Satellite Hand Launch Glider – By Adam Butler
The Satellite is a 435mm Wingspan Hand Launched Glider Model
 Click on any image to enlarge

Kit contains:
Pre-shaped & Diecut Balsa wood Parts, Building and flying instructions.

Construction:
Wing Shaping:
Hold the wing down flat on the bench and sand the leading and trailing edges until it is the shape shown on the instructions. I used 120 grit paper and a sanding block.

Then follow the shape of the leading edge with the sanding block and curve around the wing tip, do the same for the trailing edge so the wing tips are sanded until they are less than 1mm thick.

After completing the top of the wing, flip it over and sand a small radius on the bottom of the leading edge of the wing , it should be about 1mm.

At this stage I give the wing a coat of sanding sealer and allow it to dry before sanding the model with 300grit paper to finish the wing.

Wing Assembly:
Now you must Decide which type of wing to Build, I prefer the Polyhedral wing, I find it is more stable and easy to trim. If you choose to build the Dihedral wing the method is the same, just the angles are different.

Cut the wing at the marks scribed on the underside. I use a fine toothed saw.

Block the wing panels up on the bench to the required angle and sand the end of the wing panel straight with the end of the bench. This will allow the wing panels to fit together with the required Dihedral.

Put the wing Panels together Upside Down on the bench and tape the panels back in place. Turn the wing over and lift the panels the required amount and glue them in place.
Do this for the 2 outer panels if you are doing the Polyhedral wing , then when the glue is dry do the centre joint the same way.

Stab & Fin:
I give these a coat of sanding sealer before I start to sand them. Because I am left handed I launch my mode Left Wing Down and trim it to fly in a right hand turn So I sand only the left side of the fin to give a Right Rudder effect.

The stab is just lightly sanded to give a rounded leading edge and a thin trailing edge.

Make sure you sand both the top and bottom of the stab and keep it even.

Glue the Fin onto the Stab , because I want my model to turn to the right I pushed the front of the fin as far as I could to the left and the back to the right.

Fuselage:
Round the nose , and rear fuselage ,Be very careful not to round off Between the lines where the wing and Stab will be glued on later.

Assembly:
Glue the Stab & Fin on the back of the fuselage, again I pushed as much right rudder as I could.
Glue the wing on to the fuselage and check the alignment , make sure the wings are both up the same amount.
Shape the launching block and glue it under the wing, Because I am left handed , it is under the left wing on my model.

When you hold the model your 1st finger should be behind the wing on the launching block and the fuselage is held under the middle of the wing between your thumb and 2nd finger.

Balance the model using Blu-Tac or plastercine on the nose until it balances about half way back down the wing.

Test Gliding:
Remember I am left handed, if you are right handed you will make the model turn left.
Give the model a gentle throw slightly nose down (Always launch straight into the wind)

It should fly in a gentle descent and turn to the right ( for my left handed model )

If the model climbs and stalls add some weight to the nose, if it dives steeply then remove some weight from the nose. Keep doing this until you are happy with the glide trim.

Give it a throw:
Hold the model and face into wind , extend your arm back behind you, roll the model (to the left) away from you so the top wing panel is pointing straight up, and throw the model like a Javelin. As the model leaves your hand it should be pointing about 45 degrees nose up and banked about 45 degrees to the left.

The model will climb sharply then as it slows down it will level its wings and start a circle to the right.

As you get more comfortable with the launch technique you can take a run up and really get some power into the launch. It is not uncommon to get 45 to 60 second flight times with these models.