Problems getting it up. Looked online for cure.

[MarkLloyd]

Hi All,

Well I took my lovely new Z3 out for it's maiden and failed to get it airborne.  Two launches and one crumpled nose later  I decided to give up as the camera was loose and the hatch woudn't close, and I didn't want to completely destroy it.

Thankfully  I'd taken the funjet as well so still had chance to fly .... but stoved that in on launch too.  I seem to be having a 50% success rate launching the funjet, but fantastic flights when I do get it up.

It had been a lovely warm evening, my wife had taken the people carrier with kids up to her sisters in Yarm so I had the little car otherwise I'd have shoved the Z2 in as well which never lets me down.

Dejected,  on a lovely warm evening, sun shining still, from a deserted flying spot, I headed home, chuntering and grumbling & cursing....  :(   
( all of which I later realised I'd managed to capture on the mobius which I failed to turn off   :D  )

Anyway,  I just can't afford to knacker the Z3 just yet, so in frustration I've been online and bought a bungee launcher ramp.  I didn't really want to go down that route, I just want a simple life,  turn up, throw the thing in the air and fly.  I think both these planes are heavy for their wing area and really need speed more than luck to get them up and flying.

Anyway, the Z3 does seem to be pretty tough. The nose was crumpled and bent sideways with the two top fibreglass spars having popped up from the foam.  I took out the camera and moved the wiring back from the front and soaked the nose in near boiling water while dribbling water from the kettle down the sides.  The nose is pretty much straight again which I'm happy about, a little filler and botox and she'll look lovely ........whether she'll fly or not ?  :+

Are many on the hub using bungee launchers ?

Regards

Mark

[FPVSteve]

Hmm, from what I've seen one of the selling points of the ZIII wasits ease of launch. Are you sure you don't just need some up trim and a couple of cans of spinach? :)

[Flyboysee]

You need some Flyagra!

[Brucey]

How are you throwing it? How much power? Got some up trim?
Full throttle and an over head throw is the only way
http://youtu.be/HE8eOjPe2Lo

No need for a bungee mate, and they are a pain to setup and still not 100% guaranteed to work

[MarkLloyd]

Ah, thanks Guys !  I shall try a Flyagra and Spinach mix.

There's nowhere to get a grip of underneath so I'm doing a Z2 type throw as demo's by Chris at ritewing.

I've got a bit of positive reflex dialled in, it certainly went up, it was the coming down bit that spoiled it ..   :(

[Brucey]

Grab it by the leading edge close to the centre section.
The problem you'll have now is phycological, 100% throttle and commitment required!
A bit of a headwind will help to.  Good luck!

[Flyboysee]

This guy's on Flyagra... Looks so easy!

Z3 Hand Launch | FPV | 3rd person view

[Billy_boy_2010]

How powerful is the motor you're running? How do you launch it?

[MarkLloyd]

Thanks Brucey, that's how I was trying to do it Z2 style, which usually works ok. 

I'll try that method Richard, holding it more centrally on the wing.  Looking at how that lifted away. 

Maybe it's just a case of getting used to it. 

Maybe I'll try to perfect the hand launches when the farmers crops are a bit higher to cushion any failures... :)

My Z2 launching filmed here is a not as steep (maybe partly due to weedy arms - will be taking heed of Steve's spinach suggestion)

Anyway....  this Is what I want to be doing this summer....  not shouting at aeroplanes and the mud I'm pulling them out of....   :D

Mark's Zephyr 2 wing.

[MarkLloyd]

Hi Billy,

It's got an NTM 35-42 1000Kv 700w motor.

I was thinking the Z2 had the same but actually, that's got an NTM 35-42 1250kv 600w motor.

[Flyboysee]

iPeel gave me a Z3 and I'll put it together next - obviously concerned about the launch myself... Maybe a HUGE motor is the answer...?

[Billy_boy_2010]

Hi Billy,

It's got an NTM 35-42 1000Kv 700w motor.

I was thinking the Z2 had the same but actually, that's got an NTM 35-42 1250kv 600w motor.

hmmmm should be fine. Although I have found the lower kv motors don't launch quite as easily but that's just a very narrow sample..... How does the weight compare between the Z2 & 3? I bet the Z 3 is nearly as heavy. If it is, it's stall speed will be higher.  Imo the Z2 launch method you use isn't ideal. You can't really give the plane a really hard toss. And holding it dear down on the wing means the throw is less likely to be flat.

Try and take the weight down of the z3 for the maiden if you can use a lighter battery.
Launch as flyboysee links but I hold the leading edge as close to the nose as poss. This means your throw is more neutral and you won't tilt a wing tip as you throw it.
I also throw it really quite hard. Holding it near the nose again means that you can put a bit more power in the throw and not worry about how level the plane is.
finally I throw my planes at quite a steep angle. Gives you more time to get on the sticks and, provided the plane has lots of power, it won't stall. I'm guessing I throw it vertically upwards,  but with my fingers above and thumb below, and its almost over my shoulder, by the time I release it's perhaps at 60-70 degrees?

[hase2]

from my experience the Z2 doesn't really need a toss at all - that 'cricket throw' is more to guide it on a shallow climb. with a decent motor (ritewing works perfectly) you have enough thrust to build up speed before gravity kicks in. So far I haven't stuffed it on launch.