Glow flyer wants to soar

[stevenkmiller]

I already fly glow planes, and I want something to fly on a lazy Sunday afternoon that doesn't require all the equipment and pre-launch effort. Just something to launch into the sky and circle around and relax.

I considered a Gentle Lady or a Riser, but now I think maybe those will be too docile(which is kinda what I want anyway). Instead, I have been thinking about maybe a Spirit or a Wanderer with an Up-start, or maybe an electric, like an Electra or Spectra or Odessey. I would like to learn to catch thermals, and am wondering if anyone knows if there is any good reading material out on the web on the subject.

I am also interested in some thoughts on the electrics ability to thermal, given the increase in weight, And finally, what windspeed should I try to fly in. I live in Oklahoma and it's almost always blowing between 12 and 20 MPH here.

Thanks,
stevenkmiller

[Fafnir]

I have both the gentle lady and the Riser. I have been more happy with the Riser because of the larger rudder that is on it. You can even get it to spin :) I use a small high start and fly in a large school yard. I tried the electrics and found with batteries, chargers and such to be about as much of a hassle as my Aerostar .40 If something easy to set up and fly on a lazy Sunday is what you are looking for then either airplane would be perfect. I prefer the Riser though.

[Dave Robelen]

Hello Steven,
I will check in for the other side. I have had some really good flying with a sp400 powered motor glider. The most important consideration for me was the access to many more sites. With no towline to stretch, and no sound (to speak of) many sites are available to me. As far as working thermals, either a pure sailplane or one with a motor will work lift very nicely. In fact, having the motor is a bit like "booster wheels" when it comes to staying high and finding the lift. Once you develop the knack of searching it out this is less important, but it sure has been a help to me. Naturally, the "pure" sailplane pilots will consider this cheating, just as the sailboat people avoid motors.
Good Luck, Dave Robelen

[J. Bergsmith]

Steven,
I'm going to echo what Dave has said. If you want to get into soaring and electric is the best way to do it. It's so easy to arrive at the site and not have to worry about launch equipment. I think the Riser 100 would make a great e-sailplane, easy to convert. There have been a couple converted already and they are not using really expensive motors.

John

[pease1]

Build yourself a Modelairtech Super Soarwatt. These things go together easy, and fly GREAT! Do yourself a favor and put an Astro 020P in it (that's the one with the 4.44:1 planetary GB) and run some carbon fiber along the LE,TE and dihedral breaks and you have something that is nearly a hotliner, but is easy on the pocketbook.

I easilly get 25-30 minute flights with little thermal assist, but can also burn through a pack in 10 minutes doing loops and inverted flight like mad! If you find some nice light air with thermals this plane can stay up indefinately. I've had flights approaching an hour where I had to inetntionally fly it down so I could take a break.

The only thing I can say bad about the kit is the covering. Spend the few extra bucks on some nice Superkote, etc.

Check out this page for more info: http://pease1.sr.unh.edu/aew/rc/Soarwatt/

Since I've built this, all my other sailplanes have been sold or flown to desctuction (semi-intentionally). This is the only sailplane I feel I need - it's that good.

Al