echostud

If you were going to build a Kadet senior as a towplane what kind of modifications would you make to it? Alos, I've read the posts about the polyhedral sailplanes not working well with a towplane, so are there any 2 meter sailplane kits out there that would be a better option for towing?

HankTurner

I've had good success using a detachable cradle that sat above the wing of a quarter scale Cub. I think this method is safer than the "tow line method" for the smaller (two meter) sailplanes, and will also work well with smaller tow planes. Just be sure the cradle is well padded where the sailplane sits, and that the wing of the sailplane has the same incidence as the tow plane wing, when sitting in the cradle. I used rubber bands to fix the sailplane to the cradle, with servo operated retracting rods at the rear to release them.

Hank

BMatthews

Be sure to use a prop and engine that allows for a good RANGE of flying speed. Me and a buddy towed using his Kadet powered by a 4 stroker and my 2 meter speedy glider. My glider could glide faster than his plane could fly and climb all at the same time. Pretty much a total disaster as a result.

pault

My Feedback: (34)

hello........recently i used a LT-40 KADET with a saito 91 towing a 2 meter hanger 9 aspire......i installed a release in the nose of the glider and a release just behind the trailing edge of the wing on the kadet.....we used a tow line aprox 100 ft.....using very little throttle,the glider comes off the ground way faster then the tow plane...........the problem was keeping the glider behind the tow plane in a turn....the elevator and rudder have little effect on direction due to the glider being towed....i am in the process or adding ailerons to the glider.....hopefully this will help steer the glider..............pault

da Rock

I would use an engine that is more powerful than called for. And plan to fly it with as large diameter prop as the engine can swing. And use a flat pitch prop. Beyond that, nothing really need be done for the Kadet.

The simplest setup for "towing" a glider aloft, is to piggyback it. The cradle can be made to securely attach to the towplane and that's important. After all, you're going to have to arrange a release mechanism that will connect to the towplane's RX, and you don't want the connection pulling the RX out of the towplane, do you.

All of the engineering is in the cradle. You need a dependable glider attachment design and dependable release design. A number of successful cradles have been published.

da Rock

The design in the picture in post #5 worked well. As you can see, the glider used in the test flight pictured is just about the least favorable glider one could choose.

The towplane was not exactly overpowered and was obviously loaded but could climb good enough. It did have trouble turning but the combination worked as long as the two pilots coordinated and the glider pilot assisted with rudder.

The truth is that the combination shown worked but demonstrated mostly that the towplane was marginal on power and that might have been the only shortfall.

da Rock

A Kadet Senior is a 40-size trainer, right?

I would suggest that the landing gear on a 40size airplane could be the major problem. I would doubt that many 46 engines would have the power to lug more than a standard size glider aloft without a struggle. Struggles often result in catastrophies. To overcome the struggle would probably mean fitting the Kadet with a 60. What's a 60size prop going to do on a 40size model?

pault's LT40/Saito91 combination shows what's needed with a small towplane. Power. I wonder if pault flew off of pavement. If he did, the prop clearance problem would be lessened.

cwahl

People outfit Kadet Seniors with 2-stroke 60s and 4-stroke 91s all the time without problems related to prop clearance. Most 40s use a 10 or 11 inch prop, while a 60 to 90 will go 11 to 13-ish.

Tall Paul

Kit Senior and tail-dragging Senior..
Same prop clearance in takeoff attitude..
For learning, a .40-.46 is ideal for a Senior.
For flinging around... a .61 2-s or .65-.91 4-s makes a fully aerobatic plane.