Tow release location?

[Dave Forbes]

I just picked up a Multiplex Heron on a whim, just because it looks sorta scale and the price was right. It turns out to be fun to fly, and I would like to aerotow it with my FunCub. Unfortunately it has this whirly thing on the nose for ballast where a scale tow release would go, so my question is, does it have to tow from the point of the nose? Or can the tow line exit through one of the cooling ducts on the side of the nose, or do I need to cut some foam and have it exit the bottom of the fuse?

Thanks,
Dave

[lenb]

Hi Dave,
Thats pretty cool you're looking to tow the Heron, it'll be a blast.
You don't need to have the tow release on the nosecone are. As long as its somewhere close to the nose you will be fine. You can event put it on the belly, somewhat close to the nose, usually a few inches back is fine.
If you have a hole because of the cooling fin, give it a try, it should work out fine.

LEN

[Dave Forbes]

Thanks, my tow pilot has honeydos tomorrow, I'll report how it tows Tuesday if the weather cooperates.
​Dave

[Dave Forbes]

Towed the Heron yesterday. Used a piece of brass tube with a hole in the side with a music wire pin on a servo, hot glued it in the cooling vent beside the spinner. Worked like a champ. The Heron is a bit of a load for my cub, but it worked very well. Did a couple of tows with Robin on the tug that were pretty uneventful. When it was my turn on the cub we got a little bit farther away and into the sun. We were doing OK until we hit a turbulent piece of big lift that just about upended the Cub. Both releases (Heron and Cub) functioned just fine, but the dumb thumbs tow pilot lost it in the glare
The cub augered straight in behind some trees. Found it sitting on it's landing gear with both prop blades broken off and a crack in the fuse behind the landing gear and a chunk out of the wing root TE. Both aileron horns had detached, Maybe it did that when I overspeed trying to pull out of my discombobulation, or maybe when it hit the ground. I did notice a lot more dihedral at one point I really expected to need a garbage bag to collect all the pieces

Anyhow, it's all back together now with a new prop and motor shaft (it did bend the 1/8" aluminum motor moun too) and a bit more ca. What a tough little bird.

Lesson is either get a larger tow plane that we can see farther away, or stay a bit closer on tow. We'll try it again next time out.

Dave

[lenb]

Congrats Dave,( on the successful flights)

Loosing it in the sun sucks every time. Happy to hear you had a few good tows before your venture into the trees. Everyone's been there at least once. ( more like at least a dozen times)