The best you're going to get after the release from the tow line is a ballistic trajectory. That is, under the best conditions, the amount of kinetic energy you have at release ((velocity at release)^2) will be converted to potential energy (altitude) minus the final kinetic energy ((velocity at cruise)^2) you need to fly straight and level (the pushover).
Anything else takes away from the maximum achievable height - the primary detracting factor is drag. You'll always have profile and parasitic drag. What you can reduce is induced drag - the price of lift. So reducing the amount of lift required by the wing is an important consideration - up to a point. That means flying the plane at a low Cl. But flying it pretty much straight up to get the max altitude. >From DLG launch simulations, Cl is so low above about a 60 degree slope that it isn't much of a factor for induced drag anymore. And profile drag is pretty much at the bottom of the bucket over a modest range of low Cl values as well. So the physics argues that a quick release from the line at max velocity followed by a steep climb with a pushover with enough velocity to keep from stalling is likely the most efficient profile. That said, it takes a helluva lot of practice and discipline to do that consistently every time. And the initial phases of the launch are equally important to maximize both the release altitude and velocity. After 30 years of trying I still don't know how to consistently do most of this right. Theory and application tend to diverge a bit once you get to the field. - Dave R RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
