nimffish

My Feedback: (1)

Who sales the best hand launched sail planes at a reasonable price?

Thanks in Advance!

wjjones

My Feedback: (3)

What are you looking for--a beginner dlg, or a contest level plane? The "best" is going to be a matter of opinion, even if it's narrowed down to best beginner or best contest dlg. Rcgroups discussion sections have quite a bit of info on DLG's and even a thread that includes most of the more popular planes. www.rcgroups.com

Bill J.

tunabiker

I gather you're looking to start in hand launch, not get terribly sophisticated.
Dynaflite "Skeeter" is responsive, small, light and lots of fun. Certainly there are many more efficient and "better" planes, but to get a taste of hand launching into a thermal and coaxing it into some duration or pitching it into very light slope this is a good opportunity. Cost is very low and a couple small servos will get you going. Good luck.
Bill in So Cal.

fprintf

You need to be more specific, or better yet spend some time on the RCGroups hand launch glider forum. Hand launch gliders are frustrating for the newer glider pilot because the (launch + landing)/flying ratio is very high - you don't get much time to make mistakes before you are back on the ground. By the complexity of your question it seems like you might be a newer glider flyer. Just so you don't get turned off this wonderful aspect of the RC hobby (soaring), I'd recommend something more traditional like a 2Meter or 3Meter sailplane.

With that said, if you really want a handlaunch:

If you are looking to javelin launch your plane, you can get some relatively inexpensive planes. You will give up lots of launch height, which will definitely limit your flight times until you get *really* good. DJ Aerotech offers the Crysalis handlaunch glider that is a light, inexpensive built up kit.

Next up in height and sophistication are the side arm launch planes. The Gambler+ by Wright RC at http://www.wrightbrothersrc.com/our_kits/gambler.htm apparently is a great little plane. The newer kits have additional carbon fibre that make them discus launchable with some practice. The Seeker at www.liftworx.com is also a plane that works very well. We have a couple at our field and with a good toss they launch to about 50 feet. They are very light, responsive and have a very low sink rate. Both planes take very light micro RC gear.

Finally you have your full-bore discus launch planes like the Taboo, XP-3 and others. These are the hotrods of the handlaunch world and are just as expensive because of the amount of construction, attention to detail, and carbon fiber/kevlar content. They launch highest, have the lowest sink rate and are the most sophisticated. You can learn the most by going to RCGroups handlaunch forum - just look around first before posting a question like you have here, ok?

Stuart in Connecticut

Kirkgh

Hey Nimffish...I just finished a "Slingshot" that I bought out of Germany. Total cost including shipping was $132.00. Bagged wing, Carbon Fiber pod and Boom. My AUW ended up at 13.4 oz. I have a build thread posted at RCGroups..."Building the Slingshot...finally", look for it in the Hand Launch section. It is a entry level plane, but has the potential to be a good plane.

So far, we have had amazing winds here on the west coast the last few days 16+MPH, today I hear that we are having gust to over 40MPH...great for us slopers...but hard on the HLG's. I actually had my maiden flight on Sunday in 16 MPH winds...not too smart, but I am a slopehead trying to get into the HLG/DLG.
I have some pictures of the maiden on the build thread.

I will post again as soon as I can get a fair reading on the plane....I can't believe that I am praying for no wind...did I say that...no, never!

Good Luck,

Kirk

Kaoma

My Feedback: (4)

Go to www.arthobby.com
Very good products.