Thomas Johnson
I suggest you get directly in touch with Jim Marske:
http://marskeaircraft.com/index.html
Thanks, Bob K.
http://www.kollmanwings.com/Home_Page.php
The Monarch is an open cockpit sailplane that tows with hang glider
equipment. It is well matched for scooter towing or air towing behind
trike or Dragonfly. It thermals well at speeeds hang glider pilots are
used to and has similar turn radius in thermals. The control system
uses standard stick and rudder 3-axis control.
The Monarch H is a redesign of the Monarch fuselage to allow for prop
clearance. This allows for a motor to be mounted behind the pilot
similar to a trike.
Monarch H specs
wingspan.........................43.5'
wing area........................165 ft sq
Best L/D ........................20 @ 35 mph
Minumun sink....................135 ft/min
Empty weight...................180 lb glider version...... 250 lb
motorized
pilot weight......................130 lb to 250 lb
Stall speed...................... 30 mph @ max weight
Vne.................................65 mph.
Monarch H kit.....................................................
$9,500
Monarch H ready to fly.....................................$14,500
Although I was doing this for someone else, I had chats with Matt
Kollman and Thomas Johnson last evening. It wasn't Jim that wasn't
responding, but apparently Matt Redsell after a first contact. The
new Monarch will be the H, with an improved fuselage.
Frank Whiteley
I hope they improved the release system! A friend did several auto
tows. The info said it could be aero towed, so they hooked it up to a
Cub On tow it started to oscilate wildly in pitch (too fast?). He
tried to release, but couldn't and it PIO'd into the runway. My friend
received a severe head injury. If you fly a Monarch, for god's sake
wear a helmet!
JJ
I don't know what happened to your friend (my condolences), but your
comment may be unfair. The Marske flying wings respond very rapidly
to pitch inputs but they don't oscillate.
Bill D
JJ, I feel your pain (it's never good when anyone gets injured in a
sailplane), but the rational part of me has to object to the implied dig at
(in this case) the Monarch aerodynamic design (and by implication, flying wing
sailplanes in general). Here's why.
While I won't argue the point that 'some designs' are more likely to have a
pilot induce/endure PIO than others, I would also simultaneously argue that -
in the vast majority of cases - *the pilot* is the primary contributor. To
think - or to encourage others to think - otherwise, is (IMHO) doing pilots a
disservice.
For heaven's sake, a 1-34 was PIO-ed into scrap metal (with some
broken/crushed vertebrae thrown in) at my home airport many years ago...on a
benign weather condition *landing*. A less-PIO-prone ship than the 1-34 is
difficult for me to imagine. Now *there* was a pilot to whom I might've
considered suggesting wearing a helmet...or, investing in companies that make
energy-absorbing foam.
On the other hand, I give you points for flying an 'almost flying wing'
design, the Genesis II! :-)
Regards,
Bob W.
P.S. I know absolutely zero about the/that Monarch's tow hook/release system.
In http://www.kollmanwings.com/Prices.html it says:
"For Monarch f and Pioneer 2 plans contact Jim Marske
http://www.marskeaircraft.com/ "
I don't have a problem with the Monarch, I think its a cute little
ship. I do have a problem with a brochure that stated "Auto & Air-
towable" without specifying an max tow speed. I believe the tow behind
the Cub was much too fast for that light little ship. It was swinging
wildly from side to side, like a kite hooked to a car. If memory
serves me right, It hit inverted on the last wild swing. I do have a
problem with a bridle tow system attached to two tow hooks that didn't
release when repeatedly tried.
The last I heard from my friend, he didn't remember the first 40 years
of his life and if he left home alone, he couldn't find his way back.
JJ