The Ultralight Marske Monarch Sailplane Manual

Downloadable Slide Show of the Monarch Flight Manual

The Ultralight Marske Monarch Sailplane Manual
Revision: Nov22, 1999

LAUNCHING:

The Monarch on Tow

The Monarch may be auto towed or aero-towed. When considering an aerotwo, it is recommended that the tow vehicle have stall speed not more than 35 mph and capable of controlled flight at speeds of 35 to 45mph.

It is important to conduct a preflight before any flight. Simple things such as tucking in the ends of the safety belt are important otherwise they flap in the breeze and one can get distracted from the launch by trying to tuck them in while in the air.A suggested chhecklist should include the following: Check the tow rope for frays and knots, Check wing struts, Check the contols for full movement then do a positive control check on all flying surfaces, Altimeter check, Release check, Check pitot tube for blockage.

Auto-tow speed is usually governed by a tension meter read by the driver and set in the range of 150 lbs for beginners to 160 lbs or more for more experienced flyers or as the weather dictates. Glider airspeed under tow should be 30-40 mph. It is important during the tow that the glider pilot keep line tension by using as much up elevator as possible after the 200 ft attitude. Make sure of the calibration of your tension meter by periodically testing it. Gusty or thermal conditions will make a difference and experience will dictate the various settings one should use.Experienced fliers can use a tension of 170 lbs on tow.

The tow line must be of the correct breaking strength , between 80% of the gross weight to 150% of the gross weight or provided with tested weak links. The tow vehicle must have a release after the tension gauge that can be activated by the driver of the tow vehicle.

The Tension gauge will not operate well with a tow line of less than 500 ft since a long line absorbs any abrupt changes in tension.

If doing a short tow, to say 300 ft, then keeping that altitude the tow driver should switch from the tension meter to a constant ground speed once the altitude has been reached.

The use of a tension meter is highly recommended. Tows by experienced tow vehicle operators and pilots can be done without the meter if they carefully allow for windspeeds and slowing of the vehicle as the glider reaches its maximum altitude. Towing without the tension meter can be very dangerous since this is one circumstance that the glider can be experiencing a high G load that the pilot is unaware of.

	The Mike Hoffman Tensions meter. Note the different ranges, red,yellow and green.
	The load cell installation on a truck bumper with Schwiezer release
	Just at release, note the bridal falling away.

Care should be taken as to where the tow rope falls. If you are towing from a grass runway parallel to a hard surface runway make sure the wind, if any, is blowing away from the hard surface runway to avoid the rope falling across an active runway and runway lights.

Autotows are best done while using an aircraft radio for both the pilot and tow vehicle driver. Observers in the tow vehicle, are useful when the glider goes outside the tow vehicles vision.

A powered line retrieval system mounted on the tow vehicle is recommended to aid in quick retrival of the tow rope so as to not interfere with other planes. Be especially careful of powerplanes catching the tow rope in their prop while the rope is on a grass runway.

A payout winch is perhaps the easiest method of towing but we have not developed the unit as of this date.

When first beginning auto tows start on a day with a 5 mph headwind using a rope not less than 200 ft in length. The glider will not need any up elevator to lift off, it will lift off at the correct speed without any elevator. Practice lifting off many times and going to about 30-50 ft, releasing and landing straight ahead. Communicate with the driver of the vehicle as to which direction each will go once you have released.

LANDING:
Spoilers are put on gradually as needed to land the glider, keeping airspeed constant during the landing.. The glider can be landed with either full or partial spoilers. Spoilers do affect pitch slightly and should not be applied fully on, coming from a position of no spoilers close to the ground. Landing should be practiced starting at say 100 ft at 40 mph (plus ½ the windspeed allow a few more mph for a pilot over 160 lbs) then landing between 25- 30 mph for touchdown. Landing too fast will cause the glider to balloon up upon touching the runway. Keep the stick in a neutral position upon ballooning a landing otherwise PIO's will ensue.

Constantly monitor airport traffic by radio and broadcasting ones position frequently. The Monarch flies much slower than motorized traffic and is not easily seen by motorized planes. Keep an eye on all traffic.

