This is a how-to on building a Bungee or Highstart Launcher for model gliders: no gas or electric motors are used just a re-usable length of rubber tubing and some fishing line.
And it's very inexpensive too: less than 30 bucks for a small set up.
I use this to launch my six foot wing-span model glider hundreds of feet in the air. This will also work if you have a gas or electric model plane and wish to conserve fuel at takeoff.
The video above gives you an idea of how this works, launch and release of tow line, including shots from the camera I installed on-board giving us a bird's eye view!
But please read all of the instructions before proceeding.
Successfully flying and landing an RC plane is beyond the scope of this instructable, so in the video I thought I would add some more excitement and show what you don't want to CRASH into! Plus, there's a little how-to on getting your plane out of a tree ;-)
I hope you enjoyed this instructable. Questions, suggestions and comments are welcome!.
Brett @ SaskView
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No rocket science here. Basically you are using a very big elastic band and some string to catapult your plane into the air!
50 to 100 feet of rubber tubing is anchored to the ground at one end. A tow line is connected to the free end of the tubing.
At the other end of the tow line, you hook on your plane, start walking backwards stretching out the tubing until there is enough tension for launch.
You then throw you plane into the air, and the high-start rapidly hurls it sky ward. As your plane passes over the anchor point, the tow line slips off of the tow hook and the plane is free to fly on it's own.
50 to 100 feet of rubber tubing is anchored to the ground at one end. A tow line is connected to the free end of the tubing.
At the other end of the tow line, you hook on your plane, start walking backwards stretching out the tubing until there is enough tension for launch.
You then throw you plane into the air, and the high-start rapidly hurls it sky ward. As your plane passes over the anchor point, the tow line slips off of the tow hook and the plane is free to fly on it's own.
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The thing to keep in mind is you want the anchor firmly embedded when using the launcher. If the anchor pulls free while you are stretching out the bungee it could cause injury.
I'm missing something here. This high-start system has been on the market even longer. When I built my first plane in the 80s, the same Gentle Lady, the high-start system sold for about $30. It included everything needed to launch right away: the surgical tubing, non-stretch line, metal rings, parachute, reel, spike (for wood fence posts), and a clamp (for any surface: metal post, fence, tailgate, etc).
I guess the new thing could be the dog anchor.
Here's a link for the current kit.
kit http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?Q=1&I=LXYXK4&P=N
Sure, you can go out and buy a ready made high-start, or you can build one from scratch like I did.
As far as I know, this is the only instructable on High-starts and that's why I uploaded it.
For my glider, I launch it using about 8-10 pounds of pull. Step 3 talks about this. How much pull YOU use will depend on the size, weight, and type of plane.
When starting out, you can use an angler's fish-scale to get an idea of how much stretch is needed. Once you get a feel for things the scale isn't needed.
I should really try gliding, but takes too much space for me
right now im flying electric, but either the ESC or motor is broken.
I have a nice durable foamy right now, really easy to repair from my many crashes.
Once I broke the Fuse in half, repaired in 5 with hot glue :)
Here is the model:
http://blackdogrc.com/blackdogrc/eppCherokee.jsp
Ps Devon from BlackDogRC is really nice.