The Flying Tuba
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How do you high start a glider? A guy in the local model club said somthing about using metal stake and doing a slingshot thing. I dont even know....
High start?
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Here ya are:
The Flying Tuba
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Thank you
The Flying Tuba
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Not only is the concept really cool, it looks awsome when it works. This would work really well for my porposes. Im trying to build one of my sailplanes for my school aerospace engineering classes.
This video might give a better idea of what a highstart is:
The Flying Tuba
New member
Can you make high start lines? Been searhing the web but cant find a definitive answer. My engineering teacher has a bunchof surgical tubing he says he might give me.
Yep! Sure can.
Yup. Getting the right amount of pull for the weight of the plane makes things interesting in selecting the rubber, but sure.
Was out flying with a buddy this weekend "highstarting" an UMX ASK-21 (2.5Oz, 34" span -- tiny little thing) with about 25' of 1/16" rubber band (you'll probably want bigger -- if you're looking at your BoT, you'll need big and stretchy) and monofiliment fishing line. Every time I've flown Highstart, it's always come to the same result . . . Stupid fun. It's simply a blast watching the plane rocket up in an arc to a point over the pin . . . then release for a gentle glide. We had some video of it . . . I'll see if I can get him to post it.
Building one is simple. You'll need a stake (having a second one is handy), a short length of ribbon (6" or so), a long length of rubber and three times the length in some type of lightweight cord -- fishing line works well. Tie the rubber to a stake in the ground. Tie the line to the end of the rubber. Tie the ribbon about 12" from the end. Tie a loop to hook to the plane about 6" from the end. Finally, Tie a loop or a 1" keyring to use for pulling at the very end (hope you're up on your knot tying
).
Our big mistake for the evening (it was the first time he'd done it and I didn't notice until he'd already cut the line) was cutting the line WAY too short. The line should be ~3x the length of the un-stretched rubber (30' of rubber means 90' of line, for 120' total unstretched length). At that length the right sized rubber will pull on the cord about 2-3x the weight of the plane. Too short and you end the launch way too low. Pull the rubber back roughly 3x it's unstretched length (the earlier 30' of rubber with 90' of cord becomes 90' of stretched cord for 180' total length).
Pull it back holding the the loop/keyring at the end, use the second stake to stake it down stretched and go get your plane. When you have your plane, ready to go, put the transmitter on a strap around your neck, pick up the plane in one hand and pick up the end in the other. Hook the loop 6" from the end onto the plane. Get a good underhand grip on the plane (when you let it go, it's gone) and drop the end of the line -- the plane is now holding the line taut. pick up the TX in your free hand . . . get ready . . . and push her toward the horizon. she should climb immediately. Use the rudder to keep her centered toward the peg and let her climb . . . at the top, dip the nose and the flag should fly away from the plane. level out . . . and go find some lift
Once you're down, set down your TX, go recover the plane, find the flag, and walk back to your TX. Rinse, repeat
As I said . . . Stupid fun . . .
Was out flying with a buddy this weekend "highstarting" an UMX ASK-21 (2.5Oz, 34" span -- tiny little thing) with about 25' of 1/16" rubber band (you'll probably want bigger -- if you're looking at your BoT, you'll need big and stretchy) and monofiliment fishing line. Every time I've flown Highstart, it's always come to the same result . . . Stupid fun. It's simply a blast watching the plane rocket up in an arc to a point over the pin . . . then release for a gentle glide. We had some video of it . . . I'll see if I can get him to post it.
Building one is simple. You'll need a stake (having a second one is handy), a short length of ribbon (6" or so), a long length of rubber and three times the length in some type of lightweight cord -- fishing line works well. Tie the rubber to a stake in the ground. Tie the line to the end of the rubber. Tie the ribbon about 12" from the end. Tie a loop to hook to the plane about 6" from the end. Finally, Tie a loop or a 1" keyring to use for pulling at the very end (hope you're up on your knot tying
). Our big mistake for the evening (it was the first time he'd done it and I didn't notice until he'd already cut the line) was cutting the line WAY too short. The line should be ~3x the length of the un-stretched rubber (30' of rubber means 90' of line, for 120' total unstretched length). At that length the right sized rubber will pull on the cord about 2-3x the weight of the plane. Too short and you end the launch way too low. Pull the rubber back roughly 3x it's unstretched length (the earlier 30' of rubber with 90' of cord becomes 90' of stretched cord for 180' total length).
Pull it back holding the the loop/keyring at the end, use the second stake to stake it down stretched and go get your plane. When you have your plane, ready to go, put the transmitter on a strap around your neck, pick up the plane in one hand and pick up the end in the other. Hook the loop 6" from the end onto the plane. Get a good underhand grip on the plane (when you let it go, it's gone) and drop the end of the line -- the plane is now holding the line taut. pick up the TX in your free hand . . . get ready . . . and push her toward the horizon. she should climb immediately. Use the rudder to keep her centered toward the peg and let her climb . . . at the top, dip the nose and the flag should fly away from the plane. level out . . . and go find some lift
Once you're down, set down your TX, go recover the plane, find the flag, and walk back to your TX. Rinse, repeat
As I said . . . Stupid fun . . .
Last edited:
FAI-F1D
Free Flight Indoorist
I'm Dan's high start cohort...Like he said, ridiculously fun, but it's also a serious way of launching gliders. If I'm not mistaken there's a full scale corrolary. Joe Wurts has made a real science of it...Many of those guys are launching unbelievably high by executing high speed zoom launches. It's also getting popular for small to mid size free flight competitions. My general impression given my limited experience is that it works out to a very easy method to get into the air, and is less prone to damaging models than is a winch, but you don't have the same level of control. Definitely very affordable.
My advice, buy an inexpensive high start and a Gentle Lady and go have fun. You'll probably get addicted and buy a Pulsar or an Ava.
My advice, buy an inexpensive high start and a Gentle Lady and go have fun. You'll probably get addicted and buy a Pulsar or an Ava.
The Flying Tuba
New member
Im an Eagle scout so my knot tying is very good. My biggest concern is puting too much rubber and snaping the wing on release.
So am I
It's amazing -- I've tied more practical hitches and lashings in this hobby than I ever did in scouts. A bit of braided fishing line and a good knowledge of knots can be a powerful and light building tool.As for folding the wing, it's something to watch out for. Build your wing relatively strong (in balsa, make sure the grain on your sheer webs is oriented vertically, and in foam, use a hard spar and watch your wingtips), and it should be able to take 2-3x it's weight in pull. It does take some estimating on your part, but if it feels like it's too much, slacking off a bit is Ok.
Think of it this way . . . launching with a slack line attached is like a glide test. Pulling back only half of what you should be able to do won't give you the same height at full stretch, but the plane will climb some from the acceleration the rubber provides. If the tension at half-pull feels like it's as much as you dare, then stop and give it a try. The next time around you may want to pull back more . . . you may not . . . but after every launch you'll have a better feel of what you have and what you need.
The Flying Tuba
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Heres what i have
The Flying Tuba
New member
The Flying Tuba
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Omg my phone just had an seizure
SlingShot
Maneuvering With Purpose
I had the dubious honor of launching my father into wing folding due to "...overly aggressive tensioning of the hi-start by the pilot." (official FINDING of the inquiry. Note: pilot error. No contributory factors found.) Dad built 'em strong so he just got carried away that time.
Hi-starts are great. I used to try to hold on to full up elevator at the top of the launch to stretch it in the wind to as best as I could.
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