Looking for some info on plane retrieving poles. I have seen one of these the 40 foot verson and its very nice but a tad pricy. Wondering what else was on the market or what folks use to get planes out of trees.

Ettore Steccone made some really nice window washing extension poles. Janitorial Supply houses carry them.

I prefer the "wrist-rocket-with-a-fishing-reel" approach. Everything you need fits in a small paper bag.

Get a Whamo wrist rocket and a cheap open-face fishing reel. Cut off the top of the "T" that is used to hold the reel to your fishing pole. Glue the reel into the base of the wrist rockets grip, with the reel facing forward. Put about 250' of 100# line on the reel. Tie a 1 oz fishing weight to the line.

Launch 1 oz fishing weights over the tree that your plane is caught in. Tie a 200' piece of 1/4" polypropelene rope to the 100# line and pull the 1/4 rope up and over the branch. Now pull like crazy- get the tree swaying. If you tie a loop in the rope big enough to putt your foot through you can really shake the tree. Your plane will fall out, hopefully with minimal damage.

We've also used the extension pole approach, but a pole stiff enough to get high enough is heavy enough to need multiple people, and a bear to thread up through the branches. The best technique is to push the plane up and out, until it's on the outside of tree's canopy, and then let it fall off the tree.

I stuck my glider up about 60-80 feet in the one tree in the field within 200 feet of us - yes I did!

I bought a childs compound boy from Dicks sporting goods - drilled a hole through the arrow, stuck in some 60# fishing line (also used for spoilers on my older gliders) and after about 1 hour - the plane was down. Yes, it took a while to get the unit working but certainly worth it.

Scott
PS - it was about $40 + another $10 for spare arrows i never used

Got one stuck about 30-40 feet up in a tree, used pvc pipe but it tends to bend when extended to that length.

I use a 31' Jackite pole, but it looks like the price has gone up! Here's the link: http://www.jackite.com/product_info....roducts_id=133

- Norm

Sometimes you have to go to the problem

Originally Posted by CFrench

Looking for some info on plane retrieving poles. I have seen one of these the 40 foot verson and its very nice but a tad pricy. Wondering what else was on the market or what folks use to get planes out of trees.

Those are electricl linesman poles. I think 3-400. My rocket club has one and uses it frequently.

Ryan

Originally Posted by rdwoebke

Those are electricl linesman poles. I think 3-400. My rocket club has one and uses it frequently.

Ryan

Thanks linesman poles search came up with better reults then telescoping fiberglass poles ~ found the same pole for $100 cheaper. http://www.jharlen.com/hasfibhv240.html# This will be a club puchase and a long term investment that will pay off over time.

What you have linked to is exactly what my rocket club has.

Ryan

They used to make a 65 foot pole. I've used that a bunch of times and though heavy, if the plane was within reach it came down.

Now I usually keep a set of metal tent poles in the van to assemble and sometimes some light carbon tubes to add but a bow and arrows with line is becoming my fav.

Yes, the number of trees I've hit is still climbing!

Dennis

If you go to this link, http://www.hfgp.com/fb-catalog/files...e/index.html#9

These are one of three companies that make some form of what is used in the electric utility business called extendosticks or tel-o-poles that allow lineman to do some jobs from the ground while having a tool that insulates them from the line current. The company I work for sells them, www.americansafety.com

Marc

Yes thanks for the link we ordered an ST-240

It should be pointed out, that although these poles are designed for electrical work when used in actual electrical work they are tested and certified regularly. To us non professional electrical workers, don't ever attempt to get something off an electrical line ever.

I've used 4 sections from a roof rake. I can stick those on a 10 foot piece of (very small) sailboat mast. I could stick an 18 foot telescoping pole I have on the other end for a total of something like 46 feet, though I'm not sure I could handle it.

Originally Posted by CFrench

Looking for some info on plane retrieving poles. I have seen one of these the 40 foot verson and its very nice but a tad pricy. Wondering what else was on the market or what folks use to get planes out of trees.

I have one of those poles. My cousin's husband is a lineman for our local power company and I asked him about getting one that has been retired from service. When I first asked it didn't sound too promising. He told me the company test the poles every two years and those that don't pass get sent back to the mfg. for recoating.

As Luck would have it he did find one in a corner of the shop that was missing the second section and he got permission from a supervisor to take it.

FYI he knew it as a "switch stick" should anybody ask their local lineman to see if he can get one.