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Great Planes Spirit Elite
by Klaus
Weiss..........reviewed 12/99 Heathcote
Soaring League
THE KIT
The balsa selection and die cutting is of the usual Great
Planes high standard, with no die crushing of balsa parts
evident. The plywood pieces pop out cleanly, as do the balsa
parts. This is the first time I have seen jig tabs on the ribs
of a Great Planes glider, and they will ensure the correct
building alignment is maintained during the wing construction.
As with all Great Planes kit boxes, the artwork will catch
the eye of any prospective buyer. The contents are well packed,
with separate bundles and a comprehensive hardware package.
Interlocking parts make for a straight assembly as well as
providing strength. There is a rolled plan and a 32 page
instruction booklet, with step by step drawings, to aid in the
construction sequence. At the end of the booklet, there are
several pages dedicated to trimming and flying advice, slope
soaring information, ballasting and an overview of how thermals
work.
Having built several Spirit 2m sailplanes and a couple of
Spirit 100 versions, I was interested in comparing how the Elite
would build, in contrast. It seems to be just as accurate and
easy to build as previous versions, borrowing a few aspects from
the Spirit 100 assembly, in my opinion.
I can't stress strongly enough, the importance of reading
through the booklet and referencing it to the plans, before you
begin. Next, go through the parts list and identify the
various balsa and timber pieces required for wings, fuselage and
empennage. If needs be, mark them for identification, as the
only way to do so otherwise, is to keep checking back on the
bundle contents in the parts list.
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