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Seems like I heard that you shouldn't Aerotow planes with no ailerons. Is that true? If so why?
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It's not impossible it's just a lot harder. A Rudder/Elevator only ship has either more dihedral or is polyhedral....as I'm sure you know. To make a Rudder/Elevator ship roll, you yaw the model with rudder, getting more wind under the wing you want to raise. On tow with a Rudder/Elevator ship it is very hard to yaw the nose one way or the other to get enough roll to keep the wings level, because of the tow line pulling the nose straight. Ailerons just make it a lot easier.
Pete -
It can be done, but it is real easy to end up with badly damaged planes. This is why we could not get aerotowing going back in the day...quickly got a reputation of being dangerous. We used wingtip runners to help launch, I am flying tow with a Sr. Telemaster with .61 2-stroke glow engine.
Circa 1976:
A Site for Soar EyesComment
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Hi Art.
About 5 yrs ago this question was asked over on RC Groups, I chimed in ( shocking) and stated its not a good idea. I got blasted by a couple guys who claim it could be done.
It's not that it can't be done without destroying your plane, it's that it can't be done multiple times without destroying your plane. lol
Add a little wind to the mix....... Ouch.
We've all played around with doing it. Its kinda fun and challenging with a plane you don't care about, but eventually you catch a wing on takeoff and break the plane. The other challenge was trying to keep the plane behind the tug, it just wallows from side to side as you try to catch the rudder.
I image with a really powerful tug it would be much easier, sort of like a bungee.Len Buffinton
Team Horizon HobbyComment
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Oh, by the way
I snooped back in on that thread on RC groups a few months later and the discussion had turned to "whats the best way to repair a broken spar without uncovering the wing"
I chimed in again and said "it can't be done" lol Then posted again, "It's not that it can't be done, but eventually you'll un-cover the wing". I haven't been back since.
LenLen Buffinton
Team Horizon HobbyComment
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By far, the simplest, cheapest, easiest first aerotow trainer plane is the Multiplex Easy Glider Pro. It has ailerons, elevator, and rudder controls plus Multiplex makes a tow release that fits into the hole molded into the nose cone (Multiplex Part # M723470) and this part is listed in the Easy Glider Pro Manual with a reference to aerotowing!
Unfortunately, even though Multiplex has this product, they have done little to nothing to promote it for aerotowing in the USA. (Multiplex even makes two great tow planes for the Easy Glider Pro, the Fun Cub and the Mentor, both of which come with a tow release option!) As for their two biggest distributors, neither Horizon Hobby nor Tower Hobbies has the aero-tow coupling listed with the parts/accessories for use with the Easy Glider Pro. All attention is given to electric flight which admittedly is a huge market by comparison.
Bottom line, our work here (promoting aero towing) is not yet done...as a matter of fact, the job has only just begun!
...keep up the good work Art ðŸ‘A Site for Soar EyesComment
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Thanks for all the replies. The reason I asked is that I'm completing a vintage competition sailplane, an Aquila. The wings are already built with polyhedral. I installed a tow release and then thought about the fact that it has no ailerons.Comment
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If you try it, a take off dolly/cradle will help immensely!!Originally posted by ingrahal View PostComment
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No I think I'll either pull the release out or chop on the wings. I'm going to be building a Graupner Cirrus also and I will definitely put ailerons on it.Comment
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The P-61 and Peterson J-4 Javelin come to mind. They used spoilers for roll control. I'd like to build the Javelin. It's a good looking American sailplane!Comment
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At the 47 second mark on this video, I popped the spoilers. If you look closely, you'll see that only the left one came up. The result was mostly yaw, and minimal roll. As soon as I figured it out I lowered the spoliers, then tried again just as the plane was passing me, with same result. Snapped shut again and landed without.
Not sure spoilers alone will give you the roll you are hoping for.
DSLast edited by Dave Smith; 04-06-2016, 05:47 PM.Comment
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Beautiful landing Dave.Len Buffinton
Team Horizon HobbyComment
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2 out of 3 with the Funcub/Radian combo. I can't reccomend it. At least it was only foam :-oComment
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I had a 4m Diamante which was RE. It also did not have a release. We used Velcro for the release. We launched using a dolly. NEVER had any problems. I have towed a 4m ASW17 RE from a dolly with a MENTOR tow plane. NEVER had a problem. I think the trick is the dolly.
JimComment
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I think I'll keep it simple on the Aquila and pull the release out. It seems that simplicity is kind of the beauty of that plane anyway.Comment
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