Subj : New hobby
To   : Digital Man
From : Amcleod
Date : Fri Jan 05 2001 09:38 pm

RE: New hobby
BY: Digital Man to Spaceman Spiff on Sat Jan 06 2001 02:57 am

 > I got my brother a Zagi-3C for Christmas, helped him build it and just fell 
 > love with the thing. But I don't live near a slope, so I bought the 400-X
 > (electric powered) and have crashed it every time I've flown it (first time 
 > a very tall tree, second day in the middle of a lake). The thing is so tough
 > though, it just bounces right back (the lake water fried the receiver and th
 > speed controller though). Anyway, I bought a 3C for myself after I heard of 
 > near-by popular slope (called Glider Hill), but I haven't built it yet.

The first thing I'd have to do is learn how to fly.  That means an
INDESTRUCTABLE aeroplane with only limited controls to master.  When you have
to order it from overseas, hope it makes the journey down here uninjured, build
it, and then look for somewhere HARD to crash it, you want it to withstand
minor problems like being run over bu a Hino or nose-diving into a barbed wire
fence!

I built a balsa/monokote slope-soarer/thermaller some years ago.  I used a long
bungee cord (Hi-start?) which worked BEAUTIFULLY to get it up to about 120
feet.  Then it tipped over and put the nose down....

Pretty tough stuff, that monokote.  Balsa - not quite as tough.  :-/

.