Great Planes Spirit 100 Sailplane Kit - GPMA0550 - Manual (Page 54)

SLOPE LANDINGS
Landings can be very tricky on some slopes. On
gentle slopes you can often fly very close to the top of the
slope and "slide" into the top of the slope without
encountering any turbulent air. On steeper slopes you
may have to be a little more aggressive to get the plane
out of the lift. In any case it is a good idea to plan your
landing before you launch your plane.
BUILDING NOTES
Kit Purchase Date -
Where Purchased-
Price-
8-Digit # on End Flap of Box-
Date Construction Started-
BALLASTING
In strong wind conditions, you may want to add
ballast (weight) to the sailplane to increase its wing
loading which increases its normal flying speed. In-
creasing the weight of your sailplane does not change its
"glide ratio" but it does make it fly faster which makes it
sink a proportional amount faster. Because of this faster
sink rate, you need to be very cautious when ballasting
for a thermal contest. In duration type contests only use
ballast on very windy days that also have a lot of thermal
activity.
Date Construction Finished-
Date of First Flight-
Finished Weight (ounces) -
Wing Loading (Weight - 6.57)-
Comments-
The SPIRIT 100 has a neat feature not found in any
other sailplane kit - a built in ballast box. It is designed
to hold up to 30 ounces of the self adhesive lead strips
found at your local hobby shop. It is centered directly on
the center of gravity of the plane so you can add ballast
without having to re-balance the plane. When learning
to ballast your plane, start out small and work your way
up. 6-10 oz. will make a noticeable difference in the
sailplane's flying speed.
Have a ball! But always stay in
control and fly in a safe manner,
GOOD LUCK AND GREAT FLYING!
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