aeajr
04-15-2006, 05:12 AM
Thinking of flying gliders, but you are not sure? That is how I was.
I started with electric parkflyers with no interest in gliders. Then I met
a group of guys who fly gliders. After watching them for a couple of months,
in between my electric flights, I decided I had to try it. Now I am hooked. I
have 6 electrics, but I also have 12 gliders. I love to fly the electrics,
but it is the gliders that I think about all the time.
By the way, gliders and sailplanes are the same thing.
TWO KINDS OF FLYING WITH GLIDERS/SAILPLANES
Thermal Duration - Lift is provided by warm rising air.
A thermal is a column of warm rising air that occurs when one section of the
ground warms faster then other sections. As the air raises it draws in
more air. Think of a very slow moving tornado. :confused: Not exactly
correct but close enough for first approximation.
What do thermals look like?
http://www.flyaboveall.com/mountainpilot/thermalclinic.htm
Slope Soaring - Lift is provided by wind hitting a hillside. The rest of this discussion is about thermal duration gliders, but if slope soaring is of interest, here are some links that will introduce you to slope
soaring. I enjoy slope soaring often and, on some days. I slope and
thermal. Those are great days. Most TD planes can be flown on the
slope, so after you learn to thermal, the same plane may also be able
to introduce you to slope soaring.
How Slope Soaring Works
http://users.iafrica.com/s/st/stevemac/afc/ssoar.html
Slope Soaring:
http://kohlin.com/air/soar-faq.htm#589883
The dark side of slope soaring - DSS
http://www.sailplaneshop.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1135739886
THERMAL DURATION GLIDERS/SAILPLANES
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET STARTED?
For about $200 you can be in the air with a real sailplane, a real radio
and a real great time ahead of you. If you already have a radio, it can be even
less of an investment.
If you get a RTF package like the Great Planes Spirit Select, $140, it comes
completely built with the radio system fully installed. This was my first
sailplane.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVK55**&P=7
While you can hand throw the Spirit, it is really meant for hi-start
launching. Add a hi-start for about $60.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXE636&P=7
That is all you need. In fact, with this combination you could enjoy a
lifetime of soaring and never need anything else. No fuel, no battery
chargers, no extra flight packs, nothing! OK, you replace the batteries a
couple times a season, and maybe you replace the hi-start every 5-10. This
is a very inexpensive form of RC flying.
Easy Glider - ARF $70 -
This is a good first thermal plane or a first slope plane. ;)
http://www.multiplexusa.com/models/ParkFliers/EasyGlider.htm
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKHS7&P=7
If you are willing to tackle fairly easy kit, the Multiplex Easy Glider is my
number one recommendation for new glider pilots. Unlike the Spirit the
Easy Glider is made of Elapor foam. It can take a real beating without
requiring a lot of repairs. You would use the same hi-start for the Easy Glider as I recommended for the Spirit.
I have flown one off a hi-start and a winch. It flew very well. Beginner mistakes that would send the Spirit to the repair table would not break the Easy Glider, or would only take a few minutes to fix with some CA glue.
The Easy Glider has ailerons so you will also need a minimum of a 4 channel radio.
RADIOS
If you decide to buy a radio, I would recommend at least three channels
for the R/E gliders so you can add spoilers later. They cost about $50-$75,
including the servos and receiver needed to complete a kit or ARF.
There are lots of choices in 3 channel sailplanes, often referred to as RES planes.
RES stands for rudder, elevator and spoilers. There are competition RES
sailplanes that cost over $700, so this class of sailplanes is not just for beginners.
If you have the budget, I would recommend a computer radio with 6 or more
channels, to open more options for the future. These start at around $160
including servos and receiver. Of course you can spend over $1000 for a
top notch sailplane radio, so there is plenty of room to grow.
TRIMMING YOUR NEW PLANE
Even the RTF packages will need some adjustment, so be prepared to do a
little trimming and balancing. Read the manual that comes with your plane. Here
are some additional tips on trimming.
http://kohlin.com/air/soar-faq.htm#589931
LAUNCHING
If you go with a pure glider, no motor, you will need some way to launch
your glider. You can get a glider with an electric motor, but I prefer the pure
types which I refer to as sailplanes. You usually launch these with a hi-start
or a winch.
Almost everyone starts with a hi-start because they cost under $100, they
are small, and they easy to transport and store. You can enjoy a lifetime of
lift hunting with a hi-start.
Personally I find hi-start launches a blast. The plane goes up like a jet
launched off of a carrier. When it leaves the end of the launch, it just
floats off the line like a sailboat on the ocean. Or you can "zoom" off the
end and gain even more height.
What is a Hi-Start
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~learmont/HiStart.html
Learning to use a hi-start
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155353
The nice thing about hi-starts is that you can control the power of the
launch by how far you pull back, so for your first launches you might pull back
half the length of the elastic. Later you might go to double the length of the
elastic, or more. Also, once you release the plane, all you have to think
about is steering, the elastic does the rest.
Summary
You can start with kits, ARFs or RTFs as I did. For $140 for the RTF
package + $60 for a Hi-start you are in the air. No fuel to buy or clean
off. The only battery you need is the ones in your transmitter and your
receiver. Flights can range from 2 minutes to many hours. It all depends
on how good a hunter you are. Every flight is an adventure!
