Originally Posted by CloudyIFR

The Skunkworks have been busy all summer.

Jim Loughran taught these folks everything there is to know to scratch build a model; cutting foam, vacuum bagging a wing, making pods/booms, radio installation/programming etc....

This is the first of four new 140" scratch built ALES gliders.
This is called the Gair-E as it's Gary's wonderful model. Even though he flies an Oly very well he'll really like this one!

It's their own modified airfoil and 100% totally scratch built. Including the pod in a female mold with the wing saddle built in, a beautiful aluminum motor mount, and a horizontal stab mount that will survive a nuclear bomb. Estimated cost under $250 and time, well it's been a long summer. Now what are they going to do this winter?

Test flight scheduled in a few hours.

Nice work guys!

Curtis

Well, I'll tell you this. There was no shortage of interest this morning when the first of these beauitiful airplanes flew. You'd have thought there was a contest going on.

I've attatched a video(click on it) and a photo of the proud owner.

Here are some images of GAIR-E taken during the maiden today to compliment speed37's video.

Very Nice flying 140" scratch build

Chip

That hands off performance was about 2 seconds after launch too!

Great photos and video.

Curtis

The nice comment is appreciated.
One correction: The cost of the complete carbon and glass airframe is $150.00.
That includes Carbon & Glass skinned foam wings, stabs and fin , Glass Pod (2.4mHz friendly), carbon boom & carbon V-mount for the full-flying stab and a lot of work by the building crew.
The project was a group effort with lots of contributions by all participants. Tools like "The Gary Feland Notch Cutter", "The Joe Longmire Trailing Edge Allignmrent Fence" & "The Curtis Suter Weblet Notch Cutter" all played a vital roll in the creation of what looks like a successful project. I look forward to the completion of the remaining sailplanes.
The next project is still in the CAD file stage.
Jon Garber (age 14) wants an open structure, built up 100" (+/-) plane with a two piece wing, composite pod & boom & a V-Tail.
So Jon & I are working on a Pod & boom design that will have several options:
suitable for either pylon mounted wings or sholder mounted wings; booms to fit anything from 2 meter to 3.5 meter size planes; and slip-on empennage mounts for V-tails, T-tails & Cruciform tails.
The University of Montana Tech School has been very helpful with the projects.
The students and their instructors, Art Warner & Matt Moyer, are helping us with some CNC machining on the pod mold plugs.
The crew is composed entirely "seasoned citizens" with the exception of "Little Jon" Garber (age 14). We have a retired electrical engineer, a retired 4 term state senator/oil man, a retired physicist, a retired chemist, a retired FAA safety instructor, a retired Xerox electronics tech, a commercial pilot and several other brainey types who work together in complete harmoney. I think it must be because we are all old farts who shed our egos about 10-20 years ago.
It's great fun! Every club should have a program like this!
Jim

The contest this Saturday has been cancelled, obviously. This contest will not be rescheduled.

Thanks for the great season! Keep us up to date with your ALES projects this winter.

See you in the Spring.

Curtis
Montana

Originally Posted by CloudyIFR

The contest this Saturday has been cancelled, obviously. This contest will not be rescheduled.

Thanks for the great season! Keep us up to date with your ALES projects this winter.

See you in the Spring.

Curtis
Montana

Curtis,

I think ALES should stand for "Always Launching EVERY Season," not just summer! One would think some of that Montana toughness--so richly drawn on by most Treasure State residents in nearly every other facet of life in the mountains--would also rub off on the ALES members.

You know, scheduling meets every month of the year, especially during the arctic temperatures of mid-January just to thicken the skin and "cool" the nerves. Think also of just a few of the advantages twelve to fifteen inches of powder at -2 F. would offer: softer landings, quick containment of LiPo fires, grounds for purchasing more battery packs, and legitimate claims of cold feet as the competition grows tougher!

Ah, but that pales in comparison to the camaraderie developed around warming fires and hot packs as participants battle frostbite, stiffening their resolve to find the E-Supras lost against a lowering gray, crystalline sky and buried somewhere in the deep drifts near Highway 287.

However, in PMT's case, such cold-weather resolve is not needed. ALICE becomes the appropriate acronym here: Alice (Little) Is Comfortably Excluded.

