Dave, I've had this problem before. Probably the tow hook angle to the fuse. It needs to be parallel, or even a little bit closed. I also went to a small notch in the hook which really did the trick. You just have to make a strong zoom so you don't get hung up.
Another thing could be how you are launching the plane. You want to build up tension and get airspeed going as quickly as possible, but throwing hard forward can be a problem. What happens then is the plane starts to rotate and can stall. What is much better is the F3B style, arm extended back and plane pointed up. Ideally the plane should go straight up out of your hand. Have someone else throw for you while you make these modifications so you can have both hands on the tranny. When it is properly set up, there should be no elevator input at all. You also should only be using the rudder going up the line, as you don't want to change the lift over the wing by using the ailerons. JE -- Erickson Architects John R. Erickson, AIA > From: "Dave Seay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 17:56:47 -0400 > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [RCSE] Launches are terrible > > I am flying (or possibly more correctly, trying to fly) a high quality open > class TD ship (no names as it has nothing to do with that). It really is an > excellent flyer, when I can get it in the air. However, in the many months > that I have had it, I've had about 75% of my launches end in pop-offs. I am > fast reaching a point of total disgust. I must be doing something wrong but > have not a clue as to what. The guys in the club are helping all they can > but we're not making any progress. > > The spec calls for a 5-1/6" CG (from LE) with a conservative position being > 5-1/16". I started out there and over time I ended up with the CG at 4-7/8" > with the tow hook about 1/4" in front of that. Getting tired of the > pop-offs, I decided to start over again. I moved the CG back to 5-1/6" and > the tow hook has been moved back as well. The tow hook, being 1/4" to 3/8" > in front of the CG is probably further ahead than it should be but I would > expect that to flatten the launch. If anything, the launching has gotten > worse. > > I use a 'launch mode' but do not any elevator adjustment in that mode. I > have tried my launch mode with... > > -flaps only, more flaps, more flaps > -flaps with a touch of aileron camber > -flaps and ailerons cambered together, more, more > -flaps with a little less aileron than flap. > > No matter what I do, the plane seems to launch with the nose too high and > almost always pops off at some point (usually at a lower height but sometime > when it starts to arc over). The only elevator I add during the launch, if > any, is a little down in some sort of vain effort to prevent the nearly > inevitable pop off. > > I even get a popoff some of the time with a full pedal launch. > > HELP! > Dave > > > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and > "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
