New to Slope Soaring - looking for advice on everything

[aeajr]

So far I have been flying electric park flyers and unpowered thermal sailplanes. I started in March. I belong to a club that focuses on these.

I may have a chance to do some slope soaring so I though I would look for the appropriate forum to read and learn about planes, techniques for flying slope.

I live on Long Island, New York, so we are not talking about a legandary place for slope. I doubt anyone is marketing slope videos from Long Island.

Is this the right place to get some general advice?

Here are my questions in general:

1) I have two built up balsa 2 meter RES planes, A Great Planes Spirit and a Sagitta 600. While I am sure they can be slope soared, are they well suited to it? I am a little concerned about cracking them up in uneven or unreliable lift coming off some beach or cliff.

2) I have seen a lot on foam slope planes that seem more appropriate for a new slope flyer. EPP seems to be the foam of choice. Any suggestions for a low cost model approrate to a new sloper? I need stability more than speed at this point.

3) How does flying slope differ from thermal flying off a hi-start or a winch? Does one ever hi-start, up-start or zip-start into slope lift or do you always hand launch into it?

I think that is enough for starters.

[Thom620]

ZAGI

[aeajr]

I tried something totally new with my Aerobird today. I took it slope soaring. What a blast! The motor is off and it just floats along the cliff on the lift.

Unfortunately while the wind was doing 10-15 mph, the temperature was around 10 degrees F. My hands were so cold that when I took my gloves off to put the rubber bands on the wing, it actually hurt.

I only flew for about 3 minutes, when the transmitter battery warning beeper
sounded. I don't think they are that old, I think they were just too cold. I can understand that.

So rather than try new batteries, I decided to call it quits. But that was enough to show me that the Aerobird can slope quiet well.

And, the wind was not really at the ideal angle. It was not straight into the
hill. It was more like a 45 degree angle which is not ideal, but there was enough lift to take the bird up!

This was my first slope soar, but it won't be the last! So much fun!