In the spirit of Dana Carvey as the Grumpy Old Man, "In my day, we didn't stop slopin' or ALES-in' when the weather dropped two degrees. We de-iced with boiling water, warped the wings, and launched a winged icicle into the freezing wind and we liked it!"

Seriously, glad you had a good season.

BTID,

TIO

Originally Posted by CloudyIFR

The contest this Saturday has been cancelled, obviously. This contest will not be rescheduled.

Thanks for the great season! Keep us up to date with your ALES projects this winter.

See you in the Spring.

Curtis
Montana

Hey Curtis,

Couldn't ya find a pair of shorts to wear! HAHA!

Chip

LOL shorts? He was talkin' long johns

Originally Posted by James P. Loughra

The nice comment is appreciated.
One correction: The cost of the complete carbon and glass airframe is $150.00.
That includes Carbon & Glass skinned foam wings, stabs and fin , Glass Pod (2.4mHz friendly), carbon boom & carbon V-mount for the full-flying stab and a lot of work by the building crew.
The project was a group effort with lots of contributions by all participants. Tools like "The Gary Feland Notch Cutter", "The Joe Longmire Trailing Edge Allignmrent Fence" & "The Curtis Suter Weblet Notch Cutter" all played a vital roll in the creation of what looks like a successful project. I look forward to the completion of the remaining sailplanes.
The next project is still in the CAD file stage.
Jon Garber (age 14) wants an open structure, built up 100" (+/-) plane with a two piece wing, composite pod & boom & a V-Tail.
So Jon & I are working on a Pod & boom design that will have several options:
suitable for either pylon mounted wings or sholder mounted wings; booms to fit anything from 2 meter to 3.5 meter size planes; and slip-on empennage mounts for V-tails, T-tails & Cruciform tails.
The University of Montana Tech School has been very helpful with the projects.
The students and their instructors, Art Warner & Matt Moyer, are helping us with some CNC machining on the pod mold plugs.
The crew is composed entirely "seasoned citizens" with the exception of "Little Jon" Garber (age 14). We have a retired electrical engineer, a retired 4 term state senator/oil man, a retired physicist, a retired chemist, a retired FAA safety instructor, a retired Xerox electronics tech, a commercial pilot and several other brainey types who work together in complete harmoney. I think it must be because we are all old farts who shed our egos about 10-20 years ago.
It's great fun! Every club should have a program like this!
Jim

Jim,
I am "finally" getting around to making an entry on this forum. I just wanted to thank you for the detailed 'report' and for your expertise in helping others with building their gliders, (mine included). Great pictures! Those pix with Gary's glider standing on the end of it's wing sure makes it look HUGE! Love it! Trust your "off season" will be healthy and busy. I have a couple of repair projects that I hope to finish before spring, but I've been so busy with my new interim ministry that I seldom find time to 'play' of late.
Blessings,
Arlen

Originally Posted by Paradise MT

Jim,
I am "finally" getting around to making an entry on this forum. I just wanted to thank you for the detailed 'report' and for your expertise in helping others with building their gliders, (mine included). Great pictures! Those pix with Gary's glider standing on the end of it's wing sure makes it look HUGE! Love it! Trust your "off season" will be healthy and busy. I have a couple of repair projects that I hope to finish before spring, but I've been so busy with my new interim ministry that I seldom find time to 'play' of late.
Blessings,
Arlen

Hey Arlen,

Actually the glider is only a 2 meter, Gary really is that short Hehe!

Just remember, "all work and no play" saying

Chip

Just thought I'd keep my "Alice" friends updated on our local activity.
Really having trouble keeping a landing zone/runway open these days
Blessings,
Arlen

Not to out do you or anything Arlen, but.....

And yes I have to shovel the backyard so she has a place to do her thing.

This says it all....

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/x2ml...1%26showinfo=0

Curtis

Ok.....

I check this forum almost daily, and I'm one of those guys that can't stand idleness on these forums, so I thought I'd post a brief one for today. As indicated by the attached picture, I DO have intentions of beginning some "winter work," however due to a combination of both laziness and busyness, my projects are simply taking up table space at the moment It sure would be encouraging to get busy working on them
Being blessed while being lazy,

Arlen

I can't express how cool that is...

Originally Posted by CloudyIFR

This says it all....

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/x2ml...1%26showinfo=0

Curtis