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International Hand Launch Glider Festival |
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Behind all great planes and manufacturers are great craftsman, designers, and flyers. Phil Pearson is one of the best. Here Phil poses with one of the T-tail Encores he manufactures for MapleLeaf Designs. Phil traveled from the Seattle Washington area with a stable of great airplanes as well as the new Encore used by Joe Wurts. Phil and Joe collaborated on the airfoil development for the ship as well as the design planform. The Encore uses a pink foam wing, with a Rohrcell shear web, underneath kevlar skins. The kevlar skins also act as the hinge for the flaperons. For specifications see the ships detailed from the Joe Wurts links.
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Encore |
Additional Pictures
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Here is the stable of Encores ready for flying. Having a number of ships of similar design permits the pilot to experiment with different flying setups. Each plane has the same planform, however they has different airfoils. Some airfoils were standard airfoils, and other had their thicknesses and camber changed. I flew one of these planes during a visit to Phil's shop and their dead air times were amazing. The ships launch very well using the discus technique. |
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Timing for a world class flyer improve your design as well as flying skills. Here Phil times for Joe Wurts during one of his late afternoon flights. Having a good timer is crucial to doing well at a contest. Phil and Joe have been working together for many years. |
