Where to Buy Hi Start

[Flyguy55]

Where is a good source for a Hi Start , or just the tubing, for a 2 m sailplane ?

TIA

Dick Roberts
Abq NM

[moonbase1]

Recently my friend wanted to buy a high start, and I convinced him to build one instead. After calling around to a couple of local pharmacies, we learned that the cost of the tubing alone was more than the cost of a new high start!

[LWThompson]

Like most answers to a short question, it depends. How much room do you have, firm or soft launch, will you be getting a 3M in the next couple of years?

Take a look at the ones that Hobby-lobby sells. I have one and also own the Dynaflight hi-start. The dynaflight will launch a 2M but softly. The Hobby-Lobby is a good hi-start for 2-3M. Also check Hose Monster Bungee (www.aerofoam.com). I hope this helps.

Wayne

[Robglover]

Get the appropriately sized hosemonster from Aerofoam. They will sell you what you need, and their tubing is superior to the others out there.

[Alex J]

www.aerofoam.com. No other... :)

[Flyguy55]

Thanks all who responded.
I broke my Sky Sergio wing just inside the wing joiner . The spar is a CF tube , Its also the wing joiner tube.I cut it down to 2M and used the wing and tail on a Art Hobbies Boar Fuse.
Ready to fly weight is 16 oz 490 Sq In 4.7 oz wingloading.
Im thinking the reg 2M Hosemaster tubing is a better choice then the comp 2 M tubing. I dont think the wing is designed for the stress of the comp tubing.

any coments?
Im gonna order tubing tomorrow. I have a parachute ,Spectra line , ect

Dick Roberts

[Robglover]

Dick -
Sounds like you got the plan. It should fling a 16 ounce plane to the moon.

[chronos333]

I have one I bought last year (hangar 9 Unlimited), used 4 times, works great.
35$ + shipping.
Let me know if you are interested.

[aeajr]

Where is a good source for a Hi Start , or just the tubing, for a 2 m sailplane ?

TIA

Dick Roberts
Abq NM

http://www.nesail.com/categories.php?subcatID=54&PHPSESSID=3693c9fc8636620571beea852dcae9ff
Pinnacle Standard. $79

NESail has some great hi-starts.


If you have to go cheap, the Dynaflite will launch your plane $60
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXE636&P=7

[eaglechaser]

Like most answers to a short question, it depends. How much room do you have, firm or soft launch, will you be getting a 3M in the next couple of years?

Wayne


Excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between a firm and a soft launch?

EC

[Robglover]

EC -

Firm:
Will launch an Icon with authority.
Will rip the wings right off a Gentle Lady.

Soft:
Will launch a Gentle Lady gently and without harm.
Will cause an Icon to immediately stall become a worm burner.

Beyond this somewhat tongue in cheek, but nonetheless somewhat accurate answer, different brands of rubber have a different feel. The basic size of (diameter and wall thickness) the tubing will dictate the size and strength of plane you can launch.

Then there's that feel thing.

The Hobby Lobby and NSP Pinnacle rubber look the same, and act the same. They are extruded rubber. They have a relatively short, powerful stretch and pull. Great for smaller fields, slope on a rope, and hot bungee launchers.

On the other hand there is mandrel dipped tubing (Hosemonster). Same basic stuff, but it's manufactured differently. It has a longer and more sustained stretch and pull. If you have room it will launch you more gently and probably higher.

[aeajr]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between a firm and a soft launch?

EC

Let me provide it differently.

Your plane has weight and it has wind resistance. The hi-start has to provide pull to overcome that so it can accelorate the plane up to flying speed.

Just like throwing a baseball hard or soft. How much force is being applied.

So, if you have a 2 pound glider and you put a 6 pound pull on it, then you will get a soft launch. This 3 to 1 is about minimum needed.

4 to one: Pull to weight seems to provide a nice balance for launching.

If you have a 2 pound glider and you put a 12 pound pull on it, then you will get a strong launch. This is a 6 to one ratio. More than needed and a plane with unseen flaws or cracks, or a very fragile frame might be damaged.

Simple as that.

[rcsoar4fun]

Get the aerofoam, its great. I have the 3m version, its almost too much for my molded 2m, but will launch lighter 4m ships with ease. I used to launch my 90oz lovesong with it, no problem.

Kristopher