And for the real purists that don't want to sully their models with an installed power system, a standard power pod could be attached via the normal tow hook, which would drop off at the end of the power run and be recovered via it's own little chute by a runner, etc. That way, you don't have the drag and weight of the power system to lug around during the soaring part of the flight. Again, each such power pod would be restricted to a specific motor/prop/battery combo with a timer cutoff switch (you could use one of the switches the FF people use).
Just think of all the winch and retriever related issues that would disappear! A club hosting a TD event using this launch method would not need to deal with the logistics and expense of winches, retrievers, batteries, chargers, and people to run them and maintain them. AND it would open up more fields that could be used that previously would have been considered too small for a TD event or not aligned into the most common prevailing winds, etc. And I'm sure there are many out there that could point out such a field that would be closer and more convenient to many club members in towns everywhere. Everyone could easily build such a power pod and for very little expense, if one of the more common and inexpensive outrunner motors were used. The only option allowed would be the type of battery used, as long as it's voltage output was restricted to a given value. The really competitive among us of course would try to build the lightest molded power pod with the smallest, lightest battery and ESC (and even that would be optional because with a timed cutoff, you don't need anything except full power - on or off - so an ESC is not required). I think that powered launch TD is a very, very valid idea! Keith -------------------------------------------------- From: "1st2fly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 9:57 AM To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <Soaring@airage.com> Subject: Re: [RCSE] Re: Gordy- Logic without limits.....or I couild hae read the article in context:-) Seems to me there is a simple solution.... To use motors in place of winches and make it an even playing field, just simply require the use of only one specific make and model of motor, prop and battery pack so that everyone has exactly the same power system (like using the same winch) AND use a time-programmable battery cutout switch so that everyone gets the same motor run time. The cool thing about doing this is that it brings new meaning to Man-On-Man competition, because so many gliders could be launched all at the same time into the same air, especially if everyone were using 2.4 systems! Of course, LANDINGS would be interesting..... hmmmm... 20 or 30 gliders all making close to their time and all trying to land at the same time..... Obviously, the number of gliders launched at any one time would be limited by the number of landing tapes, etc., but at least you would not have to worry much about field layout with regard to winch lines, and for the same reason, wind direction wouldn't be as much of a factor, either. Contests could be run out of much smaller fields without the need to accommodate winches and lines. Keith -------------------------------------------------- From: "Lincoln Ross" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 6:50 AM To: <Soaring@airage.com> Subject: [RCSE] Re: Gordy- Logic without limits.....or I couild hae read the article in context:-) Just read the article. To some extent, I find myself agreeing (did I write that? pass the Risperdal!). However, just because Gordy and I succumb to tempatation when we have an electric glider* that is getting low, doesn't mean other people do. If you have the strength of will to ignore that nice power switch after the first climb is over, you can ignore what he said. But I'll admit that when there's a motor in the glider I usually won't fight out the last 50 or maybe even 100 feet. And I definitely will with an unpowered glider. So there go all those fun saves. (I was told that on a 58 minute flight (or was it the 60 minute flight??) I was down to 20 feet at 3 minutes. I thought it was 40, but that's another story. Low enough with a 25 year old 2 meter. (hmm... is this the Gordy bragging disease too?) We have a bunch of people flying electric gliders in our club. Some of them even come home with vinyl/brass/particle board plaques sometimes. Some of them have houses in structural overload from hanging the plaques on the wall. However, we also have a guy who is trying to start an electric event which involves old hlg's and vertical climbs. He very seldom talks about the power off part of the flight. This guy has acquired my old Chrysalis. It's very amusing to watch him launch, but it ain't soaring. He can get lots of exciting vertical drag racing because the flights don't last long. The model is, I think, two or three ounces overweight, which is a lot on a Chrysalis. Anyway, Gordy mentions an automatic motor shutoff. I think this will emphasize motor power even more, because now you have to be going Mach 0.5 at motor shutoff so you can get another 1000 feet or so. Therefore it needs to link in to activate flaps or spoilers for 5 seconds or something. (Perhaps activate spoilers for first 30 seconds of flight above 500 feet? Total energy probe?) Once these little details are worked out, I don't see why Gordy shouldn't then advocate using a similar system with a releasable towhook on winch launches. That'll make Histarter happy too. (for those of you who don't know my last reference, your ignorance is bliss) *Sailplanes are for people with bigger egos than mine. Gliders can go up to, including, sometimes, 40 size power trainers that happen to be dead stick. >Gordy wrote: > >Or you could have posted me directly to discuss it such a fun topic :-) >Its been quite a while since I wrote that article which is more a review >of >the programmable altitude priority motor cut off switch....but I play this >game :-) > >The context of the article is replacing winch launches.. > snip >One more time because I know that motor heads who have found a sailplane >will fit motors will want to go off on how what they do is good (and it IS >by >the way) but that has nothing to do with the context of the >article...replacing >winch launches with electric motor launches. > >So with a programmable altitude shut off switch, TD pilots could have the >smallest and cheapest possible motor/prop/gearbox/controller/ battery, >versus >electric sailplane events where the motor package is priority. > > snip RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. 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