Let's talk about chuck gliders

[NighthawkGliders]

I got your Aledas... I just haven't built them yet...

Josh, they are sitting here next to a couple of my gliders-- still unpackaged...



Sometime when my brother visits (and when there is potential for better weather) we'll put these together and give them a go!

Thanks, BTW, for posting a link in this thread to our Nighthawk Glider video when we were at Flite Fest East trying to find thermals with our gliders all the while avoiding the RC drone racing course that day. I think Flite Fest needs a Free Flight section now! If you are going to be there this year, I think we need to declare our own area and fly our gliders!

Brad
Nighthawk Gliders - YouTube

 

[FAI-F1D]

Brad,

Awesome to finally have you here! Bring on your contributions--this isn't just about my crazy stuff.

I completely agree with your assessment that we need a safe zone for free flight. I'll see if I can convince FT of the need for this. Unfortunately I won't be at FFE, so that does hurt things a little. We need to convince more people to do FF stuff up there!

In other news...

I decided to make a series of changes to the Aleda. These changes include self-keying wings and stab and an integral stinger grip. So the new Aleda has one less part and frankly, it flies just as well as the original.
Here's the build video:

 

[NighthawkGliders]

Josh,

I like the changes you have applied to your Aleda! Very nice!
I wish you well on your product sales!

Too bad you won’t be able to make FFE this year. But, there is always next year!

 

[NighthawkGliders]

Josh,

Bruce and I published our fun Aleda build video and review... lol... we are such amateur-goofs!
It was a fun video to make and edit.

Unfortunately, we were rushed to fly them since we were running out of daylight--
So, we didn't get them flying the best we could that evening and the video may not do this glider proper justice.

We did fly them the next day and tuned them in even better. We even had thermals to contend with, so we had to be careful not to lose them. This glider does have a very good transition and snaps from launch to glide-- that's very nice!

I tried launching mine with double loop, for more altitude, but it seemed a bit strong. I found launching it with single loop to be very decent.

All-in-all, it's a very nice little glider!

Anyway, we're looking forward to meeting up with you in March and flying some fun stuff with you!

 

[FAI-F1D]

I need to get y'all going on real power. Small gliders really sizzle on two loops at full stretch.

There's something really cool brewing in the J&H Aerospace lineup. Those who know where to look have already seen it. I think it's a game changer, but maybe that's just because I wish I were outside flying it instead of sitting at my desk.

 

[FAI-F1D]

And we are GO for liftoff!

And it's a DLG, too!

 

[bitogre]

And it's a DLG, too!

That version flew great, both as a rocket and DLG. Had a lot of fun flying it. :applause:

The video shows it climbing nicely but did not show my point of view. The point on the first flight where it drops out of the sky was because I lost it in the sun. :black_eyed: I should have been wearing my hat and sunglasses.

 

[FAI-F1D]

Yup, kids, don't fly into the sun

I flew it again last night and got some decent footage of the shenanigans. I love it!

 

[foamtest]

Can you post a picture of it? My school blocks youtube

 

[FAI-F1D]

Will jhaerospace.com load at your school?

The product page has plenty of detail on it. http://jhaerospace.com/product/carbonette-19-micro-r-c-dlg-boost-glider/

 

[foamtest]

Yes it will, thank you!

That looks awesome! Also I talked about selling kits earlier, I have sold on Esty before, what is the best place to sell kits? (Other than making your own website to sell them, which If I had the time and could pay for it I would love too)

 

[FAI-F1D]

Also I talked about selling kits earlier, I have sold on Esty before, what is the best place to sell kits?

I started out just taking orders directly through my email. Post a thread in the vendor's section here, etc.

 

[foamtest]

What did you use for payment? PayPal, the cash app?

 

[FAI-F1D]

What did you use for payment? PayPal, the cash app?

All PayPal. That's still what I'm using through the website.

 

[foamtest]

That sounds like that's a better plan instead of using esty, I completely forgot that you can sell stuff on here, thank you!

 

[FAI-F1D]

Just finished uploading my review of Bruce and Brad's Sandpiper 12 catapult glider. Super fun...too bad the weather has been very unaccommodating. I'm convinced this thing is capable of 60 seconds in dead air but I keep doing stupid things to it. Fun little plane, easy to build. Bump the dihedral up by 1/2" and it'll fly even better.

 

[Daniel Kezar]

TOOTHPICK GLIDERS FTW!!!!!!!!!

 

[Daniel Kezar]

Just finished uploading my review of Bruce and Brad's Sandpiper 12 catapult glider. Super fun...too bad the weather has been very unaccommodating. I'm convinced this thing is capable of 60 seconds in dead air but I keep doing stupid things to it. Fun little plane, easy to build. Bump the dihedral up by 1/2" and it'll fly even better.

you really think 60 seconds in dead air? maybe if you shaved it down more and tuned it PERFECTLY but ive only seen times like that in thermals. i think nighthawkgliders got one to fly for around a minute and a half when it caught a thermal at FFE last year or the year before.

 

[foamtest]

TOOTHPICK GLIDERS FTW!!!!!!!!!

Now if only we had a launcher that could get a toothpick glider high enough to glide for 60 seconds....

 

[FAI-F1D]

you really think 60 seconds in dead air? maybe if you shaved it down more and tuned it PERFECTLY but ive only seen times like that in thermals. i think nighthawkgliders got one to fly for around a minute and a half when it caught a thermal at FFE last year or the year before.

I get 80 seconds in dead air from the Carbonette 12. I think more is possible. Back when the hangar at Tustin was available, people were doing nearly 2 minutes in there with 12" gliders and over 2 minutes with 150 sq in gliders, but that was with unlimited catapults (still limited to 6" handles, but no more the restriction of a single 9" loop of 1/4" rubber or equivalent). Heck, Stan did almost 2 minutes with a hand launched model in there, and back in the 70's, Ron Whitman did 90 seconds with a javelin style all balsa hand launched model (and he only did it once, and no one else ever came close).