Where Is Eagle 3???

[rokitflite]

He seems to be the only moderator and I have not heard (read) a peep from him in a while... Is he OK??? :confused:

-Scott

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

He seems to be the only moderator and I have not heard (read) a peep from him in a while... Is he OK??? :confused:

-Scott

Maybe we've just been well behaved. Did that ever occur to you?
Nah, I guess not. :rolleyes: Forget I mentioned it.

[Eagle3]

LOL... I'm here, just incredibly busy at work, so I don't get to hang out much during the day. LTV Scout is an admin too, he just doesn't like to advertise it.

Hey Rokitflite, How are those prototypes coming along? I'm dying to see what you have coming out next. Oh, the weather should be improving soon so I can start painting. A fully armed and operational Odyssey should be painted soon! :D

[rokitflite]

LOL... I'm here, just incredibly busy at work, so I don't get to hang out much during the day. LTV Scout is an admin too, he just doesn't like to advertise it.

Hey Rokitflite, How are those prototypes coming along? I'm dying to see what you have coming out next. Oh, the weather should be improving soon so I can start painting. A fully armed and operational Odyssey should be painted soon! :D


Glad to hear from you! I knew LTV was a moderator as well, but I see something from him every day. YOU are the one who seemed to have vanished! :D All of my prototyping is done for the next kit. Everybody will see it in April! :eek:

[Eagle3]

Glad to hear from you! I knew LTV was a moderator as well, but I see something from him every day. YOU are the one who seemed to have vanished! :D All of my prototyping is done for the next kit. Everybody will see it in April! :eek:

Does this mean you're ready to take pre-orders (Eagle wants TWO)? Cuz if you are (Eagle wants TWO) I'd like to place my name (Eagle wants TWO) on the list. :D

[rokitflite]

No boost glider until you've finished all of your Odyssey... You want to grow up to be big and strong don't you? ;) I will take pre-orders once the kit is announced and people get to see what it looks like. It is a totally different look from the Odyssey and may appeal to a completely different market. Once ya see it and ya like it THEN I will take pre-orders :D .

[Rocketking]

Just to get a look at it, Scott! As a proud (and ashamed for not starting it...) Odyssey owner, I am very curious about your next 'bird'. After JFlis and his Borealis release, the Springtime causes hope to return to the hearts of rocketeers everywhere!

[rokitflite]

Well, after the Odyssey I went out launching with a few customers and employees of the store. After about a dozen launches I realized that everybody would watch the boost and the chute opening and after that they lost interest. Then I watched at our club launches... Same thing. The only models that people tended to watch for the whole flight were boost gliders. So, I went with a boost glider next and no, its not sci-fi per se.

[Eagle3]

....The only models that people tended to watch for the whole flight were boost gliders. So, I went with a boost glider next and no, its not sci-fi per se.

That's a definite fact. Fly a SkyDart at a club launch. :D

[Bob H]

That's a definite fact. Fly a SkyDart at a club launch. :D

They'll watch even if your SkyDart ends up being a lawndart.

Ask me how I know. :(

[Ltvscout]

They'll watch even if your SkyDart ends up being a lawndart.

Ask me how I know. :(
Shouldn't that be spelled LawnDart? :rolleyes:

[JRThro]

Ask me how I know. :(
How do you know?

[Bob H]

How do you know?I finished painting my SkyDart after 34+ years in constuction. I followed the instructions on how much up elevon to give it for the first flight.

It wasn't enough. :(

But lots of OHHHHH! NOOOOO's from the crowd!

Everyone was watching.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I finished painting my SkyDart after 34+ years in constuction. I followed the instructions on how much up elevon to give it for the first flight.

It wasn't enough. :(

But lots of OHHHHH! NOOOOO's from the crowd!

Everyone was watching.

Ewww. How is the rest of the bird?

[Bob H]

Ewww. How is the rest of the bird?

