Micron Wings FreeSpirit User manual

Your kit contains the following items
Pre- cut parts
Sandpaper
Covering sheet
The FreeSpirit is a simple to build, large winged
towline glider suitable for beginner to
intermediate builders.
The wings feature a simple dihedral shape with no
tip dihedral sections to build, so construction is
very straight-forward.
The covering material for the wings is heat
activated shrink film and because it is supplied as a
tube and simply slips over the wing, there is very
little gluing required.
This bird can be flown as a hand launch glider or a
towline glider and it’s built up wing structure gives
great lift and aerodynamic properties.
Additional Items You May Need
* Foam safe glue
* Wood Glue
* Araldite
* Masking Tape
* Cling Wrap
* Hobby Knife
* Length of string for towline

Refer to these pages as you follow this manual. When you see a part written in bold in the build instructions below,
refer back to these pages to see which part it is. Leave the parts in the sheets until they are needed.
Main Body Former Tail
Wings Main Spars
Wings Leading Edge Spars
Wings Trailing Edge Spars
Ribs and Half Ribs
Wing Main Spar Joiners
Wing Mounts
Wing Tips Capping
Centre Rib
Tailplane
Vertical Stabiliser
Wings Main Spar Capping Strips
Nose Bracing Plates
Rubber bands
Wing Mount Pegs
Wing Boxing
Main Body Former
Forward Wing Braces
Towline Hook
Ballast

Getting Started
For best results you will need a flat surface to work on.
It’s preferable to have a flat piece of corkboard or
sheet of Depron foam so you will be able to pin parts
down if needed.
(image for illustration purpose only –no plans supplied with this kit)
It’s a good idea to put a layer of cling wrap over the
work surface. It’s easier to get your wing frame parts
unstuck from the cling wrap than from other materials.
Tape the cling wrap sheet to the work surface ensuring
it is completely flat and free from wrinkles.
The Wing Sections
Lay the Wing Main Spar on the work surface and
glue in place the 2 Ribs in these slots toward each
end. Ensure these are level and the Wing Main Spar
is vertical and allow it to dry. Make sure the ribs form
a 90 degree angle with the Wing Main Spar.
Alternate to the other wing and do the same.
Note: Check that the rib direction on each wing is
correct so you are making one left wing and one right
wing.
Once the first two ribs have dried, continue to glue all
the other full Wing Ribs in place making sure they
are also level and parallel to each other.
Note: The full ribs go in alternating slots.
Continue to glue in the Wing Half Ribs in place
laying the wing on a flat surface to ensure they are
level.

Looking along the leading edge will allow you to ensure
they are all lined up straight.
When gluing in the leading and trailing edges, press
them down from the top to slot in the ribs.
Continue to glue in place the trailing edge first.
Glue in place the Wings Leading Edge Spar ensuring
that the end with the notch in it is attached to the
outermost rib.
Pinning the parts to the work bench will ensure the
leading edge part is pressed well up against the ribs for
gluing.
Allow to dry before continuing.
Glue in place the Wing Tips Capping pieces in place
with the thicker end toward the leading edge of
the wings.
Pin around it to keep it in place while it dries.
Glue in place the Wing Main Spar Joiners on either
side of one of the wing’s main spars.
Ensure the bottom of the joiner pieces are flush
with the bottom of the Wing Main Spar. The
thinner joiner goes on the rear of the spar as shown
here. The gap left at the top is to accommodate the
capping strop.

Slide in the other Wing’s Main Spar and check
that the trailing edge strips and leading edge strips
from each wing meet flush in the middle.
Finally, glue in place the other wing at the Wing
Main Spar Joiner location. Ensure the Wing Main Spar
Joiners are flush with the bottom of the Wing Main
Spar.
Glue in the Centre Rib forward and aft pieces. This goes
directly on the centre line of the Wing Main Spar
Joiners. Ensure it is vertical and in line top and
bottom with the V in the joiners.
Trim the Wings Main Spar Capping Strips to size and
glue these in place in the gap just behind the Wing Main
Spar.
Take the two square Wing Boxing Bpieces and soak
them in water for about 30 minutes to soften them up.
These can then be bent to the shape of the forward section
on a wing spar.
Allow them to dry and they should hold their shape.

Glue in place the Wing Boxing pieces which cover the
top of the wings. You will need to trim the smaller pieces
to fit in the aft slot.
You may also need to sand or trim the edge of these
pieces so they slip inside the space between the wing ribs.
Sand down the wing boxing especially at the front to
follow the curve of the wing ribs.
Slide the wing covering sheet over the wings leaving an
even amount protruding from each end.
Cut a small hole in the film at the centre of the wings and
squirt in some Foam Safe Glue. We recommend using UHU
Por Expanded Polystyrene glue.
Do not use wood glue as it may affect the film. We use
foam safe glue because it becomes very tacky and this is
perfect for attaching film.
Use a scrap piece of wood to spread out the glue in the
forward and aft areas. This middle section needs to be
glued down to prevent it from lifting up when the covering
film is shrunk.
Allow to completely dry.

On the wing tips trim the film leaving about 15mm
protruding.
Apply UHU Por Expanded Polystyrene glus to the bottom
surface of the Wing Tip Capping piece.
Allow to dry and attach film from the bottom of the wing to
it.
Then apply UHU Por glue to the top of the Wing Tip
Capping piece and fold the film from under the wing over
onto it.
Next apply some UHU Por glue to the bottom surface of the
Wing Tip Capping piece directly onto the film and pull
the film from the top down to attach to it.
Use a hair dryer to gently and evenly heat the covering all
over. Start with the hair dryer about 30cm away and move
closer as needed to allow the covering to shrink. Work a
little on one side and then turn over and work on the
other side alternating to tighten both sides simultaneously.
The finished product should look like this.
Check the wings are straight and if needed slightly twist
the wings in the opposite direction and re-heat.
You may need to do this after test flying as well.

Glue in place the Main Body Former Tail to the Main
Body Former section.
Next, glue in place the Wing Mounts and Wing Mount
Pegs as shown here. Take care to make sure the Wing
Mounts are level.
Put the ballast pieces into the nose section and glue both
the Nose Bracing Plate pieces in place.
Attach the tow line hook in just behind the leading edge of
the wing. Press it into the body and araldite around it to
hold it in place.
A piece of cardboard this shape can be cut from a flat
sheet and taped to the edge of a table to be used as a
balance point test station.
Rubber bands are attached in an X pattern to the
pegs.
The tail is intentionally too long and it is designed this
way so you can use the tail length to adjust the
balance point of the glider. When doing the balance
test in the next step you can simply tape the tailplane
parts to the end of the tail to test the point of balance.
If you need to move the point of balance forward then
keep trimming about 1cm off the tail shaft at a time
till it comes into balance.
However, do not take more than 4cm off the tail.
If more than this is needed then add weight to the nose instead.

The point of Balance should be 38mm from the
leading edge of the wing.
Balanced!
Test glide the glider by launching it gently in a slightly
down pitch. If it stalls you may need more weight on
the nose. You may also need to add a 1mm thick shim
under the trailing edge of the wings to achieve a good
flight path.
If the glider turns left or right too much check that
one wing is not twisted and if so then reheat it while
twisting it gently and slightly back the opposite way.
See a test flight video on Youtube (Link)
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This manual is for personal use only. No unauthorized copying or digital distributing permitted
without permission from MicronWings.