Discus Launch Glider

fliteadmin

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David teaches Josh how to Discus Launch and shares some tips for achieving a successful flight with a DLG.








The Neos is hand-crafted with Carboline STF, fiberglass and other lightweight composite materials and features a rudder.





Learn more about the Neos from ArmSoar Composite Gliders:
www.armsoar.com

Other hand launched gliders:
Versus Composite DLG

Learn more about competition hand launched gliders here:
www.F3K.us

Check out some more cool slow motion discus launches here:

 

leucadian

Junior Member
Excellent, well photographed instructional video. Silhouette opening shots and slow motion really added to the beauty and information. Nice job.
 

randall_l

Member
@JustinTime: I'm not sure $tree foam board would hold up against the forces involved in launching a DLG, but it might be worth a try with some reinforcement.

I managed to build a glider (no way a competition model, but okay for a trainer) with a bunch of different options for around $70.

Mini-ELF-v3-overview.jpg
800mm or 1000mm wing, cruciform or v-tail, powered or not.

Cheers!
Randall
 

Koriel

Junior Member
Well this video caused quite a few people to start with DLG..

Here in Holland we had a small meet last weekend with pro's and newbie's.. Talking to the latter we quickly discovered that we were "snared in" because of this video. I started with a small 1m Mini DLG from HK, others with a selfbuild MiMi or other DLG.

Really love this episode..
 

Musmus

Junior Member
You can actually build them yourself. Just have to move the dollarfoam and hotglue out of the way. Get high load foam, hotwire + templates setup, vacuum bag, some composite materials and epoxy and your off!

Does cost a bit to get started in time and money, but is really rewarding if you fancy making something different than the usual foam plank build here.

Thanks David for showing me the DLG. Totally hooked now!

-Rasmus
 

Hammich

Junior Member
Hey guys anyone can feel free to answer this ive have never actually flown an rc plane and these look difficult launch but would it be the worst plane to start with or would a motor'd plane be a better idea. thanks in advance
 

Craftydan

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Worst? no.

Good? not really that either.

A small motored plane like the FT Tiny Trainer (3-channel motor version, naturally) would be a better place to start. As a new pilot you've got to learn:

- how to maintain orientation -- is the plane coming at me or away from me? are the wings level? tilted left? right? Much harder than it sounds.

- Muscle memory for the controls -- as the plane gets faster, less stable, and more agile you have less and less time to think about which stick I move which way to get yourself out of trouble. you need to get your thinking part of your brain back to "where do I want to go and how do I get there" and away from "I move the left stick left and that moves the rudder . . . ". you simply don't have time for it. it needs to become automatic.

A nice low-range DLG (sub $200) can be launched fairly easy, but you won't get much height or flight time. The alula style DLGs are fairly crash tolerant, however the classic wing + tail style can have some very fragile points. Launching and then transitioning to flight can be a fiddly thing, so I'd recommend a low-end DLG for a second or third plane, and I'd recommend the plane just before it be a glider (powered or otherwise).

learn to fly remotely on something friendly, learn to glide on something that can be dragged high, then you're better suited to learn to throw it :)

BTW, Welcome to the forum!
 

Hammich

Junior Member
yeah i thought it might come down to being a bit to much to handle spining, trying to launch and fly at the same time. thankyou for the reply ill have to hunt around a bit for a nice powered trainer then bit hard here in aus its a very expensive hobby.
 

joshuabardwell

Senior Member
Mentor
Worst? no.
Good? not really that either.

If you want to get started with a glider, a Radian would be a fine choice. Three-channel, so easy to control. Polyhedral wings, so self-righting. And it's got a motor on it so you can get some actual flight time. A discus-launch is a poor first plane if only because you will spend so little time in the air vs. chasing it down and throwing it again.

If you are not interested in building, there is even a Ready-to-fly (RTF) version of the Radian that comes with a transmitter.
 

Hammich

Junior Member
WOW! such an active and helpful community, Thanks guys I've never been on a forum that actually has active members, (or at least helpful active members) ill have to get my grammar back up to scratch and start checking this forum more often.
 

Balu

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@Hammich: Grammar is overrated. As long as we are able to understand you, everything is fine. :)