The regular landing pattern should be used but perhaps at a lower altitude. Five hundred feet is ample to start the downwind. Keep the pattern closer than one would normally use say for a 2-33, allowing an airspeed range from 30-40 mph. Do the final at least at 40 mph Landing on the grass beside a paved runway is advisable to avoid the regular traffic.

FLYING:

Our Marion Ohio airfield at 1000 ft.

The Monarch should not be flown unless you are a current licensed glider pilot with a ground tow endorsement. All the same precautions and safety considerations should be given to the Monarch as a regular glider. An aircraft radio is recommended to keep airport traffic aware of your position. It is recommended to use ear phones for the radio since wind noise blocks out much of the radio with a foam covered microphone to lessen wind noise upon transmission.

The best conditions to fly the monarch are light wind days with light thermals. There is no stall under normal conditions and it will fly straight and level with stick back at about 25 mph or less with a 160 lb pilot. The hands off airspeed should be about 30 mph set by the trim tab on the elevator.

Recommended airspeed to initiate a turn is 30 mph. The rudder should be initiated first to counter adverse yaw, then ailerons with a slight pitch down, until a bank is established, then a pulling up on the elevator while banked to accelerate the turn. Pulling out of a turn is sometimes slow but use the rudder first then ailerons with a slight pitch down and once airspeed is attained pull up on the elevator in the bank.

Practice airspeed control from 25 to 55 mph. In cold weather because of the open cockpit one may wish to use ski goggles to avoid watering in the eyes.

To begin flying the Monarch do about Thirty flights in calm weather releasing at a low altitude of 30 -50 ft with very shallow turns until you are confident of the flying and landing characteristics. Progress carefully to altitudes of 250 to 300 ft agl for shallow turns that land straight ahead and 300 to 400 ft agl for landing patterns. Do not practice in gusty weather with a wind speed of more than 5 mph.

When you can recount by memory, the airspeed, sink rate and altitude on each flight and you are confident in the tasks accomplished you are ready to progress to the next stage.

Upon release from the tow line, pitch the nose of the glider down to maintain airspeed to avoid stalling the wing. One can release with little or no tension on the line.One can also carry the tow line a certain distance to avoid it falling in unwanted spaces. The line will self release when there is any back tension on the tow release hooks.

THERMAL FLIGHT:
A recommended airspeed is 30 mph when initiating turns or flying in a thermal.

Thermal weather should be approached cautiously by first launching in weak late afternoon lift.

It soon becomes evident that thermals can be quite turbulent when flying in an ultralight glider. Winds can shift constantly especially under 1500 ft , airspeed can suddenly accelerate to 50 mph and lift over 1000 fpm can be found. Be especially careful in areas of cumulus nimbus clouds. The Monarch with an limited airspeed and low sink rate one can be drawn up into a cloud.

Flying in Thermals is very intimidating at first especially low to the ground. Remember you are in a very light wing loading glider and you will feel all turbulence. It is not uncommon in a thermals to have unusual attitudes and at times it will seemlike a bad balancing act but do not over react and keep the telltale straight and the airspeed between 30 and 35 mph.

GROUND HANDLING:
With the very light glider windy conditions make the glider susceptible to being caught in a breeze and being overturned. The glider must be attended at all times or anchored well by the wing struts and tail wheel. For on the airport travel the Monarch fitted with a trailer eliminates most problems.

SETTINGS: Ailerons need to have differential (more up travel than down). The down measurement taken at the inboard edge (root side) of the aileron is 2 inches down and 6 inches in the up position.
Elevators must measure 6.5 inches up and 2 inches down measured at the root end.
The Rudder deflection must measure 15.5 inches from the centerline to the outer trailing edge.

MAINTENANCE: All control systems with moving parts should be inspected regularly and periodically greased. Especially watch the area by the wheel where dirt, sand and grass will accumulate which is also the same area used for the aileron and elevator belcranks.

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The student is first instructed on the controls by balancing the glider in a 10 to 15 mph wind on it's main gear. After a half hour of this, he is towed across a smooth level field in quiet air (not over 5 mph wind) on the end of a 150 ft line at slightly less than the flying speed of the glider. In this way he learns to follow the car as well as to keep the wings level. As this is perfected, he is allowed to skim a foot or so off the ground and learn the effect of the elevators by practice landings without releasing the tow line. From this stage he uses the release and is progressed gradually through S turns, 90 degree turns, 180 degree turns and 360 degree turns and spot landings.

