kingbee

I'm wanting to do a bit of flying but I'm wondering about using a hi start in cold weather. By "cold" I mean around 20 degrees or so, with lots of snow on the ground. Will the rubber be harmed either by the low temp or the contact with the snow?

Cheers,
Dave

BMatthews

Larger ice shards could cut it but the big problem is that it's not going to have anywhere near its usual snap. In fact at 20 degrees there's a good chance it'll stretch out and when you release the model will sort of ooze off at a very shallow climb of short duration after which it'll fall off the line and the rubber will return to it's original form with all the rapidity of a caterpillar.

If I'm wrong I'd like to know. The rubber in my free flights does the strangest things at a mere 50 or so. I can just imagine what your Highstart will do at 20.

Wyohi

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Inwyoming 20 degrees is almost spring time. I use a histart all winter down to maybe 10 or so .. Seems to work the same as I have not noticed any large change in height. Cold thermals are fun usually small & quick but you can stay up if you work at it. Best with some bare ground & snoe patches Ice crystals might cut the tubing here the snow is power & no such problem

probligo

Hey!! Wyohi!

How much more height would you get if you disentangle the dog first?

Wyohi

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She is a vital part of the launch countdown. She lets out the most awual sound as it goes up. I thought I had hurt her the first time. She makes sure the plane is to high to catch .I had another one that would watch the parachute & grab it & try & bring it back. The only problem was she weighed about 10 lbs & the hi statt would flip her over on her back before she got fully streatched. Had to replace a parachute about every 2 weeks got expensive!!!

kingbee

Wyohi, your powder snow looks a little harsh I guess I'll cancel that snowboarding vacation to Wyoming!

But thanks for the reply. As soon as it gets warmer I'm going to go for it with the hi start. We just got done with 2 weeks of below zero every day; now it's in the 20s but snowing like crazy. I may have to wait till march, but I'll be ready.

Cheers,
Dave

Wyohi

My Feedback: (1)

tHOSE PIX WERE TAKEN IN OUR SHORT SUMMER. there is maybe a couple of months it don't snow. Right now we are in a drought & the snow looks like the pix. Be brave & launch in a snow strom it is suprising how fast the plane can vanish & with no noise you are in a world of hurt. Had fog roll in the other day while i was up interesting . dived it saw it in time & made a fast landing

BMatthews

There was a guy that brought his Border Collie out to the free flight meets to track and lay by his models to point them out to his poor tracking owner. Dan (the collie) loved to run after them and took it all very seriously.

One day his master totally blew his thermal picking (a rare thing for him I might add) and the poor little rubber model fluttered around never getting over 30 feet. Dan took off for a couple of steps at the launch and then saw that something wasn't right. As the model struggled for airtime Dan's head got lower and lower. As the model struck the earth not more than 100 feet from the launch point Dan got up and walked back to the car in shame with his tail tucked and head so low I thought he was plowing the field. To this day I'm not sure if Dan was dissappointed in not getting his chase or embarrased by his master's poor performance.... Either way you KNOW which version we bug the master with I'm sure

Hey, you just gotta find a dog proof parachute. Think of all the effort it'll save ya....

He would actually flip over?!?!?! That's rich...LOL

Dan Johnson

Speeking of parachutes, are there any site that show how to make one. I have 100 ft of heavy duty tubing and the 350 ft
of line. Also up here inthe great white north we use high starts
in 10 degree f.

Tapio

Dont try it at -10F, at that point they freeze in the stretched position. Sounds like an anaconda when you bring it back inside.
Servos freeze too! Oh those first ambitious days of RC.

fprintf

At the park last night I took my glider out for some handlaunching (2M with a new fuse). I was using elastic bands to attach the wing for the first time. When all was done I took the elastic bands off and they wouldn't return to the unstretched position. A few minutes in a warm car and they tightened right up. Temp was a balmy 29 deg. F.

I haven't taken my Histart out yet in the snow but I suspect it would act similarly, if not to the same degree.