tubebass

Hi all.Today I tried out the Manwin trainer I put together over the winter. Had a couple of successful flights including inverted flight and some horizontal eights. Apparently control line flying is like riding a bicycle , no problem with the flying at all.
However, there is one thing about the Manwin that I have not seen addressed anywhere, and that is - how do you launch the silly thing? What we tried was to toss it by both wingtips like we used to launch combat models way back when. This resulted in a near-vertical nose- up attitude with the model sinking within a few inches of the ground before gaining enough airspeed to fly away. While I was able to recover from this, someone with no control line experience might have less success. So is there a better way to launch one of these?

Phlip

I didn't even know what the Man-Win Trainer was until I googled it.  It turns out I have one!  My brother made it and gave it to me, so I didn't know what it's called.

Anyway, I launch mine like the guys in this video.  No problem.  I guess you need to be sure the engine is running good and strong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBpUn...eature=related

tubebass

OK, single wingtip toss, we'll try that next time. There should be no problem with power, my Black Widow was putting out at least as well as theengine in the video.

Lou Crane

TubeBass,

A few refinements to think about?

Both ends of the flying lines need to do it right. The launcher should sweep his arm forward, with the model, in about the attitude you want to fly in.

Neither the flier nor the launcher should pull very hard on the lines - you could twang the model into the circle, where you wouldn't have (much?) control.

Also, at the handle, during launch, lead the model like you are whipping it. Actually, you are pretty much whipping it until it settles into smooth flight.

I noticed in operaguy's video a bit of confusion with the feet. (In the second flight, the 2-up training scenes.) Particularly at first, when you're trying to get familiar with flying again, with a new model, etc., tripping over your feet, or worrying too much about them just adds to the tenseness. If you figure on walking backwards in a small circle, you have a plan. It will only change - reversing direction - when you go inverted. But you'll know to expect that. Less confusion, less risk to the model.

As a returnee to CL flying, you probably don't need these thoughts, but they might help you to train a newbie.

Welcome "home!"

Clean

You build a little box of coroplast, top of the box angled up about 15 degrees. Tac 1 inch strips of coroplast to the box so that the wing sits snug into it and then put another full piece of coroplast over the whole thing. Use some big nails to hold the box solid to the ground. Now, lay out your lines, wedge the Manwin into the stooge and fire the engine up. Go out to the handle, hold a little up into the handle and pull back so that the wing comes free from the stooge and fly away.

Clean

Figured a couple pictures might help.








And one from underneath, you can see it's a real easy thing to build.

tubebass

Clean: That's pretty slick, since I have plenty of cor-plast I'll give it a go.
Lou Crane: I'm probably using lines that are a little long for whipping to help much, (didn't measure them- probably 35-40 feet of spiderwire) but I'll keep it in mind next time we fly.
The Man-Win seems to stay out on the lines really well so maybe next time we can try breaking rule #1 and launch into the wind, as long as there's not too much of it.
-Dave