Bug HLG

Dan, I've had very good luck with the Carbon Bug tail. I don't honesty remember that it flies differently than the v-tail since I hadn't used the v-tail for a very long time. I also had several v-tails break on launch and that is why I developed the conventional tail. Before I installed the gyro, launching the Carbon Bug did require rudder offset. That's been a long time also, since I love the way a gyro assisted launch goes - straight as an arrow. It is much easier than with presets since you only need to focus on one thing: cresting the top of the climb. Unfortunately any weight addition is a penalty with this small a glider. I've launched my Bug using the full body rotation as hard as I can. I really see only a very slight increase in height. At less than 4 oz, it just runs out of energy. Even it you through it very hard, the result is not much better than a side arm launch, but it's harder on the airplane. Speaking of awesome, you should see a hard launch when the wing comes off!!! I swear, the fuselage must go nearly 100 yards before sticking in the ground like an arrow. With the full length carbon shaft, you can just put the wing back on and continue flying, as there is no damage. As I've mentioned before, the only way it really gets damaged is during a fumbled catch, where is hits the ground tail first. Regards, --Colin-- --- In BugHLG@y..., "danstriderfly" <danstrider@a...> wrote: > I just tried the convential tail setup as shown in the Carbon Bug > pics in the photos section. It flies "differently." > > A rudder input doesn't bank the plane as quickly or as violently as > the v-tail. Rudder input yaws the plane first and puts it into a > gentle bank. Rudder input does seem to pitch the plane down, too. > > I have my radio set up to give a little down elevator on launch (via > a switch). I was curious, with the rudder extending below the boom > to balance out the rudder above the boom, is a right rudder preset > needed? I am relatively unexperienced in the discus launching style > with this vertical tail setup. > > I had been using the v-tail and tip launching (ie: not rotating body > around, just throwing up from beside the body). Obviously, the > stresses on the v-tail were sometimes too extreme resulting in > blowing off the tail feathers on launch. It's awesome to watch the > Bug in a spin from 30 feet with no empennage (especially since it's > cheap). I used ~1/16" down elevator launch preset to climb around 75 > degrees up. > > Since this letter is to no one in particular, everyone chime in with > their experiences. Anyone else blown off tail feathers? tried the > conventail tail configuration? have advice for thermalling the Bug? > > Regards, > Dan