Pre-Flight Routine

[planemaker]

How do you launch the plane... like with a throw or what... also how long do you let the propeller run before you let the plane go... are launch devices allowed???

[jander14indoor]

If plane is properly trimmed, you'll only need a SLIGHT shove forward and release. A little nose up attitude. Release the prop just before you launch and let it come up to speed, maybe a second, before you release.

Launch devices, hmm, have to reread the rules on that, it hasn't come up. Unlike baloon Launch Glider, not sure you'd gain anything.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

[blue cobra]

I crouch low to the ground, making my plane 1-2 ft above the floor, then let the prop spin, I'd say, around 5 times; just enough for it to get up to speed. Release with the plane tilted slightly upwards with a slight forward motion from the fingers.

[jcollier]

The two posts above is what I have seen from most successful teams. After what I saw today, I'd say if you are talking about pre launch routine, watch carefully how your plane flies and circles in the site where you are flying. Launch in as open a space as you can. One team today had an easy 2.30 or more plane. They flew lots of practice flights. When it came to their first official flight, the person who launched just walked no more than 10 ft. from a basketball hoop, and tossed the plane in the air. It took a few circles, but the inevitable happened. Others did similar things in a venue that was pretty wide open, if not all that tall.

[Littleboy]

I do what they do but I can get about 6 inches above the ground.

[kjhsscioly]

If plane is properly trimmed, you'll only need a SLIGHT shove forward and release. A little nose up attitude. Release the prop just before you launch and let it come up to speed, maybe a second, before you release.

Launch devices, hmm, have to reread the rules on that, it hasn't come up. Unlike baloon Launch Glider, not sure you'd gain anything.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

Is there an advantage to aiming nose up? we always aimed slightly down, or close to horizontal, because aiming up gave our plane less lift and more stalling

[blue cobra]

I would think that depends on your prop. If your plane cruises horizontally, you would want to launch horizontally (or very slightly up, since some planes climb very fast in the beginning), and if your plane cruises tilted up, you would want to launch tilted up.

[goblue007]

ya i kneal and let the prop spin for just a little bit then i just let go of the plane and wait a few seconds for it to get away from my body then i just sit back and watch her fly.

[Littleboy]

On one of our planes, we even need to tilt it out so that it doesn't flip over in the beginning.