Sailplanes are Wonderful!
http://www.rchangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5356
Give 'em a try. If you have questions, ask. Others
helped me. I am happy to help you. :)
I started with electric parkflyers with no interest in gliders. Then I met
a group of guys who fly gliders. After watching them for a couple of months,
in between my electric flights, I decided I had to try it. Now I am hooked. I
have 6 electrics, but I also have 12 gliders. I love to fly the electrics,
but it is the gliders that I think about all the time.
By the way, gliders and sailplanes are the same thing.
TWO KINDS OF FLYING WITH GLIDERS/SAILPLANES
Thermal Duration - Lift is provided by warm rising air.
A thermal is a column of warm rising air that occurs when one section of the
ground warms faster then other sections. As the air raises it draws in
more air. Think of a very slow moving tornado. :confused: Not exactly
correct but close enough for first approximation.
What do thermals look like?
http://www.flyaboveall.com/mountainpilot/thermalclinic.htm
Slope Soaring - Lift is provided by wind hitting a hillside. The rest of this discussion is about thermal duration gliders, but if slope soaring is of interest, here are some links that will introduce you to slope
soaring. I enjoy slope soaring often and, on some days. I slope and
thermal. Those are great days. Most TD planes can be flown on the
slope, so after you learn to thermal, the same plane may also be able
to introduce you to slope soaring.
How Slope Soaring Works
http://users.iafrica.com/s/st/stevemac/afc/ssoar.html
Slope Soaring:
http://kohlin.com/air/soar-faq.htm#589883
The dark side of slope soaring - DSS
http://www.sailplaneshop.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1135739886
THERMAL DURATION GLIDERS/SAILPLANES
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET STARTED?
For about $200 you can be in the air with a real sailplane, a real radio
and a real great time ahead of you. If you already have a radio, it can be even
less of an investment.
If you get a RTF package like the Great Planes Spirit Select, $140, it comes
completely built with the radio system fully installed. This was my first
sailplane.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVK55**&P=7
While you can hand throw the Spirit, it is really meant for hi-start
launching. Add a hi-start for about $60.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXE636&P=7
That is all you need. In fact, with this combination you could enjoy a
lifetime of soaring and never need anything else. No fuel, no battery
chargers, no extra flight packs, nothing! OK, you replace the batteries a
couple times a season, and maybe you replace the hi-start every 5-10. This
is a very inexpensive form of RC flying.
Easy Glider - ARF $70 -
This is a good first thermal plane or a first slope plane. ;)
http://www.multiplexusa.com/models/ParkFliers/EasyGlider.htm
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKHS7&P=7
If you are willing to tackle fairly easy kit, the Multiplex Easy Glider is my
number one recommendation for new glider pilots. Unlike the Spirit the
Easy Glider is made of Elapor foam. It can take a real beating without
requiring a lot of repairs. You would use the same hi-start for the Easy Glider as I recommended for the Spirit.
I have flown one off a hi-start and a winch. It flew very well. Beginner mistakes that would send the Spirit to the repair table would not break the Easy Glider, or would only take a few minutes to fix with some CA glue.
The Easy Glider has ailerons so you will also need a minimum of a 4 channel radio.
RADIOS
If you decide to buy a radio, I would recommend at least three channels
for the R/E gliders so you can add spoilers later. They cost about $50-$75,
including the servos and receiver needed to complete a kit or ARF.
There are lots of choices in 3 channel sailplanes, often referred to as RES planes.
RES stands for rudder, elevator and spoilers. There are competition RES
sailplanes that cost over $700, so this class of sailplanes is not just for beginners.
If you have the budget, I would recommend a computer radio with 6 or more
channels, to open more options for the future. These start at around $160
including servos and receiver. Of course you can spend over $1000 for a
top notch sailplane radio, so there is plenty of room to grow.
TRIMMING YOUR NEW PLANE
Even the RTF packages will need some adjustment, so be prepared to do a
little trimming and balancing. Read the manual that comes with your plane. Here
are some additional tips on trimming.
http://kohlin.com/air/soar-faq.htm#589931
LAUNCHING
If you go with a pure glider, no motor, you will need some way to launch
your glider. You can get a glider with an electric motor, but I prefer the pure
types which I refer to as sailplanes. You usually launch these with a hi-start
or a winch.
Almost everyone starts with a hi-start because they cost under $100, they
are small, and they easy to transport and store. You can enjoy a lifetime of
lift hunting with a hi-start.
Personally I find hi-start launches a blast. The plane goes up like a jet
launched off of a carrier. When it leaves the end of the launch, it just
floats off the line like a sailboat on the ocean. Or you can "zoom" off the
end and gain even more height.
What is a Hi-Start
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~learmont/HiStart.html
Learning to use a hi-start
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155353
The nice thing about hi-starts is that you can control the power of the
launch by how far you pull back, so for your first launches you might pull back
half the length of the elastic. Later you might go to double the length of the
elastic, or more. Also, once you release the plane, all you have to think
about is steering, the elastic does the rest.
Summary
You can start with kits, ARFs or RTFs as I did. For $140 for the RTF
package + $60 for a Hi-start you are in the air. No fuel to buy or clean
off. The only battery you need is the ones in your transmitter and your
receiver. Flights can range from 2 minutes to many hours. It all depends
on how good a hunter you are. Every flight is an adventure!
Sailplanes are Wonderful!
http://www.rchangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5356
Give 'em a try. If you have questions, ask. Others
helped me. I am happy to help you. :)