dougmc

| I don't seem to have the coordination to throw something flat and
| level, so my attempts at glide testing have always had problems.

Sure you do. As suggested, try it with a cheap free-flight plane.
The $3 foam planes at Wal Mart ought to be fine.

| has anyone tried making a gadget that could launch a plane enough to do
| glide tests?

If you're using a gadget, it's not really a proper glide test

| I was thinking like a high start but then realized that if
| something didn't work well I'd have a long length of tubing dragging my
| creation along the ground doing its best to re-kit said plane.

Well, a high start is pretty much the logical conclusion of what
you're talking about ...

| I ask this in regard to a rocket boosted glider, but have realized in my
| experience that my inability shows in other areas, and If I want to build a
| frankenfoamy like bird, I am going to need to do some testing.

If you just need more flight time, stand at the top of a hill and
throw it straight ahead -- and it doesn't have to be a hard throw.
Preferably into the wind. If the wind is strong enough, you're slope
soaring, and if your plane is properly trimmed and all, you can keep
it up for a long time. (And of course, some of us love to fly like
this.)

--
Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzy.com
"I don't know the scientific explaination, BUT FIRE MAKES IT GOOD!"
--Homer Simpson