with a top quality,
thoroughly tested kit and instructions, but ultimately the
quality and fl yability of your fi nished 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.

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

❍ ElectriFly 11.1V (3S) 1300 mAh 25C Power

Series LiPo (GPMP0505)

is also suitable because it is only slightly less in capacity and
is also .5 oz [14g] lighter.

If purchasing several batteries for your Rifl e, it may be a
good idea to purchase at least one lighter battery, allowing
your Rifl e to be slightly more maneuverable and land slightly
slower which may be benefi cial at least for the fi rst fl ight.

Under “normal” fl ying conditions (mostly full throttle),
average fl ight times are approximately four minutes of
motor run time (with approximately one more minute for
multiple landing attempts).

The:

❍ Great Planes ElectriFly SS-25 25 Amp

brushless ESC (GPMM1820)

is also recommended.

Servos, Receiver

No unusual radio gear is required for the Rifl e, just a small
receiver and one elevator servo and aileron servo in the 15­20 oz-in torque range that will fi t in the mounts.

Servos used in the prototypes for testing were both the:

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE

This is a partial list of items required to fi nish the Rifl e that

may require planning or decision making before starting
assembly. Order numbers are provided in parentheses.

Motor, Battery and ESC

The Rifl e was designed for and tested exclusively with the:

❍ ElectriFly Ammo™ 24-33-3180kV inrunner

brushless motor (GPMG5155)

This motor provided straight-and-level average speeds

of 90mph.

There are two different batteries suitable f or the Rifl e. Due to

its larger capacity the:

❍ ElectriFly 11.1V (3S) 1500mAh 25C Power

Series LiPo (GPMP0511)

❍ Great Planes ES50 Nano servos (GPMM1210)

and the

❍ Futaba® S3107 servos (FUTM0025).

Any mini 4-channel aircraft receiver will work. A Futaba 2.4GHz
R617FS FASST™ receiver (FUTL7627) was also used in the

prototypes and is illustrated in the instruction manual.

Propeller

The Rifl e was fl own exclusively with an:

❍ APC 4.75 x 4.75 Speed 400 electric propeller

(APCQ4910)

You should also have several spare propellers on-hand to
replace ones that break upon landing.

is preferred, but the:

3

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED

Battery Charger

A LiPo-capable battery charger and a power source for

•

the charger is required. One recommended charger is
the Great Planes ElectriFly TritonEQ™ AC/DC Charger
(GPMM3155). The TritonEQ can be powered either by
an AC or DC power source and features a built-in LiPo
cell balancer.

Another suitable LiPo battery charger is the Great Planes

•

PolyCharge4™ DC LiPo charger (GPMM3015). The
PolyCharge4 can charge up to four LiPo batteries at the
same time, but requires separate LiPo cell balancers, so
for each LiPo battery you wish to charge simultaneously
(up to 4), one Great Planes Equinox™ LiPo Cell Balancer
(GPMM3160) will be required. The Equinox comes with
2S and 3S charge adapters, so these will be suitable for
the batteries recommended for your Rifl e. Finally, the
PolyCharge4 does not have AC capability, so if wall­charging from home is a priority a separate A/C 12-Volt
power source must also be purchased. A suitable power
supply then for the PolyCharge4 is the Great Planes 12V

12A DC power supply (GPMP0901).

❍ 1/2 oz. [15g] Thin Pro™ CA (GPMR6001)
❍ CA applicator tips (HCAR3780)
❍ 2 oz. [59mL] spray CA activator (GPMR6035)
❍ Threadlocker thread locking cement (GPMR6060)
❍ Stick-on segmented lead weights (GPMQ4485)
❍ 1/16" [1.6mm] drill

Optional Supplies

❍ Du-Bro® double-sided tape (DUBQ3551—for

mounting ESC, receiver)

❍ Shoe Goo™ (DTXC2460—for securing servo wires)
❍ Great Planes Velcro® (GPMQ4480—for additional

batteries)

KIT INSPECTION

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.

Adhesives and Building Supplies

Other than common hobby tools this is the list of adhesives

and building supplies that are required to fi nish the Rifl e.

KIT CONTENTS

1

2

3

4

5

6

Great Planes Ph: [phone], ext. 5
Product Support Fax: [phone]

3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1
Champaign, IL 61822

E-mail: [e-mail]

1. Fuselage

2. Wing

3. Elevator pushrod

4. Horizontal stabilizer

5. Spinner
(cone, back plate, shaft,
washer, nut, spare shaft)

6. Balancing stand

7. Adhesive-back

8

10

11

7

9

hook & loop material

8. Elevator servo mount

9. Landing skids

10. Aileron pushrods

11. Antenna guide tube

4

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Replacement parts for the Great Planes Rifl e ARF are

available using the order n umbers in the Replacement Parts
List that follows. The fastest, most economical service can
be provided by your hobby dealer or mail-order company.

To locate a hobby dealer, visit the Great Planes web site

at www.greatplanes.com. Select “Where to Buy” in the
menu across the top of the page and follow the instructions
provided to locate a U.S., Canadian or International dealer.

Parts may also be ordered directly from Hobby Services by

calling [phone], or via facsimile at [phone],
but 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
number and expiration date for payment.

Mail parts orders and payments by personal check 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.

®

or MasterCard®

Hook Up the Elevator

1. Test fi t your elevator servo to the servo mount. If

❏

necessary, trim the mount to fi t the ser vo—it will probably

be necessary to trim a portion of one of the blocks to
accommodate the servo wire.

If additional assistance is required for any reason contact
Product Support by e-mail at productsupport@greatplanes.

com, or by telephone at [phone].

REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST

Order No. Description

GPMA2720
GPMA2721
GPMA2722
GPMA2723
GPMA2724

NOTE

The stabilizer and wing incidences and engine thrust

•

angles have been factory-built 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 fl y,

please expect slight deviations between your model and
the published values.

Wing
Fuselage
Horizontal Stabilizer
Spinner Set
Decal Sheet

Full-size plans are not available.
You can download a copy of this
manual at www.greatplanes.com.

2. Place your servo in the mount and drill 1/16" [1.6mm]

❏

holes through the blocks for the mounting screws.

3. Mount the servo with the screws included with this kit

❏

(or the screws that came with your servo).

4. Remove the servo from the mount, add a few drops

❏

of thin CA to screw holes and allow to harden. Remount
the servo.

The servo has to be centered before mounting the servo arm,

so temporarily hook up the radio and center the servo as
described…

5