How to Build a Balsa Glider - 12" Sandpiper - Part 3
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- Build your very own Sandpiper 12"" Balsa Glider!
Nighthawk Gliders has revealed their secret sauce in making a great Catapult Launch Glider (CLG). Learn how to make one for yourself in this 3 part series.
Build Kits and Plans are available!
nighthawkglide...
In this video (Part 3) you will learn how to apply proper dihedral and assemble all the parts.
If you watched this whole (Part 3) episode and have NOT watched (Part 1) or (Part 2), you are going at this backwards, my friend... I'm guessing you must be the type of person who eats his dessert first-- or reads the last chaper to a mystery novel to eliminate the suspense.
Go back to UA-cam Search results and find the other videos.... or scratch that... on the other hand... just click these links below.
(Part 1) • How to Build a Balsa G...
(Part 2) • How to Build a Balsa G...
(Part 3) • How to Build a Balsa G...
Launching Tips:
(1) Launch upwards at an angle (pitch) higher than 45%. You'll have to experiment with what works best for your glider.
(*DO NOT launch with wings parallel to the ground unless you prefer to stall the plane dramatically and watch it crash and burn-- just sayin'*)
(2) If you are right-handed, hold glider 45-90 degrees rotated (rolled) to the right before launching. If you are left-handed, you have a very creative mind and I'm sure you can figure out how to reverse this instruction.
(*DO NOT launch with wings parallel to the ground unless you prefer the glider do a big loop and bury itself inside the back of your skull... yeah, not pretty!*)
(3) It is preferred to launch with goggles-- If you poke one eye out, you can at least watch your glider fly, but just not in awesome 3D. If you poke both your eyes out then you can no longer enjoy all that is glorious that makes a Nighthawk Glider sail the skies so majestically. (Hey, at least you can't say I didn't warn you!)
(*DO NOT launch with wings parallel to the ground unless you prefer to dive bomb some of your curious spectators at the park, get sued when someone gets hurt, and then spend the rest of your allowance on someone's medical compensation! How can you buy balsa if you have no more money?!? Do the math, son*)
(4) What about a catapult launcher? Oh yeah, I didn't show you how to make one. Well, you're on your own there. Try some 1/8 inch thick rubber and tie it in a loop at the end of a 6-8 inch stick-- Viola! (Hey, I didn't say that was rocket science, did I?) Oh, you're too stubborn to make one? Well, ok, smarty pants, it looks like you are a proud owner of a homemade HLG (Hand Launch Glider) now, aren't you?
(*Did I say this already? DO NOT launch with wings parallel to the ground! We'll hear me now and believe me later... JUST DON'T!*)
(5) Beware of thermals!!! Yeah... it'll happen to you, too, someday! It will be a bittersweet moment, I guarantee you that!
If you build one, please post a video of it flying and and let us know about it in the comments. We would love to see it!
Enjoy flight and enjoy life, my friends!
#NighthawkGliders
#Sandpiper
#CatapultGliders
It's such a great video. I built this glider today and it flies perfect😍thank you
That’s fantastic!!! We’re so happy your glider flew so well! Thanks! 😊
Very inspirational,lots of flying fun for such a small outlay.
Yes, it’s loads of fun! I was just flying a Sandpiper 12 yesterday and almost lost it in a thermal! 😊
Only the part to glue the wings to the body left😃.
By the way I can't thank you guys enough for this simple and amazing flying design. This was actually a simple glider and that flies amazing and that was my dream.
Again thank you so much.
Thanks! That was our goal! To have a simple design and an affordable model that flies well! We wanted to share that with an easy-to-follow tutorial that everyone can enjoy! We are pleased you are happy with it! It makes our day! 👍😀
Hi Nighthawk gliders,
I just built one of these and I am so impressed. The weather hasn't been right for flying outside yet so I am throwing it around the house. I tried using modeling clay for the nose and I had trouble with it. So I decided to use Kneadable Eraser from Faber Castell art supplies. It is really good. And it softens the blow when it crashes into a wall or something else. It does not dry hard either and can be added to or subtracted from easily. It is less sticky than bluetack, which I don't think would be suitable at all. I also found that when the wings get dented from crashing into something that just a spot of water on the wing edge will swell the dent out and make it good again.
