Super Cub Aerotow

[altitudejunki]

I've been playing with all sorts of mods to my plane...mostly electrical tricks since, well..that's my job and I have the shop toys at my disposal...but with a recent lack of wind and a co-worker who's a diehard glider junki, I'm trying to rig up a way to either tow or piggyback a glider up behind my shop...

I was curious if anyone else has tried this yet?

I ran test flights this afternoon just before dusk and the plane had no issues carrying firewire and snapswivels off the dragwheel. after landing it, I tied on my last bottle opener at the shop figuring if it tow that as dead weight, it'd have no problem pulling a glider...well, it made it off the ground, but I couldn't gain enough altitude to get the 3m length of string over the bushes and so I lost my beer opener (oops.)

reseting the plane to it's "runway", I tied on a decent sized stick and was able to get up into the air before stalling 150' across the gulch and cutting the throttle and just landing there before I crashed again...so I think I can definately pull a glider, but here's the trick part that I havn't quite figured out...

I spent the weekend adding a 3rd ultra-light servo to the glider to be able to cut away from the tow-line...it works from the gliders radio...but this glider is an ultra-small one called the "allula" or something and doens't have wheels. so, how do I start it? I'm affraid to throw both aircraft togeather because I don't want the dynamic snap of the line tension to alter the cubs flight path...so I'm planning to take off like normal. I'm designing up plans to add some small foamie wheels to the glider, but it won't look very glider-ish anymore...

anyone else have some ideas?

Thanks.
-Scott

[SCC]

Hi Scott.

What about a Bogie that the glider sits on. Hooked up in some way that when the glider gets airborne the bogie stays on the ground through its own weight.

[jt01]

Scott, I have read where some have tried this with limited success. I was looking for the thread on it but ran out of time. If I remember correctly someone broke off their tail due to the drag force and was going to try it attached to the battery box area. If I come across it again I'll forward it to you.

Jim

[penguin]

could you not adapt the x-port drop box?

like have a small piece of foam on a string attached to the glider, and the put the foam inside the drop module.

[smokescreen38]

I think the conventional wisdom is that you ought to attach the tow line at the CG of the tug. I just tied the "cable" (thread) around at the X-port accessory mounting point and it seemed to work fine… your stalling might have come from the tail being pulled down.

Here is my first try at towing an unpiloted glider... it worked really well but I think a heaver plane in tow will require some more grunt. I posted this in the "General" section too..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx_ybRLlezw

[cubcrazy]

For the RC Glider I would suggest making a dolly out of styro that matches the under fuselage profile. It doesnt even need to be attached really since the glider is going to get airborne very quickly. I am working on a Hobbico Ventura turned HLG project and just installed an old foam wheel from a long dead Hobbyzone firebird. I really want to tow it but may end up doing a piggyback.

[blamo]

smokescreen38
That video of the tow is as cool as it gets. Loved it!
blamo