PROCEDURE
The student should be introduced to the glider by the instructor going over the whole ship with him in a line inspection. It is necessary that he learn to do a line inspection eventually and an early start gives him confidence in the machine he is to fly. The action of the controls is best taught by placing the student in the glider, fastening the safety belt and letting him practice balancing the wings and keeping the glider headed into the wind with the rudder. The nose of the glider should be weighed down if it refuses to stay on the front skid. If the wind is gusty or a velocity above 15 mph, the release hook shoud be tied to a stake with 8 to 10 feet of rope to prevent the glider's blowing over. No obrstuctions, not even persons standing, should be allowed in front of the glider as this disturbs the airflow and interferes with the action of the controls. The student can here be taught to watch the horizon and to use it for leveling instead of looking out at the wings. One or two 15 minute sessions of this practice should be sufficient preliminary to ground tows.

Beginning ground towing should be carried out on in quiet air usually found early in the morning and in the evening. A 150 foot towline is used. If there is any wind at all, towing should be done directly into the wind. The ailerons and rudder are taught at this stage. It is very advisable here to put a limit strap on the elevators to prevent any chance of the stick going back to a climbing attitude. For those ships which require up elevator at times, a 25 or 30 pound spring or bungee may be put in with this limit strap which will allow up elevator by conscious effort on the stick but will tend to make the student hold the stick in nuetral. The use of such a device will allow higher towing speeds and thus easier control with safety. The student is advised to try to keep the glider directly behind the car and the wings level. If the glider gets out of line more than 20 or 25 feet it is best to stop, line it up, and start again. At the start, any slack in the line should be taken up gradually and care taken during the tow that no slack is allowed. As soon as the student is able to keep the ship level and straight behind the car he is ready for "ground skimming".

"Ground skimming" is carried out in much the same manner as ground towing. The limit on the stick is slacked off a little so that a small amount of up elevator is available and several tows are made with the glider about one foot off the ground. It is well to impress on the student that the stick is like a large, rigidly fixed lever which will move the glider in the direction it is pushed. This will overcome the tendency to over-control. Near the end of the run, the driver should slow down and let the glider come back on the ground and roll to a stop without running over the towline. It is not desirable for the student to have to be bothered with the release at this stage.

"Ground skimming" and landings while attached to the towline are taught next. The flights are now 4 to 5 feet above the field. The driver has to use care here to drive so as to keep all slack out of the towline. As the student starts to glide down the glider gains speed and so the car has to be accelerated to keep slack from gathering in the towline. The check on the elevators should be completely eliminated at this point. After one or two trips, the student may be permitted to pull the release and make the landing in free flight at the end of the run, that is, for the first landing. The altitude attained may be gradually increased to where the glider has 15 to 20 feet and land at the end of the run. The driver has to be careful to keep the car well out of the way of the glider so as not to alarm the student. Arm siginals may at first be used by the instructor for a siginal to release with a gradual turning over of this responsibility to the student.

After consistant proficiency in this stage, the student is ready for a straight tow to 100 feet altitude with release and landing at or near the end of the field. Before pulling the release, he should be cautioned first to lower the gliders nose. This will allow some slack in the line and prevent a sudden pitch when releasing.

During this stage of the training, the student should be reminded to form his judgment of distance and time so that when he has to depend on his own judgment he will better be able to do so. The instructor should watch his flying and criticize it at the end of each flight.

After landing becomes somewhat instictive with the new student, he may be taught gentle turns. This phase of the training should be carried out in calm air. A lecture on what makes aircraft turn, the feeling of a skid and the checking of bank should precede the first attempts at turns. The first turns should be from 100 feet altitude and not more than 90 degrees. The direction of the turn should be predetermined by the instructor. After several of these turns in each direction, the two directions should be combined in one flight so that when landing, the glider is headed in the same direction as when the flight started. This is an "S" turn and is useful in losing altitude when making precision landings.

Turns of 180 degrees after releasing at from 120 to 150 feet depending on size of the field, are taught next. Calm air is desirable for the first of these but it is good practice to teach downwind landings in a very light wind. This work will require the 300 foot towline.

