This thread is for anyone in the Perth area interested in joining in a building/flying competition.

The plane is an apogee handlaunch glider. It uses a v tail for flight controls (only 2 servos). Should cost around $20-$50 to build depending on how you want to build it.

There are 2 parts to the competition. The first is to see who can build the lightest plane. The second is to see who's plane can stay inflight the longest. We are looking at staging the flying comp near Joondalup in early November, so you have a few months to build and test your plane.

The apogee is a fairly simple plane to build, but the critical aspects for performance are weight and getting the wing airfoil right.

Here's a link to the plans and build info.

http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articl..._apogeehlg.htm


Rules are;

1. Any construction method and airfoil is allowed as long as the wing and stab planforms for the 40" version are used. (you can use balsa/foam/carbon/fiberglass for construction as you see fit)

2. you can mod the fuse shape/size to accomodate electronics or adjust cg.

3. NO ailerons or flaps allowed

4. Weight competition includes all electronics including your choice of battery. (only one battery type allowed, so choose carefully to give enough flight time) You can have as many batteries as you wish, but they must all be the same and have enough capacity for 1 entire flight. You can use any type of battery (e.g. nimh, lipo, life, etc)

5. Flying competition will be all participants handlaunching at the same time (javelin style NOT DISCUS). First to land receives 1 point, second to land 2 points and so on until everyone has landed. Multiple rounds to be held on the day. The person with the most points at the end of the day is the winner.

So far we have 7 confirmed entrants; Here is how they plan to build

-Crasha, Built up balsa wing, composite fuse
-Trudge, cnc foam
-Metamorphisis, cnc foam
-Kaffine, cnc foam
-Plane sailing, full balsa
-Glidingfool, balsa and hardwood, builtup wing and x tail
-Swervo, easy to build straight wing

The comp is open to anyone in Perth who wants to join in. Shoud be interesting to see if there is any difference in the different type of construction.

As for the carbon tail booms, do you guys want to use plain carbon tube or would you like me to order some tapered carbon tubes from the States. Tapered carbon would cost approx. $15 each, I will make a bulk order if anyone is interested.

Let the building begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice looking little HLG, i'm shite at scratch building but if some one wants to knock up a few kits at a reasonable price i'd be interested.

Bit of a trek to Perth just for a comp isn't it woodsy?

Nice sounding comp though, like the idea a lot

I'm totally shite at building as well but I am hoping to use this comp for learning how to be less shite.

Maybe we could have a national comp. Just post your planes weight and time (or maybe video) the flight. That would make things interesting

Great idea but I am having trouble with the link to the plans.

Is this the right plane; http://charlesriverrc.org/articles/a..._apogeehlg.htm

That seems like the right plane, Give this a try

http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articl..._apogeehlg.htm

Originally Posted by discostu956

Bit of a trek to Perth just for a comp isn't it woodsy?

Nice sounding comp though, like the idea a lot

Not when work pays

You are a seductive creature, Crasha. I have managed to build one MiMi (my first ever scratch build) that actually flies and was about to start another.

Now I will be building an Apogee instead:

• All balsa and hardwood.
• Built up wing
• X-tail

' must be V tail only '.

Oops. Missed that bit. I think it is a bit of a mistake. The Apogee is a reasonably dated design and the current thinking (from these groups) seems to be very much that a V-Tail is a real disadvantage for DLGing.

Nevertheless, wing ribs are being planned as we "speak"

G'day Glidingfool, glad your in!!

At the moment you are the odds on favourite since you are the only contestant who has actually successfully built a plane before

As for the x tail, I'm sure we can bend the rules a bit for you. The apogee was originally designed for a javelin style throw, hence the v tail because it is lighter. From my limited understanding of dlg the x tail is better for a discus launch (must help the plane to straighten out when thrown?)

The flying comp was intended for a javelin throw to help avoid the chaos of everyone launching at the same time.

If the x tail is for you than fill ya boots and see you in November for the showdown Just no aileron or flaps OK

Hey Swervo, are you in (I know you are a master builder)

I did have a thought about the throwing part, as it seems that this may favour someone who is a better thrower rather then just better/lighter build. My thought was that whoever launches the planes rotates, so each plane gets launched once by each other "competitor" (or each person has one go at launching each plane). My thinking was that this would reduce any bias due to throwing skill

Originally Posted by crasha

G'day Glidingfool, glad your in!!

At the moment you are the odds on favourite since you are the only contestant who has actually successfully built a plane before

Oh. The pressure! When you see the plane, you will relax a bit. Although it flies surprisingly well, nothing is straight!

As for flaps and ailerons - wouldn't know what to do with 'em if I had them.

BTW, My Mimi which is also a built up wing, 1m glider came out at 170g ready to fly. The designer of the Apogee had a target weight of 120g! I guess I'll have to talk to Jenny Craig.

I have something that approximates a MiMi, with flaperons and no rudder.

It's a bit of a flying brick and has been rebuilt more times than I care to admit. Catching tiny aeroplanes is HARRD!

Shame it's not an open comp.

Those mimi's look pretty cool, what sort of flight times do you get from a throw? Do you think it would be better to bungee launch to get some extra air time in the comp and maybe even things out? (I throw like girl, just ask my mate who's habu was smashed when he asked me to throw it for him)

Started building my apogee tail feathers today. Unfortunately I used the wrong out line on the plan the and the tail was 3cm too short

MUST USE THE OUTLINE WITH THE GRID ON IT!!!!

I am not off to a good start