How can I improve the launching and handling of my Chysalis?

I finished my Chrysalis (with fully symmetric dihedral!) last weekend. I have done lots of soft tosses and some harder (50% power) throws. I'm pretty pleased so far. The plane weighed about 11.5 oz and balanced near the aft edge of the envelope for the initial outings. I was not happy with the handling - kind of mushy and squirrelly, particularly in the turns.

From : Joe Hahn

Hi Bill.

Please double check your wing twist. This is very critical to getting the ship to turn well. Put a little washout in the main panel as we describe, in fact you can increase this a bit for even gentler handling, with just a slight performance decrease. The tips should be flat--no twist.

I have since brought the CG up to the forward edge of the range and like the handling much better. It flies faster than I would have thought. I built the narrow fuselage and the vee-tail and it is obviously a very clean design. It really glides flat.

I'm not really sure how to launch this thing. I'm trying to follow all the advise I read on your web site but still feel like I'm doing something wrong. It just feels weird. I seem to need some down pitch command at the top to prevent a stall and subsequent porpoising. It is hard for me to get my hand smoothly onto the stick to apply the needed pitch command immediately after launch. I'm trying to get a straight, javelin-like throw, but don't really where the nose should be pointed at release. Level? 45 degrees up? I'm kind of out here in the country and don't have any HLG experts to coach me.

You are going through the same things Don and I experienced when we first started flying serious handlaunch in '92. Good questions!!

It WILL feel weird for a while---kind of like the first time you try to grip a golf club "properly"(if you play golf). Only one way around that--the 'ole "P" word(ok, I'll say it--practice!). Just remember to use a long, smooth follow through. This helps not only launch height, but also helps to keep your ADVIL purchases to a minimum ;-)

Down command to level the flight path at the top is necessary with every launch. Exactly when to give it and how much relates to that nasty "P" word mentioned earlier. There is no other way to figure this out but to do it. It is better to level off early with a bit of extra speed than to allow the ship to stall and drop, losing significant altitude. Your hand will eventually find that stick without a conscious effort on your part. All of this stuff gets MUCH easier the more you do it. It is actually a very fun challenge to try to "nail" the launch with a perfect pushover to proper cruising speed at the top, and a great way to practice.

It is actually to your advantage to be able to vary your launch angle depending on the situation/conditions. Initially, simply work on a release that feels comfortable to you. My typical release is around 30 degrees or so. That happens to be a natural angle for me, so I use it a lot--however--as you fly more, you will see situations in which the ability to launch flatter(for example)will allow you to cover more ground so as to arrive at a more distant lift area more quickly, sacrificing a bit of altitude for distance. Alternatively, when a thermal is popping right over your head, a launch more nearly vertical is an advantage.

The launch angle can also be set after release. Launch your ship at your "comfort" angle and adjust the climb angle with the stick. This is a bit trickier in my opinion, but some people do it very successfully. I prefer a trim setting that gives me a very gentle climb, hands-off, with occasional stick adjustments to tweak the climb rate if/as desired, followed by a "perfect" pushover at just the right time!! Now if I can just get the "perfect" part right every time!!!!

A final comment about the Chrysalis kit. The wood, hardware, plans, and instructions were all of very high quality. I was genuinely impressed. The kit was challenging to assemble, but I enjoyed it every step of the way and am proud of the end result. It's no beauty queen but it is mine.

Sincerely,

Bill Gerth
Gerald MO

Thank you very much for the kind comments, we're glad to hear that you enjoyed the kit.

Continued good luck with your Chrysalis, and please let us know if you have any other questions along the way.

Joe Hahn
DJ Aerotech