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Link to HI- Start Glider up to 36" span.

Link to Suitable 36" Glider Plans

Herewith for your interest a pic of the 36in. Zaic Trooper, completed this afternoon. It weighs 2.25oz, ballasted at 40 per cent, which I'm quite pleased with since I paid no attention to weight-saving. For instance, the plan stipulated 1/16in.-sq. longerons and I used 1/8in.

I think this could be a little goer off the 30m bungee so I've used a tip-up wing DT with button timer.

The Trooper should have the cabin roof glazed, too. But enough is enough....

The Trooper went up on the line for the first time this afternoon. No change to “bench trim” needed. It just floated to the top and would have been lost in third flight in a riser had it not been for the DT.

In my opinion 1/8in. rubber is OK but possibly a tad too strong – 3/32in. would be ideal, but I don’t have any. With the 1/8th, just a step of line tension was all that was needed in this afternoon’s gentle breeze. I thought it would need an auto-rudder, but the Trooper meandered into its own wide-ish circle with no trouble at all.

Peter added later
I have since removed the “button” timer because of the unpredictability and substituted a Tomy. Installed as far up-front as possible, and with a consequent decrease in nose ballast, there is no increase in weight, at least not on my balance. I’m currently building an “own design” 36 Hi-Start which is turning out to be remarkably similar to Spence Willis’s!

Peter Michel
May 2012