MIT UAV soaring technique

On Dec 6, 2:40*pm, shkdriver
wrote:
Anyone have any experience/thoughts to share about winch launching a
shempp-hirth SHK? My example has CG tost hook on gear leg.

Thanks,
Scott W.

--
shkdriver

A caution not specific to the SHK but it may apply. For the first
winch launch in any new glider type pay particular attention to seat
back and rudder pedal adjustment. There should be no possibility that
you will slip backward during the launch.

I learned this one the hard way. I had quite a few hours in the Std
Jantar, all aero tow. On my first winch launch I slid backward so my
feet were not in contact with the pedals. I continued the launch with
my elbows frantically clawing for grip on the cockpit side walls but
was able to remain in control. Every other glider I had winched had a
more upright seating position so I had never seen this problem before.

Andy

On Wed, 08 Dec 2010 06:20:37 -0800, Andy wrote:

A caution not specific to the SHK but it may apply. For the first
winch launch in any new glider type pay particular attention to seat
back and rudder pedal adjustment. There should be no possibility that
you will slip backward during the launch.

I've heard this said about the Discus 1 as well, but though I've winched
them quite a bit I've not experienced it myself so it must only apply to
pilots who prefer a seating position that's different from mine. I can
imagine that with the seat fairly well forward the straps would be pretty
much horizontal behind your shoulders and so won't to a lot to stop you
sliding up the back of the seat.

Bottom line: Making quite sure your straps are tight is even more
important for winch than aero-tow due to the higher initial acceleration
and much steeper climb-out.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Dec 8, 2:20*pm, Andy wrote:
On Dec 6, 2:40*pm, shkdriver
wrote:

Anyone have any experience/thoughts to share about winch launching a
shempp-hirth SHK? My example has CG tost hook on gear leg.

Thanks,
Scott W.

--
shkdriver

A caution not specific to the SHK but it may apply. * *For the first
winch launch in any new glider type pay particular attention to seat
back and rudder pedal adjustment. *There should be no possibility that
you will slip backward during the launch.

I learned this one the hard way. *I had quite a few hours in the Std
Jantar, all aero tow. *On my first winch launch I slid backward so my
feet were not in contact with the pedals. *I continued the launch with
my elbows frantically clawing for grip on the cockpit side walls but
was able to remain in control. *Every other glider I had winched had a
more upright seating position so I had never seen this problem before.

Andy

Same thing happened to me in a DG101 a few years ago. Did a whole
winch launch keeping the stick just off the backstop with my
fingertips and with my feet nowhere near the rudder pedals. Always do
your straps up really tight for a winch launch, and if possible set
the rudder pedals a bit closer than normal. Only use firm cushions
behind you.

Derek C

On Dec 6, 12:13*pm, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
On Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:40:53 -0800, bildan wrote:
http://www.technologyreview.com/blog...6103/?p1=Blogs

I smell a certain lack of preliminary research: any RC glider pilot will
tell you that pressure sensing TE varios for models have been available
for a long time. It would seem to be a lot easier and less power-hungry
to sample one of these than to calculate climb rate from GPS output.

--
martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org * * * |

Whether this blogger has a good understanding of thermalling technique
or not, it's interesting that UAV makers (Presumably for the military)
have an interest in UAV's that automatically find and use thermals.
It makes sense they should be interested. Maybe thermal finding
instrumentation will come out of it.

Autonomous Soaring has been around for awhile.

Take a look at:

http://soaring.goosetechnologies.com/

Cheers,

Andrew