I have been woodworking for years and never had much to do with balsa before. Interesting wood.
There is another wood called Paulownia which I would like to try. I have only read about it but it could be suitable for models too.
That’s awesome! Glad to hear your experience with the sandpiper and balsa. It’s the preferred wood for aeromodeling. The kneadable eraser sounds interesting. I use plastelina (modeling clay). You just have to rub a small bit thoroughly into the wood and then when you add more it sticks better. Downside, on hot days, it gets quite soft.
You can also glue thin basswood strips to leading edge of your gliders before sanding airfoil. This helps prevent the dings and makes it more durable!
Thanks for sharing! 👍😊
I built this one the other day. Haven't had a chance to fly it yet. Easy build, great instructions
Thanks! Hope it flies well! 👍😀
Brilliant video. I am going to make one with my grandson tomorrow.
Thanks! That’s awesome! We hope you have fun with your grandson and your build goes well! 👍😀
What a great step by step tutorial .
Im actually going to try to make one ...
😎👍👍
Excellent! We’re happy when people are inspired to give it a try! 😊
Thanks for the great video I'm going to try this today! Thx a lot!
How did it go?
The setup is my favourite part of this vid. Thanks!
Thank you, goldenfish77! I'm glad you like it.
Amazing Video , Perfectly explained it's just amazing its perfect for my aeromdelling my teacher told me to make a balsa glider and i did it is AMAZING
Thanks, and I hope your aeromodeling class was both educational and fun! 👍😊
Im a flight attendant and i fly hang gliders in california , this is like watching a BOEING 737 BEING BUILT , NICE
Thanks! And I would add... a lot less expensive to build than any airliner, by far! 😀
@@NighthawkGliders lol true ,
Great tuturial guys, going to apply some of your build ideas to my own clg's and build one of your Sandpipers.
Excellent! I appreciate you putting it to the test and I hope it all works out for you and flys well! Please post your flights if you get the chance... we would love to see the results! Thanks, Charac!
thanks for sharing will make great kids school project. Cheers
Absolutely! Great for schools and/or clubs! 👍😀
Great videos and thank you for your series of videos. Building this project was a nice break from some longer term project I have going. The only change I made was to rout V-grooves in the fuse where the wing and stab mount to the fuse. I will add a 1/32 shim i think to one side of the fuse to set the turn. I figured I'd have more surface area to glue by doing it that way and a guide to get the wing level. Anyway, lots of fun to build, thanks again it's very cool what you guys are doing.
Awesome! Glad to hear this was a
nice break and we appreciate the comment! As always, were interested to hear how it flies. If you wish, feel free to post a follow up comment or link to a video. Thanks! 😊
I liked this project, possible attaching the wing 3/4" further back may need less nose weight and up the glide ratio a little, also the V tail, not leaned over but offset center, centered in front but 1/2 mm left in rear, may get your left turning smoother+faster+easier. another possible is wipe leading edges clean and wrap very thin 1/2" wide tape for a slicker frontal surface. if it helps it maintain speed its longer glide, may also help prevent a nick when (not if) it smacks something. for K4 type airfoils (foam board) I wrap with 2" wide mylar packaging tape for the same effect. I'm no expert with gliders/aircraft, but do know tiny tweaks can have some big effects.
