Yesterday I learned a couple lessions the hard way....

#1 If you like to wrap line ends and plan on connection your lines directly to the bellcrank, do not start with the Brodak 3 line 60 foot line kit. I use a line wrapping jig bought from Tom Morris and you end up with about 6 inches excess that gets cut off in the process. Wrapped one end then measured to mark the other, oops... should have bought a 70 foot line kit.

#2 If you have the slider release with down elevator, do not think about using a "jump buster" and are not high enough when you drop the hook the airplane will crash. Thankfully the FJ-4-36 is built strong enough that the only damage was the nose gear being bent back and poking a hole in the leading edge.

At least I still have time before Brodaks to make a legal set of lines, fix the damage to the airplane and add a "jump buster".

I broke my new airplane last week because of using down elevator. I thouht my latest release would oid that but no such luck. Over the years my best solution was using the throttle to activate and I am going to pursue that. Lets do some collabarating on profile carrier applications.
Thanks
Wayne

When using down for a release don't use the handle like you would to go down with a stunt plane. Reach out grab the line and pull it. Keep your handle in the nuetral position. After the line is pulled, release the line quickly, the plane will resume normal level flight and you will hardly see the plane move.

The so called jump buster may work, but I don't use it and have not had any problems with the release causing a crash, and I always use down for the release.

Thanks for the tips... Too late for this one, the bellcrank position and leadout guide is such that when the slider goes all the way back I end up with almost full down elevator. Sure missed this when I was playing with the slider.. The only real fix is a jump buster to compensate for the geometry of the configuration. Will be easy to do, I'll just cut a hole on the bottom of the wing covering to get access to a rib.

Have seen the guys hang a string off the down line that they pull to drop the hook and never understood why. Now I know.. The best setup I have is on the big FJ-4, up releases the slider and down drops the hook. Works really well but the bellcrank is right at the CG and the slider doesn't move that far.

Would think using low throttle would eliminate some of these issues but in this case it wouldn't matter. Without a jump buster on this ship you would end up having to fly low speed with almost full up at the handle just to fly level.

Dissected the damage this morning, really lucky it didn't even break the leading edge spar, wheel just poked a hole in the sheeting, easy fix. Everyone watching was surprised it was still in one piece, glad I was over grass..

Installed a jump buster this morning, ended up being fairly easy. I made up a short set of lines (4 foot) from an old set of 18's and used them to determin where the jump buster should be located so it would give the the same elevator position with the slider in both locations. Bent a piece of small music wire in a U with a flat top, poked two holes in the top covering over a rib cap strip. Opened up an access hole in the bottom covering, cut a 1/2 rib to double the area that the wire was glued to and epoxied the whole mess together with the wire sandwiched between the rib and 1/2 rib.

Also discovered I needed to give much more down to release the hook than it really needs, am sure this added to the mishap. Made this adjustable so it will be easy to set it for just enough. Looking like Tuesday will be the next day with wind not howling and hoping I can give it another go.

Bob,
Impressive. Those Times would give you about 250 with a landing. I'd say you know how to fly carrier. A bit more slow speed practice and look out.

John

Hey Bob, been there and  done that.   First Carriers trials in Topeka,  Mike Tallman made my son and I both look bad with our airplanes.