diff --git a/ext/JuMPModels/glider.jl b/ext/JuMPModels/glider.jl
index 164600a7..c4b9bab5 100644
--- a/ext/JuMPModels/glider.jl
+++ b/ext/JuMPModels/glider.jl
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.glider(
     @variables(
         model,
         begin
-            tf ≥ tf_l, (start = 1)
+            tf ≥ tf_l, (start = 60)
             x[k = 0:N] ≥ x_l, (start = x_t0 + vx_t0 * k / N)
             y[k = 0:N], (start = y_t0 + (k / N) * (y_tf - y_t0))
             vx[k = 0:N] ≥ vx_l, (start = vx_t0)
diff --git a/ext/JuMPModels/robot.jl b/ext/JuMPModels/robot.jl
index 79bfadc0..a77ffe80 100644
--- a/ext/JuMPModels/robot.jl
+++ b/ext/JuMPModels/robot.jl
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.robot(
             uθ_l ≤ uθ[0:N] ≤ uθ_u, (start = 0)
             uϕ_l ≤ uϕ[0:N] ≤ uϕ_u, (start = 0)
 
-            tf ≥ tf_l, (start = 1)
+            tf ≥ tf_l, (start = 9.1)
         end
     )
 
diff --git a/ext/JuMPModels/space_shuttle.jl b/ext/JuMPModels/space_shuttle.jl
index 0479eebf..17a16cd5 100644
--- a/ext/JuMPModels/space_shuttle.jl
+++ b/ext/JuMPModels/space_shuttle.jl
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.space_shuttle(
     set_start_value.(model[:ψ], vec(initial_guess[:, 6]))
     set_start_value.(model[:α], vec(initial_guess[:, 7]))
     set_start_value.(model[:β], vec(initial_guess[:, 8]))
-    set_start_value.(model[:tf], (tf_l+tf_u)/2)
+    set_start_value.(model[:tf], 0.5) #######
 
     # Functions to restore `h` and `v` to their true scale
     @expression(model, h[j = 0:N], scaled_h[j] * scaling_h)
diff --git a/ext/JuMPModels/steering.jl b/ext/JuMPModels/steering.jl
index cd40af69..8554cc42 100644
--- a/ext/JuMPModels/steering.jl
+++ b/ext/JuMPModels/steering.jl
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.steering(
     x₄_tf = params[:x₄_tf]
 
     #
-    tf_start = 1
+    tf_start = 0.6
     function gen_x0(k, i)
         if i == 1 || i == 4
             return 0.0
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels/glider.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels/glider.jl
index d91059be..592d5591 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels/glider.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels/glider.jl
@@ -110,11 +110,15 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.glider(
     end
 
     # initial guess
-    tfinit = 1
-    xinit =
-        t -> [x_t0 + vx_t0 * t / tfinit, y_t0 + t / tfinit * (y_tf - y_t0), vx_t0, vy_t0]
-    uinit = cL_max / 2
-    init = (state=xinit, control=uinit, variable=tfinit)
+    tfinit = 60.0 
+    xinit = t -> [
+        x_t0 + vx_t0 * t,                          
+        y_t0 + (t / tfinit) * (y_tf - y_t0),         
+        vx_t0 + (t / tfinit) * (vx_tf - vx_t0),       
+        vy_t0 + (t / tfinit) * (vy_tf - vy_t0)        
+    ]
+    uinit = (cL_min + cL_max) / 2
+    init = (state=xinit, control=uinit, variable=tfinit) 
 
     # discretise the optimal control problem
     docp = direct_transcription(
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels/robot.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels/robot.jl
index 1bfe831a..72859325 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels/robot.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels/robot.jl
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.robot(
     end
 
     # initial guess
-    tf = 1
+    tf = 9.1
     xinit =
         t -> [
             ρ_t0,
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels/space_shuttle.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels/space_shuttle.jl
index 2d6e6d25..08bcb59b 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels/space_shuttle.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels/space_shuttle.jl
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.space_shuttle(
     # initial guess: linear interpolation for h, v, gamma (NB. t0 = 0), constant for the rest
     # variable time step seems to be initialized at 1 in jump
     # note that ipopt will project the initial guess inside the bounds anyway.
-    tf_init = (tf_l+tf_u)/2
+    tf_init = 0.5
     x_init =
         t -> [
             h_t0 + (t - t0) / (tf_init - t0) * (h_tf - h_t0),
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels/steering.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels/steering.jl
index 36aeabff..a1539e56 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels/steering.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels/steering.jl
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.steering(
         end
     end
     xinit = t -> [gen_x0(t, i) for i in 1:4]
-    init = (state=xinit, control=0, variable=1)
+    init = (state=xinit, control=0, variable=0.6)
 
     # discretise the optimal control problem
     docp = direct_transcription(
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/glider_s.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/glider_s.jl
index 59cd87e7..159a0a0d 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/glider_s.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/glider_s.jl
@@ -104,10 +104,14 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.glider_s(
     end
 
     # initial guess
-    tfinit = 1
-    xinit =
-        t -> [x_t0 + vx_t0 * t / tfinit, y_t0 + t / tfinit * (y_tf - y_t0), vx_t0, vy_t0]
-    uinit = cL_max / 2
+    tfinit = 60.0 
+    xinit = t -> [
+        x_t0 + vx_t0 * t,                          
+        y_t0 + (t / tfinit) * (y_tf - y_t0),         
+        vx_t0 + (t / tfinit) * (vx_tf - vx_t0),       
+        vy_t0 + (t / tfinit) * (vy_tf - vy_t0)        
+    ]
+    uinit = (cL_min + cL_max) / 2  
     init = (state=xinit, control=uinit, variable=tfinit)
 
     # discretise the optimal control problem
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/robot_s.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/robot_s.jl
index 2756c18b..c7b2fbda 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/robot_s.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/robot_s.jl
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.robot_s(
     end
 
     # initial guess
-    tf = 1
+    tf = 9.1
     xinit =
         t -> [
             ρ_t0,
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/space_shuttle_s.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/space_shuttle_s.jl
index f1469e0a..14951a91 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/space_shuttle_s.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/space_shuttle_s.jl
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.space_shuttle_s(
     # initial guess: linear interpolation for h, v, gamma (NB. t0 = 0), constant for the rest
     # variable time step seems to be initialized at 1 in jump
     # note that ipopt will project the initial guess inside the bounds anyway.
-    tf_init = (tf_l+tf_u)/2
+    tf_init = 0.5
     x_init =
         t -> [
             h_t0 + (t - t0) / (tf_init - t0) * (h_tf - h_t0),
diff --git a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/steering_s.jl b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/steering_s.jl
index c78da787..047c2efe 100644
--- a/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/steering_s.jl
+++ b/ext/OptimalControlModels_s/steering_s.jl
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ function OptimalControlProblems.steering_s(
         end
     end
     xinit = t -> [gen_x0(t, i) for i in 1:4]
-    init = (state=xinit, control=0, variable=1)
+    init = (state=xinit, control=0, variable=0.6)
 
     # discretise the optimal control problem
     docp = direct_transcription(