Not certain moving the wing back 3/4" would be very successful-- I would fear it would compromise its longitudinal stability. Sure, I've built some Sandpiper 12 gliders where the wing is 3" from the tip of the nose and they fly just fine. If you're going for a lighter glider, material selection is key. Also, sometimes a "lighter" glider may not necessarily mean a "better" glider. I do like your idea with the tape on leading edge of the wing... I may have to experiment with that. Typically, I fly in an open park, mostly free of obstructions so I don't worry about that too much.
the tape being slippery slick might help air to laminar flow better was the thought, plus a little ding proofing. clear packing tape then wax on the bottom of a couple of my fast electric boats did a lot reducing drag when running straight, gained a little speed for sure
I made similar model, but the same dimensions of the winds from your video. Only differences is boom and tin/lead wire for front ballast. It flies perfectly. Only thing... I glued main wing diagonally to the right, but planed for left turn and glued tail... Now it flies mostly right turn, but it has braking action - can't 'decide' where to go at first. Thank you again. Excellent tutorial!
Thanks! We're glad you liked the tutorial! 😊 I believe if you tilt the main wing to the right with no tail tilt, it will induce a turn to the right-- (as you have noticed). The same thing happens if you tilt the tail to the left with no main wing tilt (it turns right). Reversing this tilt direction will result in a left turn. *If you have a video of your glider we would love for you to post it so we can see if fly!*
Yes I have half hour video, not on YT, but I can post it. Just maximum flight time is about 17 seconds. The problem is with braking action - one wing want left, another right. :D Okay, let me see what I can do - today was very hot and it is not that good for my health. But, forecast for tomorrow does not promise either.
Ok, great! No rush... please stay safe from heat! I'm not certain by what you mean by it having "breaking action - one wing want left, another right." Are you saying when your plane glides it keeps leaning to one side as it spirals down? Or, are you saying that your plane loses air speed during glide and it is stalling?
Thank you so much Bread
Thank u so much your video was so good and so was your explanation. My glider worked perfectly.thank u
You’re welcome! 😊
@@NighthawkGliders could u tell me if I make another one with 0.1 thickness (balsa wood )what steps should I take instead.
O.1 cm
I say, go for it! Give it a try and let us know how that turned out! The build process will be the same. You’ll learn by experimentation. The challenge is with balsa selection. If you use same balsa sheet for your wing and fuse (as done by my tutorial) too light of 1 mm balsa can result in weaker 2 mm thick fuse. If that is the case, you may need to find denser 3 mm balsa just for a slightly thicker and stronger fuse. Plus, if you use 1 mm for wings, you may launch it too hard and the wings will snap right off. A thinner and a little longer rubber band loop will go easier on the launch. Good luck!
@@NighthawkGliders thank u
My 12" Sandpiper is drying right now - I used balsa cement- instead of superglue- hope to fly it soon!
It flies great when I throw it but when I catapult it up it cannot pull up out of a dive. Any ideas? Thanks.
Could be a several reasons. Assuming you are right-handed... When you catapult launch it, try launching it with a starting pitch up about 45 degrees and with a right roll of 90 degrees. It should climb and roll out level when it peaks at max altitude. If it still stalls before rolling out level, try launching with less pitch. Also, if there is a bit of wind, launch it down wind. If it still stalls, try taking off a bit of nose weight and repeat. If it gets too "pitchy" (roller coasters up and down) you may need to add more nose weight and then apply a tiny (very tiny) bit of up elevator. Hope that helps! 😊 Good luck!
Great advice- I have just had a few nice flights- the launch angle seems important with my model quite sensitive to the initial angle and roll.I expected the plane to turn left but it turns right- looking from the back the tail is fixed slightly higher on the left side as I thought this would induce a left hand turn as I'm right handed. Thank you for your help.
Well, done! Even great Gliders can fly poorly if not launched properly. You have to find the sweet spot. Given your tail tilt the way you described, it (should) turn left when it is in the glide-- but you may have a few other (possible) design imperfections overruling the tail tilt and causing it to turn right. Perhaps the right wing is a bit heavier than the left? Maybe the left wing is producing more lift than the right (or right wing producing less lift than the left.) and finally, maybe your tail is glued in the fuse a wee bit crooked? Keep building and practicing... and you will certainly get better and better! Glad to see you enjoying flight, my friend! 😀
The right wing was indeed heavier than the left- I sanded the equivalent weight of 1/16" ball of clay from the underside of the right wing and now the plane flies like it should- to the left. Thanks.
In Sweden we have a subject where we are allowed to build what we eant, bit first we gotta make the beginner things in the start of every school year and since I'm done with them I'm going to talk to my teacher if I can make it.
Hej! Great idea! Vi hoppas att du har kul! 😊
@@NighthawkGliders Detsamma😃😃
@@NighthawkGliders, By the way, can you guys send the templates on the pieces, please? Because it feels hard to cut so perfectly.
We have some PDF plans: NighthawkGliders.com/store
@@NighthawkGliders, umm if you sell the templates for money then no thanks. I'll make my own templates before making it.
No hate.😊
its a great video, learnt a lot , thanks!
Awesome! We’re glad this was informative and useful for you! 😊
Cool stuff mate, tx
Thanks! We appreciate that!
I followed your videos and built the Sandpiper. It tends to dive and changing the ballast doesn’t seem to remedy. Could you do a video on other ways to trim or fix this problem.
it could be that your airfoil is comprimised...
Oh my, the shot at 8:14 is missing how much you are tilting the tail piece to the right. It was so confusing,
Isn't it possible to re-shoot that bit & give ppl a sense of how much to tilt?
I love these little gliders.
They work so well, but if ppl get lost at any point, they give up.
Just re shoot the build section where you align the gluing on of the tail. Cheers. Great glider regardless of my b*tching & moaning!
Yeah, sorry. A failure on my part. You’ll want the tail to lean about 1/4 inch lower on one side than the other. If you are right-handed, lean tail to the right as viewed from the back. This will cause a counter-clockwise glide. Reverse the lean if you are left-handed for a clockwise turn.
PLEASE HELP: Hi, great video! I am making this glider for my MESA project, and I was wondering how I can make this glider make a right-hand turn and land on an X that will be placed 40 feet from the launch area. Will I need to add weight to the sides of the glider or only the nose, or do I need to do something else entirely? Thank you so much !
Great question and fun challenge! You have several options. In this video, I mentioned tail tilt. You could tilt your tail a little to the left for a right yaw during glide. You could then possibly fine tune your turn with a little dab of weight on right wing for a right roll. If you build your glider a little bit heavier all around it will less likely be affected by air turbulence. (I.e You are not going for duration and accuracy is everything here). Practice launching a lot and find the best starting pitch, direction, and speed. Stay consistent and change only one parameter at a time as you trim to better understand the effects. Good luck on your contest! We’re rooting for you! 😊
Hi, thank you so much for your help! I have a few other questions: How can I make the glider contain a feature that will adapt to the launch hook on the Official Launch Device? The official launch consists of a tension spring, a launch platform, and a launch 'hook'. The launch hook is made from steel wire with a 3.4 mm diameter. The hook is screwed into a glide block mounted underneath the launch ramp. The mass of the hook and glide block is 35+/- 2 grams. Also, another question: How can we attach wheels or skids that can be positioned so that we can avoid the 'slot' in the launch ramp that is 0.02 cm wide and 8 cm long? Thank you so much for your help ! :)
Actually, the slot is 0.51 cm wide and 8 cm long.
I imagine if you attached a “u-shaped” piece of wood at the bottom part of glider nose as a receptacle for the launch hook, your glider would sit nicely nose on hook and tail resting on launchpad well behind the 8 cm slot. When launched, the glider tail should immediately rise above the slot no problem.
Hi i've just build it and i love it!! Buy when i shoot it it goes up a lot and starts to loop.
Awesome! Thanks for your comment! Try launching it with a starting right roll and less pitch upward. Maybe that’ll help. And also launch with wind at your back.
@@NighthawkGliders thanks for the tip! I literally had a piece of balsa laying around and looked for things to make with it and now i have this awesome plane that is just so good looking!! Thanks a lot!
@@NighthawkGliders ua-cam.com/video/KX6eBtkS88w/v-deo.html
Liked! 👍😀
I built one glider. But hoe to check the centre of gravity of the glider before flying?
eggcellent
Thanks! Appreciate that! 😊
great videos, would be better to explain which materials and equipment are needed right at the start.
Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate that! 👍😀
I saw your note that you use Bob Smith accelerator. That’s my preferred product. But I love the idea of the applicator you use (2:50 min mark) rather than the messy spray bottle. Where did you find the bottle that you use? Thx! Great videos!
Thanks! Yeah, the accelerator is a must. I just happen to find the little bottle at my local hobby store. 😊
Glue is drying on mine now. waiting for a calm day for the first flight
Awesome! 👍😀. We hope it’s a good flyer!
The only measurements you didn’t give was how far from the nose does the wing glue on
where do I get that measurement triangle you got there what was it called "jigra" or something right?
What CA glue did you use when you put it on top of the gorrila wood glue?
That was CA Glue Accelerator. It’s a special liquid that helps the CA Glue cure almost instantly. You can find it in your local hobby store and online.
@@NighthawkGliders awesome thanks! And we need more videos, they are really good vidoes! And where is this 18inch sandpiper template?
This is a great glider although i had to build 3 since I kept breaking them
You may need to get some balsa that is a little more dense. Thanks for comment and subscribing! 👍😀
@@NighthawkGliders That explains why adding some weight to the underside of the fuselage helps, thanks for the tip
Where did you get dihedral jig?
I made that one myself. It’s quite handy. Now I laser cut them. If you are interested in one, reach out to NighthawkGliders@gmail.com
Hi Brad, nice video, one question please : what happens if I use styrofoam instead of balsa wood? do you recommed to use styrofoam?
NICE!! I'd just direct messaged him a "plan" or "how to" tinkering with a really common bit of extruded styrene/styrofoam. with luck he'll do it up soon!
Sorry, Uriel, for such late response. I guess I don't get notified of all comments made. The answer is "YES" You can use styrofoam instead of balsa wood. Bruce just tried this recently. He used typical foam board, peeled the paper off one side and sanded the airfoil. The side with the paper was the bottom side of the wing for strength. He used a styrofoam plate for the V-Tail. However, for the fuse, you still need a sturdy piece of wood. Denser balsa is what Bruce used. But, perhaps a couple of bamboo skewers (one 12 inches long and the other 6 inches long) glued together (side-by side) could do in a pinch to mimic the Sandpiper fusulage look.
Awesome
Thanks again, Anthony!
When you said 12 inches do you mean the wings or the fuselage
On this Sandpiper model, both the wingspan and fuselage are 12 inches.
Can it fly 190’? I will have to build a balsa glider that can be launched by rubber band and it should be launched horizontally.I am planning to launch it a distance of 60 meters. So, what is your advice for me? Is your glider fly 60 meters(196’85”)?
Our catapult gliders are made to circle in glide and not made to fly straight for distance. Even if you took the turn out of its glide, it has a short body length. This means it’ll be difficult to keep straight on launch and during glide. Is this for a contest? Are there rules and restrictions for building, launching, and materials? I’m curious. Thanks!NighthawkGliders@gmail.com
Bread would you like to help me that which glue you used to stick those balsa woods
when you were doing the wings I couldn't help but eyeball that little pile of balsa sanding dust just sitting there, just sitting there, sitting there...
it can make thin CA into gap filling CA like "instantly"! hehe
I've never done that before, I suppose that's one trick. I've never been a fan of using thin CA in the models I build, although, it has its purpose. I prefer using medium CA and using the product for instant drying leaving a nice clean joint.
Hi how can i make the glider return??
A well-trimmed and consistently-launched glider should have predictable results. Applying tail tilt help engage your glider in a circular glide. But you often have to find the launching sweet spot for Pitch, Roll, Orientation, and Power. My gliders often stay near me, unless they are out of trim or when the wind varies in speed or when a thermal picks it up.
