Art Hobby: can they be winched?

[thelocust]

I love the way those planes look, and the price is outstanding, but are they worth it?

I'm not near a decent slope, so most of my launches will be winch-launches, which I've heard the Art Hobby ships (like the Velvia, Thermic, etc) just can't handle....

Anyone out there winching their Art Hobby ship?

[blacknyellow]

I fly the Velvia FV and I can full pedal winch it every time. The only changes I made are to use slightly larger nylon bolts for the wing, and permanently fix the v-tail.

[tclark]

I fly a JKThermik from a winch. I don't think it will take a full-pedal launch (obviously I've never tried it), but it is fine with pulsing and a modest zoom. On our less powerful winch with a 12-v motor, I think it probably COULD do full pedal, but I still pulse out of habit. It's a great flying plane, well worth the price. I have friends with a Velvia and a Sierra; these are stronger wings and can take a full-pedal launch.

-Tracy

[thelocust]

Originally posted by blacknyellow
I fly the Velvia FV and I can full pedal winch it every time. The only changes I made are to use slightly larger nylon bolts for the wing, and permanently fix the v-tail.

Interesting. Hmm... I really wanted a bit of a larger ship like the THERMIC or the SIERRA, but I see they don't have flaps. I do like the looks of the Velvia FC (Classic tail for me), though. The pedal-pumping is fine with me, I just didn't want to order the ship and then have it blow up first launch!

Any stress areas develop on these ships after a while?

Hmm... Now the question is bigger ship, or more control surfaces?

[thelocust]

...oh, nevermind. the Sierra does have flaps.

this reading is complicated stuff.

[vario]

if you like the art hobby line of gliders then be sure the check out sobox

www.soboxplanes.com



,,,vario

[thelocust]

Originally posted by vario
if you like the art hobby line of gliders then be sure the check out sobox

www.soboxplanes.com
,,,vario

Ah! I wondered where Oleg's Sharon came from -- thanks for the link! I do like that Starling 2-meter. Not a bad price, either.

Those other links at the bottom of the Gliders page are:

2.4 meter Open Class (http://members.rogers.com/sobox/first24m.html)

Sterling Hollow Molded 2 Meter (http://members.rogers.com/sobox/sterling.html)

Hmm... so many choices for the cheap-ass sailplaner!

[thepilotbruss]

I did a small and poorly written review of the starling. You can find it here. http://www.gliderking.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&file=viewthread&tid=1004
If you can afford to go hollow molded you won't be dissapointed.