Launching FX-61

Posted by Marius van Rijnsoever on February 24, 2014 at 5:53am

Hi All,

My flight plane flight was yesterday after initially only building quadcopters. Having seen many photos and videos of "chopped fingers", I decided against using a normal hand launch and tried hand-launching with a side grip or turning on the engine after an overhead throw. After 8 failed attempts I gave up and build a bungee launcher.

The airplane flew on first bungee launch. The FX-61 is a beast in the air! Its massive although I still managed to get it to do a few looping.

Unfortunately, in the afternoon it was extremely windy and I hit the nose on the landing, breaking off the front 15cm. Nothing a bit of glue won't fix. However I think the bungee attachment strapped to the two big holes in the fuselage was too tight, allowing for it to crack there on landing. Unfortunately the plastic motor mount also broke, and I need to find a way to repair this.

Has anybody got any good tips on launching the FX-61 and attaching a hook for bungee launches?

Thanks, Marius

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Replies

  • Chris Breytenbach March 2, 2014 at 12:30am
    Hi Marius, i have had so far 25 flights with my FX-61 and all of them with apm auto launch. When it was light <1,5kg hand launch was no problem. Once i passed the 1,7kg mark i had a few unsuccessful launches. It does not glyde far enough before motor starts and apm takes control. I then started to use a bungy cord with great success. The only problem was sometimes the motors start spinning when I set it to autopilot. This was dangerous as the prop was spinning very close to my face. I then build a ramp from 50mm pvc pipe with used with the bungy cord for launch.

    As the FX get heavier you need a good quick start in the first 20-30 meters other wise you FX might hid the ground and bounce back in the air before the apm takes control.

    On the few unsuccessfull launches my plastic motor mount also broke. I cut a square or triangle out of ply would, n bit bigger than the plastic motor mount and glued it in the foam. This works just as good as the plastic motor mount.

    This it is a fantastic platform. Look in the show you build thread for pictures of my FX underside for the hook i build to attach the bungy cord.

    Happy flying
    • Chuck Durham > Chris Breytenbach March 21, 2014 at 8:44am

      I have launched mine many times from the side with the wing toss.  Usually put the throttle about 75% on.  With my right hand I grab about mid-wing on the left wing, thumb facing down and a nice smooth swing, making sure to let go when my hand just passes my shoulder has always worked for me.  Only once did I mess up, I let go of the wing way to far in front and it was already banking left too much - the big FX-61 doesn't recover well.  I have build a few of the FT Versa Wings, they are pretty light and snappy, never much matters with a sloppy launch, I have tossed them with late let go and banked 90 to the left and still zipped them back in time to recover.  The wing launch keeps the hand out of harms way 

  • Pieter February 27, 2014 at 12:38pm

    I hand launch it at WOT.
    Mine is 1.6 kgs and still floats like a butterfly.

    I never ever felt like my hands are at danger, but if you can get a pair of these:

    https://www.vandeputtesafetyproducts.com/NL/product/view/1021428/2/...

    you will have excellent cut protection for your hand and wrist.
    You can use your controller with them because they are really thin on the inside of the hand, feels like a second skin.
    I use them for launching my plane, and repairs at my bike ;)

    Hs grip-flex nitriblade foam long
    Gebreide snijbestendige handschoen (manchet 13cm) met een foam nitril coating. De drager bestaat uit hoog snijbestendige vezels, nylon en Spandex. L…
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