Excelente..admiro muito seu trabalho mas não sei as dimensões, se vc pudesse enviar algumas coisas em português eu agradeceria muito! Obrigado
obrigada. planos de aviões vendidos aqui. as medidas são em milímetros. NighthawkGliders.com
Question, I recently built this glider and really enjoyed it, I really hope to get into this hobby, here in Maine the winter won't end! And I've flown it in some tough weather and hadn't had much luck, question is I've dinged up the wing tip on one side, could I trim equal amount off each tip and not effect flight? Thanks in advance i really enjoy yours and Josh Finns videos
Yeah, these are mostly fair-weather gliders... they are so light, some gusty wind will knock it around. We are hoping for good weather too! Glad you enjoyed the video/glider! If it does get broken, cracked, or damaged, you can often re-glue with some CA and it'll still fly! If wing gets a little dinged, that won't affect flight much at all. If wingtip gets chipped, try flying it broken (no joke) sometimes it'll still fly! If it doesn't then yeah, trim off the other side to balance it out and see how it behaves! (What have you got to lose? If it's already broke and not flying, might as well perform some surgery, right?) Who knows, you might create a better flying glider! 😀
Nighthawk Gliders Thanks for the reply, I’ll keep it as is, I plan on building more when I have time
All my best
Great instructions. Wonderful level flyer that when it is thrown goes and goes and does its best to circle back. The problem is when I try to launch it with the catapult it immediately begins a loop instead of shooting straight up and then gliding back down. I assume I need to trim it but before I mess something up, any ideas?
Great! If you hand toss it and it flies level and turn left... you are on the right track as you have it balanced well. Now, when you launch it from a catapult, speed is dramatically increased and so is lift! So, first I suggest you read the description of this video-- I explain some launching tips that might help you!
I tried a little different angle and more weight on the nose and that thing shot up into the air like a rocket . . . and came down like a feather. Two tremendous flights until it hit a tree and snapped the fuselage. I was able to carefully remove the wings and tail, sand the joint flat and attach them to a new fuselage. I'll be interested to see if that holds and if it flies like it did previously. I didn't time the other one but it might well have been in that 25-30 second range. Thanks for rekindling excitement for an old hobby!
Excellent! Great feedback and I'm happy that you had good launches and successful flights! Ugh, those trees! Sorry to hear about the fuse! You know... I've had a couple recent gliders have fuses break about 1 1/2 inches behind the wing. I just re-glue them and they often work fine. I'll have to revisit my fuse design a bit-- maybe I'll try a 3-ply fuse for better strength. Obviously, more dense wood on fuse would help strengthen too...
A lesson learned with the rebuild is that every glider is different. I used the wings from the first glider and tried to balance everything just as carefully as the first time around and yet it doesn't fly *quite* as beautifully as the first. Re. the fuselage, I found myself taking a long look at paint stirrers on the workbench. Not the flimsy ones, but those just a tad thicker than the fuse that broke. I don't have a scale but offhand I'm thinking that cut down to size and sanded they wouldn't be that much heavier than the balsa and a lot stronger. When I was in junior high I used to make fuselages from the wood used on orange crates, the kind they pack Clementines in these days ;-)
Yeah, I've built many Gliders the "same way" but each tend to have own personalities. Sometimes I mend something that breaks and then it flies even better! When I coached Science Olympiad, we competed in the Indiana State competition. A student broke fuse of his backup glider the night before. He re-glued it and coated his whole fuse with CA. Strangely enough. It became one of his primary Gliders. We finished 3rd in state. Lol. 😊
A question .... the angle of attack is 0?
Good question, and this is tricky... when I launch this glider I want it to naturally pull up some but not too much. If I notice it needs more angle of attack (AOA), I just apply tiny (very tiny) bit of up elevator. I don't normally install the main wing with any angle of incidence (AOI) in relation to the fuse. So that is 0. I've tried adding AOI before but seen mixed results. Too much AOI can cause the fast catapult launch to lift the glider way too much (and loop) too sharply. But, I probably should experiment with AOI some more. If you find a happy result, please let me know! 😊
Jejejeje I spend that what you say. I gave him 10 degrees of angle of attack and my plane suddenly went up. Excuse my English, I'm from Argentina.
it's actually such a great question for any type bird! nice :)
8:10
If I make it straight it will fly straight right unless I trim it?