The rest of it was just fine and it has since been repaired.

Problem is that adding the coupler to fix the body added more weight to the nose so I had to add some tail weight to balance it.

It will have much more up elevon when I get to try it again.

[Gus]

I believe Eagle3 can give you some good pointers on trimming a SkyDart.

I am waiting for him to take a look at mine, hopefully this weekend. :)

Mine is nose heavy even with full up-elevon. I've thought of adding tail weight, but this winter thing has been interfering with my glide tests. :(

[Eagle3]

The rest of it was just fine and it has since been repaired.

Problem is that adding the coupler to fix the body added more weight to the nose so I had to add some tail weight to balance it.

It will have much more up elevon when I get to try it again.

I could swear we all had a conversation like this a while back, but damned if I can find it. Maybe it was on TRF?

Bob, when the pod ejected what was the attitude and speed of the SkyDart? Normally mine ejects when it's arcing over and really cooking. I use pretty strong rubber bands that snaps the elevator up with authority and it either does a snap loop or really tight turn as it bleeds off speed. I've had one eject when it was screaming in a nose down attitude and about 30' from dirt. I thought for sure it was toast, but it actually pulled out.... not by much though. *LOL* If you're using the stock method of thin elastic though the rudder try converting over to this;
http://www.cv41.org/personal/gallery/skydart

If all of this is a rehash I apologize for repeating myself.

Gus - How far off is yours balancing?

[Bob H]

I could swear we all had a conversation like this a while back, but damned if I can find it. Maybe it was on TRF?

Yes, we did have this conversation on TRF last fall, right after the crash. I was sure I had it balanced correctly. It had glided from a couple of hand tosses. After the repair, it is nose heavy.

It was heading up and just staring to arc over and still going fairly fast when the pod ejected and it continued to arc over and came almost straight in. At the speed it was going, it's possible that the wimpy elastic didn't have enough force to counteract the airflow over the wing.

[Eagle3]

Yes, we did have this conversation on TRF last fall, right after the crash.

Good! I haven't completely lost it then. :rolleyes:

... At the speed it was going, it's possible that the wimpy elastic didn't have enough force to counteract the airflow over the wing.

Yea, thats what I was wondering. The thing I like about my mod is you can always make sure you're using a good rubber band and you can remove it after flight so it's not constantly pulling on the elevator. I've seen hinges come loose over time because of the constant pull of a permanent elastic.

[rokitflite]

I am a big fan of the Skydart. I have one but it has never flown and probably never will. I made it look just like the catalog so the 5 pounds of sanding sealer will probably hurt its flight characteristics :rolleyes: . I made a glider with very little prep time, good detail and a pop pod with no other moving parts. You'll see :D

[Eagle3]

Aw fly it! It's not like you're going to break any national records with it anyways. ;) I suppose one of these days I'll actually paint one and throw decals on it. The most I've done is put white primer on one once. I was always worried that as soon as I spent the time and effort to make one look pretty that it would prang on the next flight. :rolleyes: Besides, when they're gliding over your head they look just fine no matter how they're finished.

[rokitflite]

Aw fly it! It's not like you're going to break any national records with it anyways. ;) I suppose one of these days I'll actually paint one and throw decals on it. The most I've done is put white primer on one once. I was always worried that as soon as I spent the time and effort to make one look pretty that it would prang on the next flight. :rolleyes: Besides, when they're gliding over your head they look just fine no matter how they're finished.

I'll build a nice clone one day :D

[Bob H]

........ I made a glider with very little prep time, good detail and a pop pod with no other moving parts. You'll see :D
And when will we see????

[rokitflite]

You should have your work table cleared off within the next 2 weeks Bob! :D

[rokitflite]

Oh, and per your gripes ( :D ) on the Odyssey... The instructions, which are on CD again, have a text only version if you want to print it out without the pictures, and the decals have a thick coat of liqiud decal film applied over them so they are kinda tough ;) .