I'm starting a new thread about the relaxing sport of flying electric powered gliders.
I know that Robert, Ben, John Werner, Gordon and I have models like this, and I suspect a few others do too. Some of these are simple 3-channel gliders and represent a simpler time of this hobby, of repeated powered climbs and glides. 20 years ago, this was a popular part of the hobby, most planes being powered by 600-size brushed motors, and with 6 or 7 cell nicad batteries.
Of course some of the newer ones are bigger and much more complicated, and there are also newer foamy ARFs that are ready to fly right out of the box.
It can be very easy and relaxing, and I'm looking forward to enjoying this at the end of a day of flying.
I bought an older ARF kit of a Spectra, and will be powering it with an E-Flite 10 brushless motor, and this should be ready for use in only a few days.
Does anyone else have one of these older (or newer) models that they can bring out for some fun flying?
Got a parkzone Ka-8 for Christmas. Looking forward to getting towed up and giving the hi-start a try.
Anyone got any advice for a noob glider rc pilot?
I have a few thermal flyers (known in my SAM club as "climb and gliders") that I fly routinely on warm summer afternoons. If anyone is looking for a bog standard balsa & Moneycote type flyer, and not a foamie, HobbyKing has an E-Fair glider ARF (60" wingspan) for $43. With cheapo parts you can be flying for well under $100.
Included in the category are my Phoenix 1949, Feather Merchant, Dallaire Speedster and 100" Aeronaut Aero Master powered glider - all wonderful, floaty, relaxing machines. They are in order in the photos below. Not for the adrenalin junkie for sure, or maybe even the moderately conscious, but to settle back in a comfy lawn chair and spend a few hours thermalling is a great stress reliever. Ripping around boring holes in the sky is certainly fun, but it can get old sometimes as well.
I'm up for some soaring any time!
Eric
Jack also has a (jet) powered glider.
There's probably quite a few gliders in the club.
I hopefully will have my Skeeter E finished shortly. Its only 56 1/4" span so at just 1.42M I come up a little short of the 2M line. Hopefully I will still "fit in" .
Eric the photo of you standing on the green grass of TEMAC is light of hope!
Quote from: Ededge2002 on April 04, 2014, 07:53:06 AM
I hopefully will have my Skeeter E finished shortly. Its only 56 1/4" span so at just 1.42M I come up a little short of the 2M line. Hopefully I will still "fit in" .
As mentioned in the title, this unofficial sub-club is strictly limited to floaty-type flying model airplanes with a wingspan of 2 meters, give or take a meter or so, so I guess your model fits in the class.
;D
If I get out flying on Sunday, I'll bring my 2m Spirit glider.
Quote from: piker on April 04, 2014, 03:23:53 PM
If I get out flying on Sunday, I'll bring my 2m Spirit glider.
On floats, of course! :D
Well, it IS a "floater"...
If it's calm enough to fly, i'll bring out my Sailaire. Wait, it's 3.8m--can I still be in your club guys? ...guys?
Mine is almost ready. All up weight appears to be 24 ounces.........Fffloater! I believe it is called a Highlight and was lucky to score this at the London swap meet.
Glenn
Quote from: bfeist on April 04, 2014, 10:54:14 PM
If it's calm enough to fly, i'll bring out my Sailaire. Wait, it's 3.8m--can I still be in your club guys? ...guys?
Let me amend the parameters.
The wingspan must be 2 meters, or any fraction or multiple of that.
;D
I believe it was also called the "Omega"
http://www.google.ca/search?biw=360&bih=567&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=Y0JAU9fTDoLE2wWu-oCIBA&q=omega+sailplane&oq=omega+sailplane&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.12...0.0.0.15541.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..39.mobile-gws-serp..0.0.0.IiF9T-UsFUY (http://www.google.ca/search?biw=360&bih=567&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=Y0JAU9fTDoLE2wWu-oCIBA&q=omega+sailplane&oq=omega+sailplane&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.12...0.0.0.15541.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..39.mobile-gws-serp..0.0.0.IiF9T-UsFUY)
Nice plane.
Thanks Ed,
The closest I came to finding a name was out of an old Quiet and Electric Flight magazine which referred to a very similar model as a Highlight Speed.
But it was a 2 meter and I think this is a 1.8.
|Glenn
I really enjoyed watching the glider antics today, and am maybe looking at getting a floaty glider myself.
I actually learned to fly on a slope soarer many years ago and got all wistful today.
I like the look of Erics HK recco, the simple built up ARF - thanks, Eric! And the multiplex Solius looks quite nice too.....
I managed to fly my not so floaty Enigma F5B glider today for 25minutes on just 2000mA (4S).
I have my motor run timer set to 45seconds and even though its not that floaty I think I managed ok. I agree it was neat to see some others out there!
It was a new-old experience flying a powered glider again.
One problem I had was that the prop kept spinning after I throttled down, reducing my 'thermalling' capability. (A free-spinning prop acts like a brake on a glider.)
I have since programmed a brake feature on the speed control, so I hope that works better next time.
I recall an analogy I heard many years ago. "Letting a 12" prop free spin on the front of a glider results in the same drag as a fixed disk of over 8" on the front"... if memory serves well :)
I'll bring the re-motored Goldberg Electra this weekend, weather permitting.
I had another flight with the Spectra today, and the re-programmed speed-control/brake worked perfectly.
The motor stopped spinning when throttle was off and the glide was significantly improved.
One side of the folding wasn't folding, but that has now been fixed.
This is very enjoyable.
The re-motored Goldberg Electra had its second maiden today following field cleanup. Lovely old plane, floats forever. It was a little breezy for the airfoil, but I just added some down trim and it penetrated surprisingly well.
I was so inspired by Greg Hs glider and all this talk of 2m gliders that I got myself a cheap foamy.
It's a 2m Phoenix with a little 150watt out runner and folding prop. I added flaps and a visible (Royal) colour scheme. I still want to add some black stripes under the wings.
Hoping to enjoy some relaxing flying after all the racing, and hopefully learn how to thermal.
I'm going to copy the program from the X plane (thanks again Pat.)
Nice Simon,
Funny how we are going full circle. This is how many of us learned how to fly in the first place. I'm really enjoying my London swap meet special!
What company makes the Phoenix?
I got it from HK and it's made by Lan-Yu, I think.
Gets OK reviews on RCGroups.
My first (successful) flying was with Slope Soarers, so I am hoping to re-live some of the magic!