Yes, if your tail is mounted level, it should fly straight. Of course there can be other factors that make it turn. (E.g. warped tail surfaces, warped wing surfaces, wings unbalanced, and uneven airfoil shapes between wings can also influence the aircraft to turn.)
Can I have the plan for this glider for free? I just need it for my school project. :(
I believe all the dimensions of this plane you need are mentioned in this 3-part tutorial as I demonstrate how to build it.
It looks like you are using Gorilla glue, but what is the accelerant you use? Providing this information in the videos would be nice.
Yes, the Gorilla Glue brand super glue is our favorite. The CA accelerant is Bob Smith Industries “INSTA-SET.” I get that from Hobbytown USA. Nobody is a sponsor here... unfortunately. 😊
Amigo desculpa eu estar de amolando . Mais uma pergunta aqueles capacitor de 2.7v por 10f e possível achar em sucata eletrônica .e em qual aparelho encontro pois no Brasil e difícil só importando
Desculpe, eu não sei nada sobre capacitores. 🙁
There isn't any relative angle between wing and tail, is there? I am suprised it keeps flying when it dives. BTW, great video! I think I will build it too! And please design a plan of your experimental glider!!!
The main wing has (zero) angle of incidence. Since there is an airfoil shape on the wing, there is lift even when it dives. Yeah! Give it a go and let us know how it flies. Also, please come to NighthawkGliders.com and sign up for our newsletter on our home page! 😀
@@NighthawkGliders ok, but wait a few weeks! First i am going to finish my balsa and span paper pressed air motor... 🤞 I usually record my flights, should I put it on youtube? That would be my first video😃 I will let you know if it flies better with some angle, just test it!
excuse me! pressed air engine! Motor is dutch😂
@@NighthawkGliders I just madr some short test flights and I am schocked... wow! It flies great indoors. I hope i can fly it outdoors this weekend or before the weekend...
Glad to hear this! Yes, the real test will be launching this at fast speed from a catapult! Good luck! 🤞😀
Hi brad, I need to build a elastic launch glider for Science Olympiad and your video has helped me a lot but at the end for weight you added modeling clay and the rules say I can't use that I'm only allowed to use wood, foam, paper, plastic film, carbon fiber, tape, and/or glue. Oh and a lip balm container. Any ideas as of what I can use for the weight on the front of the glider.
Great question. You may want to double check you rule book for materials. I bet it does say something like, “non-metal malleable substance able to be used as ballast.” That would include modeling clay. The lip balm container is used as a gauge to ensure nose is not too small or pointy for safety issues.
@@NighthawkGliders oh yes it does say that thank you so much
OK built the sandpiper ....on launch it's like going over a hill. Obviously the incidence is out of wack. what to reglue or bend?
Hmm... if you have too much “lift” on the tail your glider may steeply and quickly turn downwards on fast launch. Perhaps a couple options. My first option is always to add/remove nose weight. That’s easy and does not “change/bend” any wood. In this case first try less nose weight. If that doesn’t work, then next option is to slightly, and I mean slightly bend elevator up. And if longitudinal stability is a problem... you may actually have to ADD more nose weight AND bend elevator up. This should prevent glider from being too pitchy. Hope that helps! Let us know, ok? 👍
My god
please,tell me wher is CG of this model
rule of thumb for powered planes is about 1/3 back from the leading edge of wing, but with a glider you want it closer to 3/4 back as a start point, because gravity is your motor. you'll know to add or subtract nose weight in a few tosses
Thanks for answering this one model nutty. Sorry I missed your comment Aleksandar. On this model the CG is approx. 55% back from the leading edge of root chord. (give or take a few depending upon the density of materials you choose and how you sand your parts.)
+Nighthawk Gliders hope you got my direct message from this morning,
don't know if it'd handle a hook launch, but in a straight line easy toss the "design" is pretty amazing. I looked at that lid and "hey wow ok", a few minutes later chasing it all over the house dialing it in, shaping the edges etc before gluing.
