Stratus Gale from Arkansas [Apogee Components] (non-R/C)

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Hope your wing box fits snugly. If it doesn't, it could be problematic.
Sorry to be late with the caveat, but I've built both the Stratus Gale and its smaller sibling the Cirrus Breeze, and both had enough play in the box that the wingtips could rock slightly up and down. Didn't think much of it till I maidened them and they would go into a death spiral.

If you find yourself with the same situation, one way to get rid of the slop is to coat the fuse with thick CA and sand it down till it fits snugly but can still slide smoothly.
 
Hope your wing box fits snugly. If it doesn't, it could be problematic.
Sorry to be late with the caveat, but I've built both the Stratus Gale and its smaller sibling the Cirrus Breeze, and both had enough play in the box that the wingtips could rock slightly up and down. Didn't think much of it till I maidened them and they would go into a death spiral.

If you find yourself with the same situation, one way to get rid of the slop is to coat the fuse with thick CA and sand it down till it fits snugly but can still slide smoothly.
We will see how the glide tests go. Apogee recommended clay weight added to a wingtip for improved stability.
 
Painting the underside orange (spray). The video instructions recommended painting as a last step; but I preferred painting now, to make sure there is good movement of the Wing along the Fuselage.

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Note that a square "stop" is added to the front, to stop the wing leading edge from hitting the motor mount.

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Little tip to help make your life easier: embed a pin right below the vent hole and anchor your burn string there instead of struggling to knot it around the kevlar.

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Little tip to help make your life easier: embed a pin right below the vent hole and anchor your burn string there instead of struggling to knot it around the kevlar.
Not a bad idea. I will consider it as I move forward.

Attaching the engine mount (motor pod).

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I have been impressed with the quality of this kit from Apogee. But I have run into a quality issue.

The nose cone is slightly small for the motor tube. I was able to fix things by sanding the inside of the nose cone.

I also tried lightly sanding the motor tube. But sanding the cardboard had mixed results.

In the end, I got a fit.

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1 5/8" from the wing's leading edge with an expended motor casing and the wing in its forward glide position.
Did some glide tests, with an expended motor casing. Had a balance point of 1-3/4 inch from the wing leading edge, in glide position.

I think Rktman's CG of 1-5/8 inch from the wing leading is probably just right.

I have not added any clay nose weight (included with the kit). I noticed in the Apogee video "Stratus Gale 11 - Trimming the Glide", they did not add nose weight.

The glide path seemed fairly straight.
 
Again, winds were around 6 mph out of the southwest (into the camera), using a B6-2.

I had the motor pod facing the wind (wind blowing on the top of the wing). I thought the Stratus Gale would 'weather vane', with the wind pushing on the bottom of the model, forcing it into the wind.

But this did not happen. It was as if the hole model was pushed by the wind.

The ejection charge from the motor cut the retaining string, and the rubberband pulled the wing into glide position.
 
GLIDE
As soon as the wing moved forward, the model went into a glide.

Instructions recommend a B4-2 for the first flight. I had B6-2 and B4-4 motors on hand, and I wish I had used the B4-4.

After it pulled out of the glide, the model started turning to the left, making about a 30 ft diameter circle to the left. While the circle seemed rather tight, the model did NOT go into a death spiral.

But it was blown farther away by the wind, to a point that it was difficult to see. But I thought I saw the general spot where it landed.

Unfortunately, I never found it.

It was late in the afternoon, and after searching for a bit, I thought I would come back the next day (in better light) and find it.

So, I looked the next day....and still didn't find it. Really perplexing. Here is the area where I lost it:

m_IMG_2277small.jpg

There is an area of grass (to the right of the grey mound in the center of the pic) were it might have gone in. But I looked all through the area, and found no Stratus Gale. ☹️
 
Again, winds were around 6 mph out of the southwest (into the camera), using a B6-2.

I had the motor pod facing the wind (wind blowing on the top of the wing). I thought the Stratus Gale would 'weather vane', with the wind pushing on the bottom of the model, forcing it into the wind.

But this did not happen. It was as if the hole model was pushed by the wind.

The ejection charge from the motor cut the retaining string, and the rubberband pulled the wing into glide position.
If 6 mph is an accurate windspeed, the wind was pushing your glider downrange, at 9 ft/sec. for every second it remained in the air.

If your glider remained aloft for 3 minutes ( 180 sec. ), it would have come to rest 180 X 9 = 1,620 ft downrange ( 645 paces, with a 30" stride ).

Dave F.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have enjoyed this model. I would recommend it. It is a skill Level 4 kit, which is about right.

I was surprised how it was pushed by the wind at launch. I was also surprised by how high the B6-2 motor got the model.

R/C?
I confess that part of my plan was to eventually try an R/C conversion. But the sliding wing complicates this.

I think I will build another Straus Gale, someday.
 
GLIDE
As soon as the wing moved forward, the model went into a glide.

Instructions recommend a B4-2 for the first flight. I had B6-2 and B4-4 motors on hand, and I wish I had used the B4-4.

After it pulled out of the glide, the model started turning to the left, making about a 30 ft diameter circle to the left. While the circle seemed rather tight, the model did NOT go into a death spiral.

But it was blown farther away by the wind, to a point that it was difficult to see. But I thought I saw the general spot where it landed.

Unfortunately, I never found it.

It was late in the afternoon, and after searching for a bit, I thought I would come back the next day (in better light) and find it.

So, I looked the next day....and still didn't find it. Really perplexing. Here is the area where I lost it:

View attachment 522753

There is an area of grass (to the right of the grey mound in the center of the pic) were it might have gone in. But I looked all through the area, and found no Stratus Gale. ☹️
Oh crap, hate when that happens! Especially after putting in a lot of effort to carefully craft something well.

Maybe another set of eyes or two would help?
 
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