ORIGINAL: RogerParrett
However, I'm not sure I'm getting the ''advertised'' height. I'd guess I'm getting maybe 100 feet - if that. The launch seems normal, and the hook falls off naturally - it's just that my height is less than expected. That, plus my inexperience has left me thermal-less - though still highly motivated!
Your line is 150' and your glider should be just about straight over the pin with some tension still in the rubber (so the line is 150' worth of tight) when you release, so you're not getting close to full height.
The problem? The instructions that specify a pleasant walk back of 50' aren't really very appropriate.
"
the hook falls off" is another clue. The casual walk back isn't putting much energy into the rubber. The release should "PING" when the ring pops off the hook. You should hear the parachute POP at the release. That'll show you there was still some pull in the rubber. No way should the ring just fall off the hook.
Try adding 10 more paces to that walk back. Feed in a touch of UP as soon as you got both hands on the TX to pull against the rubber. If the string is slack at release, add 10 more paces and try again. You want the rubber pulling enough before you throw the sucker that that launch will prove the wing isn't cracked. In other words, put some force into it.
Flying with experienced glider guys would have covered all this. I used to fly with a guy who broke highstarts about once a year. And he was really good at zoom launches. Zoom launches........... that's for the next lesson.
