sig skyray wheels?

Kim wrote:My friend Patrick flys a Sig Skyray using a landing gear I helped him make.  It's a single wheel, with a music wire strut that is held in place by clamping the engine over it.

Lately, he's been using a "Kitchen Mat Launcher" ( engineered by our own Mr. Rusty ), and now flys it exclusively without it's gear.  The grass landings are much more gentle without the "Flipping Action"of the landing gear.

RknRusty wrote:
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t2374-rustys-stooge#34193

https://youtu.be/0FzPcccyC78

RknRusty wrote:Here's an old post of mine:

RknRusty wrote: I wrote this up for Godsey the other day.
Here is my stooge:



It works for all of my planes. For heavier ones I bungee the lawn table to the top of a barstool for added height.
It consists of

   *a plastic yard table
   *a cheap bath mat with a rubber bottom, about $5 at Big Lots or Wal Mart. It will usually obstruct the elevator. That's okay because before you pull the plane all the way out during launch, the elevator comes clear of the obstruction.
   *a bungee cord to secure it
   *a strong cord(dacron works fine) and metal shish kabob skewer or tent stake to anchor the contraption so you do not tip it over when you pull the plane free.(look to the left of the table and you can see it)


Fold the mat in half so the rubber bottom is on the inside. Stake the cord and skewer into the ground to secure it. This keeps you from tipping the contraption over when you pull the plane out to launch it.

Some planes need for it to be tilted so the plane is a few degrees nose-up. When I use the barstool I tilt it up with a rolled up towel between the stool seat and the underside of the plastic table. For the light planes like the Jumpin Bean and Li'l Satan, I just launch with it horizontal. They can get airborne without dipping toward the ground.

I use a brick to add pressure behind the trailing edge of the wing to keep the plane from twisting under the engine thrust. It's simple and easy to reposition for different wing shapes. You could use the bungee cord for this but I like the extra weight of the brick for stability. Test the position by attempting to rotate the plane towards the inside of the flight circle. It should resist this. Then hold your lines at the wingtip and see how hard it is to pull it out. If it's too tight move the brick back a bit. You just have to get the feel of it. The rubber holds it very secure, even my slat winged Stuntman with the TD screaming full blast is perfectly secure.

After the plane is suitably positioned, fuel and crank it. Keep the lines in your hand as you walk to your control handle. When you launch the plane, hold the handle and remove the slack. Take two or three steps backward as you pull it free(don't yank it) and the stooge will be out of the circle. Once the plane is part way out you will have elevator control. Now you're flying. Sometimes it's a little wobbly, just don't stall it with full up. I usually have full up for the first instant, just to get the nose elevated, then cut back a tad and she'll fly away and off you go.

All this must be done with a video camera so you can prove it when you have a good day. And to entertain us.

The more you use it, the more you will trust it.

Also, when flying alone, make sure you have a first aid kit and a cell phone.

Hope this helps,
Rusty