Do you have the planes for this plane ? Thanks Tom
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At the start, your suppose to cut on the upside of the wing or the bottom? I think its the upside.
Yes, I know that I have been asking many questions without telling you that I have made it because my teacher keeps getting sick which is why I never get the chance to start on it but tomorrow we are going to have the subject (handicraft) where we can build whatever we want and I'm going to be starring on this project so please don't think that I am wasting your time so please don't stop replying (I know that you haven't been ignoring my comments, I just said so you don't think that I'm never going to make it but I keep asking questions).
Yes, you cut the groove on the top side of the wing. That way, the joint will have room for when you fold the wings up for the dihedral angle. No worries, friend. I always try my best to answer as many questions that come my way. I hope your build goes well. Enjoy and good luck! 👍😀
@@NighthawkGliders thanks 🙂
qual massa voce usa pra por de peso na frente do planador
É modelagem de argila, chamada "plastelina".
where do you buy these gliders
www.nighthawkgliders.com/store
Mine is 9.3 grams AUW...
How in the world are you getting them down to 5 grams???
Mine Flies good, I just need to figure what I need to do to get it to turn instead of fly straight though.
A big key to having a lighter glider starts with balsa selection. I’d say you can still have a good flying glider even if it is a bit in the heavy side. Less than 10 grams you’re doing alright! I mentioned tail tilt makes it turn. If you have that and it is still not turning left in glide, try slightly bending the left elevator down and right elevator up. Tiny, tiny adjustments can make a difference! Good luck! Thanks for your feedback! 👍😀
I ended up increasing the tail tilt a little more and now it makes it’s turn beautifully. Thanks for all the tips!
Who knew $2 of balsa wood could be so fun and addicting...lol
That’s great! Yeah, not bad for a couple of bucks! Hours of fun!
I just finished my 3rd build and it is 7.8 g so I am getting better. A question for you. Where do your best flying gliders balance? Mine are balancing about a 1/4” from the trailing edge... That doesn’t seem right, but maybe for this glider that is common???
That’s a good weight. Regarding CG, yours is pretty far back. I’d be concerned it’s tail-heavy. If you launched it... I bet it’s loopy. For these gliders, my CG is around 50-55% of root chord from leading edge. But, if yours launches and flys well with CG that far back... awesome! 👏 😀
No wing incidence?
That is correct. No wing incidence.
Hi there, awesome cheap project. I made 2 planes for school projects both fly to the right. their challenge is fly futherest in a straight line . Is there anything i can do to straighten the flight please. cheers Paul
Ooh, tough challenge and great question! Getting a plane to fly straight is tricky. If the plane is yawing right (turning right where wings stay level). Try applying some left rudder. If the plane is rolling right (turning right when right wing banks lower than left wing) try adding a little weight on left wing... such as modeling clay or maybe some tape. If you are designing a new plane you might want to consider making the fuselage longer This should help keep it straight (like an arrow). If you make the fuselage longer, your tail should have smaller surface area! I hope that helps and wish you good luck in the competition!
thanks once again
school project .... first and second places for the longest and
straightest flights ... my twin boys very happy ... cheers
That’s awesome!!! We’re super happy they did well! Congratulations to the both of them! 🥇🥈
Te compro uno
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Your plane didn't work and it weights about 30 gram.😭😭
Wow! Yikes! 😳 30g is really heavy. The sandpiper (including nose weight) shouldn’t weight more than 10g. I have found balsa selection is key. Did you use balsa or basswood? 🤔 You definitely need to use lighter balsa wood!
Nighthawk gliders I think that I used basswood. :(
Yup... big difference in weight. Basswood is more dense. I bet it was hard to cut! 😆. Anyway, we hope you find some good balsa and try again! Best of luck! Enjoy flight and enjoy life! 👍😀
I didn't know why it was so hard to cut. I will try again next school year.
😃😃😃😃
If you build one, I wish you luck! 😊
Nighthawk Gliders when I get the materials I'll certainly give one a go