Great Planes GPMA6006 User Manual

®

SPECIFICATIONS

Wingspan: 40 in [1015mm]

Wing Area: 267 in

2

[17.2 dm2]

Wing Loading: 10.8−11.5 oz/ ft

[33−35 g/dm2]

2

Length: 32.5 in [825mm]
Weight: 20−22 oz [565−605 g]

Radio: 4-channel minimum

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

™

INSTRUCTION

MANUAL

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 CONTAINS IMPORTANT

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

Champaign, Illinois

[phone], Ext 5

[e-mail]

Entire Contents © 2011 Hobbico,® Inc. All rights reserved. GPMA6006 Mnl

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

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

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

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

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

Batteries and Charger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

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

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

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

BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Check the Control Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Set the Control Throws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Balance the Model (C.G.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the Great Planes Super
Sportster Rx-R EPO! Continuing with the success of the Super
Sportster design since its introduction in 1982 comes the EPO
version. You can expect the same honest fl ight characteristics
with the EPO Sportster as the larger wood counterparts. If

this is your fi rst Super Sportster, then you will discover and
appreciate the sporty handling of the plane. If this is your fi rst
low wing model, the Sportster can be fl own slow and gentle
as you become accustomed to fl ying a plane without the self­righting tendency your high wing trainer has.

The practical wingspan allows you to toss the Sportster into

the back seat of any size car without having to take the wings
off. Grab a fl ight or two over your lunch at a spacious park or

your local fi eld! And the EPO material is very resilient against

rough landings, but should damage occur, it can be repaired
quickly using regular CA glue and accelerator so you can
keep on fl ying.

Balance the Model Laterally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

PREFLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Identify Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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

Balance Propellers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Range Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

MOTOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

AMA SAFETY CODE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Radio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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

Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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 country. 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

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.

SAFETY PRE CAUTION S

For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to the
Super Sportster EPO visit the Great Planes web site at www.

greatplanes.com. Open the “Airplanes” link, then select the

Super Sportster EPO. 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.

AMA

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 fl y at AMA clubs.

Though joining the AMA provides many benefi ts, one of the

primary reasons to join is liability protection. Coverage is not
limited to fl ying at contests or on the club fi eld. It even applies
to fl ying at public demonstrations and air shows. Failure to
comply with the Safety Code (excerpts printed in the back of

Protect Your Model, Yourself & Others...
Follow These Important Safety Precautions

1. Your Super Sportster EPO 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 Sportster, 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 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.

2

4. You must use an R/C radio system that is in fi rst-class
condition, and a correctly sized motor and components
throughout the building process.

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

fl ight to insure that all equipment is operating and that the
model has remained structurally sound. Be sure to check
clevises or other connectors often and replace them if they
show any signs of wear or fatigue.

7. 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.

8. 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 one in the recommended
range 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.

We, as the kit manufacturer, 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: T ake your time and f ollow the instructions to
end up with a well-built model that is straight and true.

Batteries and Charger

One 1250-1300mAh 11.1V Lithium Polymer battery pack is
required. Recommended batteries are provided below.

❍ SuperTigre® LiPo 11.1V 1250mAh 15C (SUPP1030)

❍ Great Planes ElectriFly LiPo 3S 11.1V 1300mAh 25C

Power (GPMP0505)

The Great Planes 1300mAh pack will require the use

of an adapter (SUPM0040)

A cell balancer is required for the LiPo battery packs
listed above:

❍ Great Planes ElectriFly Equinox™ LiPo Cell Balancer

1-5 (GPMM3160)

A suitable charger is also required. The Great Planes
PolyCharge4 is designed for LiPo packs only, but is able to
charge four LiPo packs simultaneously. The Great Planes

Triton2 charger will only charge one pack at a time. However, it

is capable of charging NiCd, NiMH, LiPo, and Pb acid batteries.
Order numbers for both are provided below:

❍ Great Planes PolyCharge4™ DC Only 4 Output LiPo

Charger (GPMM3015)

OR

❍ Great Planes ElectriFly Triton2™ DC Comp Peak Charger

(GPMM3153)

Optional Supplies and Tools

Here is a list of optional tools and adhesives that will help you
set up and repair the Super Sportster EPO:

DECISI ONS YOU MUST MAKE

This is a partial list of items required to fi nish the Super Sportster

EPO that may require planning or decision making before

starting to build. Order numbers are provided in parentheses.

Radio Equipment

The Super Sportster EPO requires a minimum 4-channel

transmitter and receiver. If you have a transmitter already, a

standard 2.4GHz receiver or micro FM receiver is recommended.
If you need to purchase a transmitter, we recommend the
Futaba 6EX 2.4GHz transmitter/receiver combo as it provides

digital trims, dual rates and end point adjustments, model

memory and other mixing options that will be useful for future

model airplanes or helicopters you purchase. Part numbers

for these models are provided below:

❍ Futaba® 6EX 6-Channel 2.4GHz Transmitter/Receiver

(FUTK6900)

❍ Futaba R617FS 7-Channel 2.4GHz FASST™ Receiver

(FUTL7627)

❍ 1/2 oz. [15g] Medium Pro™ CA+ (GPMR6007)

❍ 2 oz. [57g] spray CA activator (GPMR6035)

❍ 4 oz. [113g] aerosol CA activator (GPMR6034)

❍ CA applicator tips (HCAR3780)

❍ CA debonder (GPMR6039)

❍ Pro 6-minute epoxy (GPMR6045)

❍ Pro 30-minute epoxy (GPMR6047)

❍ Epoxy brushes 6, (GPMR8060)

❍ Mixing sticks (GPMR8055)

❍ Mixing cups (GPMR8056)

❍ Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer (TOPQ5700)

❍ AccuThrow™ Defl ection Gauge (GPMR2405)

❍ CG Machine™ (GPMR2400)

❍ Hobbico Flexible 18" Ruler Stainless Steel (HCAR0460)

❍ Denatured alcohol (for epoxy clean up)

3

IMPORTANT BU ILDING NOTES

● 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.

● The stabilizer and wing incidences and motor 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.

KIT IN SPE CTIO N

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 Pr oduct 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 Ph [phone], ext. 5
Champaign, IL 61822 Fx [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

ORDERING REPLACEM ENT PARTS

Replacement parts for the Great Planes Super Sportster EPO

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.

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.

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® or MasterCard® number and
expiration date for payment.

Mail parts orders Hobby Services

and payments by 3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1
personal check to: 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 productsupport@greatplanes.
com, or by telephone at [phone].

REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST

Order No. Description

GPMA4215
GPMA4216
GPMA4217
GPMA4218
GPMA4219
GPMA4220
GPMA4221
GPMA4222
GPMA4223
GPMA4224
GPMA4225
GPMA4226
GPMA4227

Super Sportster EP Rx-R Wing
Super Sportster Rx-R Fuselage
Super Sportster Rx-R H-Stab
Super Sportster EP Rx-R Cowl
Super Sportster EP Rx-R Gear
Super Sportster EP Rx-R Spinner
Super Sportster EP Rx-R Hatch
Super Sportster EP Rx-R Motor
Super Sportster EP Rx-R ESC
Super Sportster EP Rx-R Servo
Super Sportster Rx-R T-Wheel
Super Sportster Rx-R Wing Tube
Wing Bolt 1 pc.

KIT CONTENTS

3

7

8

6

5

1

5

2

8

4

3

4

1. Fuselage

2. Canopy Hatch

3. Left and Right Wing Panels

4. Wing Tube

5. Left and Right Horizontal Stabilizers

6. Propeller

7. Spinner

8. Left and Right Main Landing Gear