With the 500 foot towline, 360 degree turns can be taught as two 180 degree turns with enough straight flight in between to keep the landing within the limits of the field. The The instructor should specify the direction of the turn and the student should have sufficient practice so that his turns are equally good in either direction.

Slipping to overcome excess height when coming in to land is very necessary in gliding and should be taught in connection with 360 degree turns. It is best taught first at an altitude of 150 feet and later closer to the ground. The student is told to reverse the rudder while in a turn. There is a tendency to drop the nose but this is a good fault and can be corrected later on.

Precision landings should be combined with slipping and 360 degree turns practiced in all types of air. The student will have some difficulty turning in gusty air but this can be overcome by having him fly several miles per hour faster in this type of air. On windy, days, more towline should be used to get better altitude so that figure eights with spot landings can be practiced by advanced students. Duration flights are also good practice in this stage combined with downwind and crosswind landings.

The student should have some practice in approaching the field, losing altitude while flying at right angles to the intended direction of landing while keeping an eye on the landing place. He makes a 90 degree turn into the landing path at such point that he will reach it in a normal glide. If he overshoots he should be taught to sideslip sufficiently to land on the designated spot.

PRECAUTIONS

Safety Belt: Have the student form a habit of fastening his safety belt as soon as he sits down in the glider even if he is only to act as ballast and is not going to fly the ship. Keep the belt adjusted so that it fits quite firmly.

Towlines: Three lengths of tow rope should be available at all times: the ground training line of 1/4" poly rope, 150 feet long; an intermediate training line of 1/4" rope 300 feet long, and an advanced training line of 1/4" rope 500 feet long. For high tows or windy days use an 800 to 1,200 ft rope of 3/16" polypropylene depending on length of the field. Braided rope over twist type is prefered as it is spliced more easily.

Inspect towlines frequently for weak places and repair these when found.

Be careful in starting a tow that the towline is straight from the car to the glider and that it is not caught on any obstruction on the field.

Climbing: Never climb steeply under 60 to 80 feet as a breaking towline may result in a stall too low for recovery.

Releases: Inspect both car and glider release frequently to see that it is sound so as not to fail when the release ring is pulled.

Training Periods: Few students will show improvement after six or eight successive tows, for that reason the training session should be broken up into short periods of about six tows each. During the rest periods, the student should watch other students in the glider in the same or more advanced stage of training and benefit from their mistakes. If possible he should ride on the tow car to hear the comments of the instructor. Not more than four periods a day should be allowed each student. In the early stages of training, it is well to take the student back through the first periods when a new day of training is started, to check him before allowing him to continue where he left off. This is especially true where a student has been given intensive training and has advanced quite rapidly.

STALLS AND SPINS

The student should now be given stalls and spins in a light airplane in two half hour periods. This should be taken under an instructor who holds a Commercial Pilot's License with Instructor's Rating and is familiar with gliders and gliding. The FAR's should be learned at this time.

PRIMARY SOARING INSTRUCTION

Actual soaring practice must be preceded by a lecture. This should be limited to facts and pertinent information useful to the student at the location used for soaring practice. The use of the variometer and airspeed indicator should be explained. The studebt should know the minimum safe flying speed of the glider he is flying and should always keep a safe margin above this speed. An actual demonstration of a soaring flight on location and the launching method to be used, should be given just before the first soaring practice.

Tight spiraling in thermals, which are frequently rough, requires a great deal of practice and should not be attempted by the beginner at low altitudes. When the variometer suddenly moves upward to 200 fpm ro more, it is an indication of a thermal upcurrent. It is best to start turning almost immediately when above 500 feet in a careful, smooth and narrow turn. The reason for the narrow turn diameter of the turn is to keep within the invisible limits of the thermal which is apt to be small in size before it reaches several thousand feet.

Angle of bank can vary at 500 feet from 30 to 45 degrees depending on the thermals that particular day. One day they may be of large diameter and very gentle, tuging at your wings requiring a shallow bank angle. Another day they may be vicious monsters, small but sharp, trying to upset your aircraft. Gusts may strike you from all directions requiring all the skill you can muster. Above 2,000 feet this same thermal remains gusty but has widened out requiring only a shallow bank angle.

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