kamakasi

My Feedback: (3)

Finally got to get the Sailaire in the air Sunday. After setting it up and taking it apart three times due to some drastically changing weather. I was able to hand launch it a couple of times. Just needed some minor elevator trim changes and it was ready to be put on the hi-start. I used 16 pounds of pull for the first launch. The launch was somewhat squirrelly (due to a overly aggressive tow hook position). When it came off the hook at about 250' the fun started. The plane just floated around. The thing drives like a bus but it floats like a cloud. At about 50' I headed down wind to set up my landing I made the final turn 200' down wind, popped the spoilers and flew right over my head. I closed the spoilers and made another try at landing the plane this attempt was more successful. The time for the flight was 6min 23 sec. in still air. I can't wait to get it up into some nice noon air and see what happens. I tried 2 other launches with added down elevator but the squirrlies continued. So doing something very un-kamakasi like I headed home to work on the tow hook location. The color scheme did attract some attention from a hawk and a couple of sparrows.

RustyTumbles

Sounds like a nice bird, got any pics of it?

forrest adams

i owned one for many years - i always thought the towhook position on the plans was too far aft - i moved it forward and launches were much easier.
also, move the cg aft a bit and the plane will come alive and be more responsive.
i never had much luck with ballast - the thing likes to fly slow!
it will thermal great and you can get it very high (better lift) - be careful!
it takes longer for it to react - you will get used to it (you have to adjuct your reaction time)
give it input, then wait a second for it to respond - it will.
use the spoilers when you land - it will stabilize the glide path - you don't want it to ground loop!

have fun - bring something to drink - you'll be up a long time - i once drank 6 beers while it was in the air

SoCal GliderGuider

We always called them Snail Airs. Like an RC cloud.

kamakasi

My Feedback: (3)

Update on the Sailpig:
Had some really great flights this summer a couple of 2 hour+ ones thank god for the 2600 ma rx pack.
My new brain fart is to make this hog an electric. I'm getting tiered of setting and taking down the hi-start. Plus some of the visiting power boys seem to get really pissed when they fly into the decending line ( not my fault they know were it is and when I'm launching) so after some time with motocalc I was able to come up with a power system that won't break the bank, add only 1.75 oz. to the airframe and climb at 1450' per min at 66 degrees. Won't have if done till mid summer bet I'll let you know how if works.

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

That squirreliness you noticed on launch may have been caused by not having enough umph on the highstart to pull that large plane uphill. You mentioned 16# which is pretty low. You want 5 times the weight of the plane as a rule of thumb.

Congrats on getting it finished and in the air. Get us some pictures so we can see what it looks like.

EJ

scalepilot

My Feedback: (51)

Hey guys-

I just obtained a Sailaire. I just started to build it,and thought about making it a T-tail or V-tail. Everyone is talking about moving the tow hook forward. How far should it be moved?? Any other advice would be appreciated thanks.


Matt

ChuckA

I have owned three different Sailaires over the last 27 years and consider it to be the best 10 minute thermal duration model in existance as long as the wind stays below 10 mph and the landing task is the classic 25 ft radius circle. Landing on a string really handicaps the Sailaire. I built my first Sailaire in September 1978 when I got disgusted with high performance F3B sailplanes. I flew it for three years before going back to higher performance sailplanes and selling it. In 1994, the Nats had the first Nostalgia event and I tried to buy back my original Sailaire. The owner had just used it to win high point at the Mid South and wouldn't sell. I bought another Sailaire and flew it for the next 5 years. I had to fly it in unlimited at the 1996 Nats after crashing my unlimited model the week before and managed to place 17th beating a lot of the latest high tech sailplanes. I retired that one a couple of years later and bought another that had been through at least 4 previous owners. I sold that one 3 years ago when I managed to buy back my original Sailaire. Still flies as good as ever.

I balance my Sailaires on the center of the main spar and place the tow hook below the CG. Zooming is an exercise in futility so maximum altitude can be achieved by launching as slow as posssible and kiting to take maximum advantage of any wind. I use a Rocket City Proto capture tow hook to prevent popoffs in the very slow tows. I find that a tap of down right after the model rotates at the start of tow gets the tail up and on step helps to get a good launch. This avoids plowing in a nose high attitude wasting energy and reducing the height of the launch. I have never used a high start so can't give any hints about launching without a winch.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Chuck

I've had 3 Sailaires, but I've never built one, did a lot of mods, but never a full build, now I've bought a cherry kit. What are the hot mods for the Sailaire? I still like to be able to fly it in a Sailaire contest.

Rich Border

ChuckA

Don't know of any hot mods. I built my original Sailaire strictly according to the plans and am still flying it. About the only thing I would like to see would be improved penetration. I designed a model to out Sailaire the Sailaire. It had a cleaner fuselage and improved airfoil. It did outperform the Sailaire but lost the ease of launching and the great handling qualities. I finally gave up on the original design and went back to the Sailaire for everything except cross country.

Do you have one of the original Tom Williaams kits or one of the Dream Catcher kits? If an original kit, then build the shor tail version and make sure that the left and right wings are aligned. On my 1978 build, I spent two evenings trying to get the wings to align and finall gave up trying to match the wing roots molded into the fuselage. Use the largest servos you have. I saw a Sailaire destroyed on tow at the 1997 Nats when the gears in the micro servos stripped. Those barn door surfaces can put a hugh load on the servos. I balance my Sailaire under the center of the main spar and place the tow hook directly under the CG. This gives a nice rotation at launch. I also sometimes have to give a momentary tap of down elevator right after launch to get it up on step to prevent plowing in a nose high attitude. Tow is hands off for the rest of the way except for corrections for wind gusts. Forget zooming. Tow as slow as possible to minimize the amount of line reeled in. For that reason, I still use a capture tow hook on Sailaires to prevent popoffs. The only suitable capture tow hook I have found for the Sailaire was the Rocket City Protow but it is no longer available.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Chuck

Thanks for the info. My kit is TW #1309.

Rich

ChuckA

In 1978, I got disgusted with hard to fly F3B type models and drove to Nashville, TN the day after a bad contest weekend. I bought the only Sailaire kit Hobby World had. When I got home, I found the kit number was 371, my AMA number. I flew it for two years before selling it. I was unable to buy it back when I began flying Nostalgia in 1994 so had to buy another one. TWo years ago, I was able to buy it back. All together, I have owned three different Sailaires. All still exist. I finally retired the model I flew in Nostalgia from 1994 through 1999 because the dihedral on tow slowly increased each year. Not needing three Sailaires, I sold the one I bought in 2000. I was at least the 5th owner. Anytime I want a relaxing afternoon of thermal soaring on a sunny low wind day, I drag out a Sailaire.

I also have one of the first 50 kits produced by Roy Simpson when he started Dream Catcher back in 1994. I wanted a spare but never needed it. The kit is still in the attic. The quality of the Dream Catcher kit is much better that my Tom Williams Kit.

Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

Hi Chuck, Speaking of Dream Catcher, does anyone out there know who's doing those kits now? It's been sometime but last I checked He sold everything but didn't say to who or where. As my infamous Skybench Viking project draws to a close (finaly) I'm going to be in the market soon for another project and had my eye on Dream Catcher's version of the Airtronics Grand Esprit but couldn't rase enough extra dough to order one be for he sold out back in Dec. (X-mass and married with children you know)

Rick K
LSF 6493

ChuckA

Sorry but I can't help you with who might have bought Dream Catchers kits. I did receive an email from Roy a few months ago. He said that now that he has gotten out of the kit business, he might be back at the Nats this year. I used to see him every year until he stopped comng in 2001.

Chuck Anderson

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