Isnt it cool to tow a banner? I was wondering if anyone has done it and how do I do it...

Hee hee

To make this easy, go to an airport where they tow full sized banners. Ask to look at one and watch how it's done. It's something to watch these guys swoop down a little over stall, hook it while firewalling the throttle, then pull up at a 45 degree angle to "crack the whip" to get it off the ground!
The banner towing guys are a special breed, I know one of them.
Banner towing requires a, well, SPECIAL TECHNIQUE and lots of excess power, and the mortality rate for banner towers is high. You could make up one and the apparatus to set it for snagging, and then try it, but it's a handful I guarantee.
You could start by taking off and towing around some streamers, and add mass and length to them to get the feel, but the real deal are so draggy they make more noise in a low pass than the plane towing it does.
Does this help?

Jetts

I'm thinking you could rig something where you take off with the banner rolled up against the belly of the plane. Then hit a release and let it go (Be ready!) then tow it around for a while...

Could have a second release mech. to drop it before landing.

You can also hook it up to a two position switch. The first position releases the banner into the airstream, the second detatches it from the plane for landing (or in case of emergency)

Why couldnt you just pull it up when you take off? Thats how sailplane guys pull sailplanes. I just had a guy tell me how to make them and he didnt say anything about not taking offf with it......................John

I've heard of it being done. The banner is typically laid out with the tail end furthest down the runway, so that the planes gathers speed prior to starting to haul much weight. It does take a LOT of excess power to get it off the ground though.

Talk about drag!
Dennis-

jmulder,

They snag.

Jetts

A guy at our club had his wife sew up a banner. He attaches it to the plane with a servo-actuated hook. The banner is laid out on the ground so his take off run is parallel to the banner going from front to back. As he picks up take off speed and heads down the runway the banner “rolls” off the ground to trail the plane. By using a plane with a short take off run and long enough rope on the banner, the plane is well into the air by the time the banner has been fully lifted of the ground. When it’s time to land he does a low pass to drop the banner first. Hope that description makes sense?

As for actual banner construction, I don’t know how it was done.

Im gonna post a pic that was sent to me by another guy. I sure hope he doesnt get mad. Im gonna email him and ask him to join this conversation...............John

1

You need a tow rope, a bridle, upright supports every so often, and a special panel at the trailing end to prevent banner from fluttering. We sure would like some details ! ?

Hi Folk's That's my Kadet LT 40 powered by a Magnum 90 four stroke, pulliing that six foot banner!

The Banner is a Plastic New Year's Sign bought at a party store!
The lead edge is wrapped in a yard stick then stapled and taped! On the bottom of the sticks is about 4 onces of Flat lead from a Printer !A crushed sinker would do! The string pulling it is nylon cord you can by at any hardware store. It's important that the top string is a little shorter than the bottom one! I put about 20 or thirty feet of string from the Plane to the Banner! It is attached to a custom made hook in the bottom of the Plane in the center at CG It is a T shapped piece of coat hanger hanging out a small hole to distribute the weight and the stress! I have enough power to take right off 10 foot take off roll at best! I tied some strips of torn trash can liners to the corners to keep it from whipping! Make Sure ( That You Engine It dependable ) You have no GLIDE capabilty with all that Drag It will drop like a rock! If the engine quit's Point the nose Down and Land! It will not Glide! Also You must attach it At The CG if you hook it to the tail you lose you rudder control!!!

Minn Flyer had a Great Idea a Drop switch! I can't put one in I'm out of switch's I also have a Bombay Door I drop Clothes pin Parachutist out of!

LUDS96,
Great! You have the system down! Seems you are having a blast with this! I agree it should glide like an anvil pointed down!


Jetts!

This one is a HAPPY NEW YEAR sign you hang on your wall! I put Two rows of three inch packing tape on both sides! I ran a piece of nylon string along the top and bottom. Again the top being shorter by a little! Then I hung a 2 once sinker on a 1 fot long piece of string to the front to keep it right side up! Then you need a steamer tail to keep it from whipping! Lay it on the ground then take off! Think! You can do it with a Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary! The Possibilities are Endless!

I've been thinking of making one up to adverties SPAD's to club members?

I'm having way to much fun with this!!!

LUDS96,

Try this! four rolls of crepe' paper, one each wingtip one on the rear of the plane, just below the rudder, and one, cut in half from each gear leg!

Caution: DO NOT ATTEMPT A SNAP ROLL IN THIS CONFIGURATION!

Jetts

AWWWW........ Why not??

Miloh.

I used to fly the banner tow for our AMA showteam with a 1/4 scale Cub. The banner was about 15 feet long and 1 foot tall. It was an open diagonal mesh material with cloth letters sewn onto it. It has a wooden dowel rod, about 1/4 inch in diameter and 12 inches tall at both ends. The dowel rods have small lead weights on what would be the bottom of the banner to insure that the banner flies right-side-up. The leader is about 15 feet long. I attached it to the bottom of the airplane folded up in a z fold manner and attached with 2 rubber bands that form a V with the top of the V facing forward to provide stability and the bottom of the V aft at the servo release pin. I never had a single failure of the banner causing any issues flight or safety related.

A club member, who has sewn sails for RC yachts, made the banner from ripstop Dacron, wood dowels, dacron (non-stretch) cord which is presently 30 feet in length. He cut out the club's logo and the letters RCCR and has stitched them to the sailcloth. The entire assembly weighs 9.6 ounces. At 30 mph it flies about 20 feet below the level flight path of the plane. It applies a rather 'large' drag force, and a large amount of flutter may cause damage to the banner. Any member may fly the banner. The towing point should be on the bottom of the plane very near the CG point. It is advised to have a controlled tow release to permit dropping the banner before landing.

The GP Kadet Senior ARF with a Saito 80 does a good tow.

(The December 1977 AMA Model Aviation article about how to fly signs was useful. It's on line in the members only archives.)

9.6 ounces - flies great.

Hi everyone, in the summer I work at my local aerodrome setting up and prepping banners for towing, if anyway would like some info please post or pm me.

Regards