Glider Pod Hooks - the "L"Hook

Award-winning Boost Glider Pop PodAttachment

Now for sale!

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Boost Glider with Spooler Pod & "L" Hooks	Close-up of L Hooks on Glider & Pod

For those who build and fly Boost Gliders, I would like to announce that I am now selling cast glider hooks, using the "L" Hook design. Ever have trouble getting a pop-pod to fit right on a glider? Or one pod fits one glider but not another glider? Too tight so that the glider does not come off? Or too loose, so the glider comes off on boost? Or blows off while sitting on the pad? These cast parts assure that any pod can be used with any glider. The unique "L-Hook" interlocking design prevents the glider from coming off from the pod, until the pod moves backwards about 1/4". They are also useful of course for SPORT Boost Gliders. "L" Hook   Design The name comes from the basic shape of the hook, like a squashed letter "L" as seen in the drawing above. I first came up with the "L-Hook " Glider Pod attachment method in 1980, to solve problems with D and E powered R/C B/G pop-pods prying off on boost. But those were hand made one by one and finicky to fit right, so I did not use them for other gliders. In the early 1990's, I went back to the idea for contest models. By casting them from RTV molds, so many identical copies could be made easily and with consistent fit. (Half of Pod Hook, and Glider Hook) I have used L-Hooks for all of my Boost Gliders since then. Other people have also used them, as I sold them in limited numbers. They have been used for Boost Gliders which have won many contests, including NARAMs. They have also used by some US Team members in the FAI S4 Glider event at World Championships. Even NAR president Trip Barber has used them! In 2006, I wrote up an R&D report about the development of L-Hooks and Spooler Pop-Pods (It won 1st place at NARAM-48). For more infomation, go to this page which tells more about them and includes a link to a pdf copy of the R&D report.

FAI S4B Glider using L Hooks

FAI S4B Glider using L Hooks

Assortment of gliders using L-Hooks & Spooler Pods

The main advantages of the Cast L-Hooks are these: Interchangeable - Any Glider can be used with any Pod which use these cast L Hooks The "L" hook design CAN NOT be pried apart. The Glider and Pod cannot separate until the pod moves backwards about 1/4". So, it stays on for boost, and will not blow off on the launch pad. Consistent fit - Not too tight, not too loose. They fit juuuust right! Now for Sale: Over the years I have made the L-Hooks available in limited numbers. I have recently revised the design a bit to make them easier to cast and produce. So, now I can produce them in a more practical manner to sell to the general public. This revised hook design is not compatible with previous hooks that I have sold. So those fliers who may have bought hooks from me before, I'm sorry but you won't be able to mix the old and new hooks. The new glider hooks are slightly wider than before. The Pod portions of the hooks are now cast as two split halves, which I later glue together, and are 1/16" taller than before. Above photo starting at top: Pod hook and Glider hook connected. Pod hook by itself Glider hook by itself. Two halves of the Pod hook   Photo of old L-Hooks on Pod Pylon and Glider The Pod hook requires the addition of a balsa (or spruce) Pylon between the Pod hook and the Body Tube for the Pod itself. This is to create the rule-of-thumb 1/2" total pylon height most fliers use between the glider fuselage and pod pod tube. This new Pod Hook is 1/16" taller than the orginal, so it requires the use of a 3/16" pylon (the old one required a 1/4" tall pylon). I recommend 1/8" wide balsa for the pylon. Weights: The Pod Hook weighs 1.5 gram. The Glider hook weighs 1/2 gram. Together, the pair weighs 2 grams. Dimensions for the 2010 version of the Glider & Pod L Hooks: