July 17, 2013 9:48:58 PM EDT
After 12+ years of sitting broken in a box, my 78.5″ wingspan Spirit Select R/C glider (Great Planes: http://www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma0530.html) is ready for flight once more. I last attempted to fly this while living in New Mexico. It crashed during launch and the nose section broke completely off where the front of the cockpit is. The tail also broke off. That has all now been repaired.
Also, the New Mexico launch was attempted with a ‘Hi-Start’…essentially a 400’ long rubber band. That launch system has been replaced with the engine power pod now sitting on top of the wing. I built the engine power pod and the Cox .049 engine will give a 1 – 1.5 minute run before running out of fuel and leaving the glider to do just that…glide!
Tomorrow after work, I’ll be taking this to the local R/C flying field located 3.8 miles from my house. Thursday nights are flight training nights so I will have plenty of help with this. Also, they have 42 acres of grass which the glider will like for landings!