tether flying

[twospruces]

...simple question.... wasn't able to find an answer.

How does tether flying work? Is it just as simple as leading the plane around a circular path with a string? The plane wants to fly straight, and you are pulling the plane laterally and slightly forward of right angles, so it gets a bit of forward pull?

like I said dumb question but I've never done it. Do you need a stick to help pull the plane around?

thanks..

[twospruces]

I should have said - unpowered... like a glider.
I've seen the diagrams on the Guillows plans but those are usually for gas powered. I must say that gas powered tether seems a little risky. how do you ensure you don't auger in?

(I don't understand the function of the long 3' stick used in gas powered tether either)

[rayd]

Hey, twospruces:
Look up RTP aka Round-The-Pole Flying. Find it on Wikipedia. Also, check other search engines on web. This is a way to fly that goes back awhile...often free flight in a circle, then various control features were eventually added. RC is starting to be used with electric power. I may check for indoor facilities and try to adapt some smaller Guillows balsa kits using 2 channel control toy parts...one for power on/off, the other for elevator. Plane sufaces will have to be adjusted to keep it toward outer part of circle. It might be a form of U-Control with me/transmitter outside the circle. Much experimentation likely (crashes also), but might be fun. No decorating frills though. Hope this info helps some. Ray