Phoenix
Page 31
Finishing
Introduction
N
OW that your Phoenix is built, it is time for
its first flight, and perhaps for your first
Rocket Glider flight! Review the following sec-
tions closely, because they outline what you
need to know to successfully fly Phoenix - from
its first flight through its aerobatic and thermal
flights. Even though you may be an experi-
enced pilot - either with power planes or with
gliders- there are a few unique steps to follow
when flying rocket gliders and you need to be
aware of them.
So read the following sections
of the manual before your first flight.
The information in this section comes not only
from the 100 plus test flights of the various
Phoenix prototypes, but from many years of
teaching pilots of all skill levels how to fly rock-
et gliders. Learn from their experiences.
Launch Tower and Controller
I
N addition to the model, you need a launch
tower and an electrical launch controller to
fly your rocket glider. Rocket gliders, especially
Phoenix, must be launched from a tower to
ensure a safe and controllable launch. The
tower guides the model until it has reached a
speed where the controls become effective. No
other method will do. Next, the motors are
designed to be ignited electrically, by an elec-
trical launch controller - this provides for a
safe, controllable launch.
In this kit we have included a semi-kit for the
launch tower. A launch tower is the upper part
of the launch system. It guides the model dur-
ing the first critical seconds of launch. The
launch tower must be supported by a base.
You have two options. The first is to obtain the
Flying Phoenix
T
HE main thing to remember when finishing
your Phoenix is to keep it light! All of our
prototypes have been covered with iron-on
plastic film coverings. We prepare for covering
by sanding the model with progressively finer
paper, finishing up with 400 grit. Carefully vacu-
um the model to remove the dust. Just before
covering an area, lightly wipe it with a painters
“Tack Rag” to remove any remaining dust.
Use a cloth cover over the iron to prevent
scratching the covering. Since all of Phoenix is
sheeted with wood, we start adhering the cov-
ering near the center of the panel and work
outwards in all directions, using care to avoid
trapping bubbles of air. Once a piece of cover-
ing is fully attached, we go around the edges
using an iron without the cloth cover. The
extra heat available from the bare iron does a
better job of sticking down the edges.
The area around the motor mount tube is
tricky to cover. Use a number of small pieces of
covering and work carefully, it can be done!
For the wings, we cover the upper surface,
install the aileron servos and linkages, then
cover the bottom surface. There is no wing
servo access hatch except for the covering
itself. If you need to remove a servo, just cut
the covering away. Be especially careful near
the wing leading edge. Any wrinkle could cause
a substantial increase in drag.
We hold the canopy/hatch block in place with
standard black electrical tape. It is simple, light
and effective. If you want to do something
fancier, go ahead, but make sure your latch is
strong enough to hold the hatch on during
launch! Use the enclosed plastic tube to run
the antenna down the tailboom.
Finally, check the CG location. The position
shown on the plans is for a complete Phoenix,
with the motor casing, but without a propellant
reload or nozzle installed. The range shown is
where our prototypes balanced with no addi-
tional weight. If you need nose weight, use a
larger battery pack. If your model is nose
heavy, consider using a lighter radio system,
and enjoy the extra performance of the lighter
model!
