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New to sailplanes - 11/18/2011 1:20 AM   
zdog59


 

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From: , VA, USA
Status: offline 		 Hey all,

I'm relatively new to the RC sport and have an interest in sailplanes.  Currently I've been flying for about 3 months and have a 40 series Avistar.  I've been flying with an instructor and made very good progress.  To date I'm  taking off, landing and doing some simple aerobatics.  I'm also getting comfortable flying in some challenging wind/weather situations.  In addition, I own realflight 5.5 and am getting a good deal of hours with different planes.

I'm a new member of the local club (lots of nitro stuff)  but the field is a good distance away from me.  After flying some sailplanes on realflight and watching one of the club member fly his radian pro a couple weeks back, I've built an interest in sailplanes as a way to better understand aerodynamics and have some fun flying at the local parks.  I currently have a Futaba 2.4 7C and have started experimenting with mixing controls.  That concept really interests me.  The question is,  should I look at getting a Radian or Radian pro.  I've read quite a bit about the pro being too much for a beginner, but I'm also concerned with a 3 channel aircraft.  I currently fly using mostly ailerons,  and rudder on landing.  I'm not sure how it would be flying a plane with just rudder.  (Also, on a 3 channel, do people set up the ruder on the right or left thumbstick?) 

I think thermal hunting would be fun, (however I've also done some slope soaring on rf and it's been a lot of fun) I'm just not sure if I would limit myself with the radian.  Anyway, any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.  From what I've heard the radian is a bit more relaxed and really give the opp to learn how to find thermals.  maybe tha tis the way...oh and one last thing, is there a particular reciever one would use from a range perspective, etc?  Obviously I would need a Futaba...any compatability issues with the components in those planse?

Thanks in advance,

Mike!


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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/18/2011 3:00 AM   
da Rock



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Status: offline 		Either setup works. A book could be written comparing rudder/elevator to aileron/rudder/elevator. Both Radians are easy to fly. Flip a coin.

It's been an accepted practice to setup rudder/elevator planes with both function on the right stick. Truth is, there really is nothing wrong with flying RE planes with the rudder on the left stick. A book could be written explaining why that'd be a great thing to do when you're learning to fly, but bottom line is most people choose to do it the "easy way".

Unless you've got some pretty huge parks to fly, thermal hunting doesn't really fit into park flying. If the parks are small or have lots of picnic'ers/walkers/etc you're not in the safest environment with your propped airplane.

Sorry I don't have time to go into much more, but with luck you'll get a lot more advice.

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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/18/2011 3:03 AM   
da Rock



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Status: offline 		Oh yeah, you won't be limiting the thremal hunting with a Radian. It's as good as most 2meters at the task.

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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/18/2011 2:20 PM   
da Rock



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Status: offline 		A buddy of mine recently went through the same questioning about which Radian to buy.

I happen to fly at a couple of different clubs. There is a flyer at one of them who has owned both. He said if there was a difference in their thermalling ability he couldn't tell it. And he was at a loss to answer of one was harder to fly than the other.

My buddy recently got the flat wing. MOF, I'll get to fly it in about an hour. He discovered that his TX couldn't do all the magic things possible a flapped aileron glider can do. So he'll just have normal flaps and his crow won't be very crow-ish.

I'd suggest the choice really is a flip of the coin.

Being able to flip a switch and have a slight reflex might be worth it on a higher performance glider, but I doubt it'll turn the Radian into a Sagitta, and the Sagitta didn't have flaps. But he can get just a touch of flap and that often gives good payback when you're in a thremal.

Good luck with whichever one you buy. Tell us how it goes.

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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/18/2011 5:39 PM   
skylark-flier



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Status: offline 		Hey Mike, your located in VA - where? 

Dave



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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/18/2011 7:47 PM   
RogerParrett


 

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Status: offline 		Hi there.... I have both Radians.

Both fly nice... But for shear relaxation and not having to move the sticks much, nothing beats the standard Radian at 1,000 lazily hunting for thermals. I typically get 30+ minute flights with it, after using the motor to get to above 500 feet.

On the other hand, if you want to experiment with Butterfly/Crow, full-span ailerons, different flight modes, and fancy mix'ens, the Pro is the way to go without having to spend $1,500 on a carbon/'glass full-house sailplane. That is assuming you have a radio with Sailplane programming.

r/s... Roger Parrett


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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/19/2011 12:09 PM   
zdog59


 

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Status: offline 		Hey All,

Thanks.  Still not sure.  I know my tx (futaba 7c) does have a lot of the mixing functions so there should not be a problem with the pro.  Dave, I'm in Richmond.  However am very familiar with the Shenandoah Valley area. (went to school at JMU...years ago)  One of the motivators for a sail plane was in reference to some of the mountain areas I've been to out there.

Mike



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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/19/2011 11:31 PM   
zdog59


 

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Status: offline 		Ok,

Went with the Radian RTF.   Theory was that I would have had to spend another 100 for a Futaba receiver and battery.  Actually cheaper to get the RTF.  I will say I was a bit dis enchanted when at both hobby stores their reps said I was essentially wasting my time b/c there are no thermals around here?  From a scientific stand point I would imagine thermals are just about anywhere there are variances  in terrain temperature and air??? Is this ignorance on my part or theirs?  I'm looking forward to a bit of lazy flying and maybe some slope stuff.  Which brings me to another question, what type of winds is the plane capable of flying in?  And an suggestions on how to get started? 

Going to the field tomorrow and will be flying my nitro Avistar.  But was thinking about breaking out the Radian later in the afternoon after most had left?  and tips?


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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/20/2011 12:40 AM   
da Rock



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quote:

ORIGINAL: zdog59
I will say I was a bit dis enchanted when at both hobby stores their reps said I was essentially wasting my time b/c there are no thermals around here?  From a scientific stand point I would imagine thermals are just about anywhere there are variances  in terrain temperature and air??? Is this ignorance on my part or theirs? 


lol..... The ignorance is theirs. There are thermals even in Virginia. Ever seen Virginia buzzards having to call a cab to get to their next meal?


quote:

.  Which brings me to another question, what type of winds is the plane capable of flying in?  And an suggestions on how to get started? 

Going to the field tomorrow and will be flying my nitro Avistar.  But was thinking about breaking out the Radian later in the afternoon after most had left?  and tips?



What speed winds? A buddy flew his brand new Radian for the first time Monday. Winds were gusting to 20+mph. Was that sensible? No, but entirely possible. On the other hand, we flew yesterday and it was a smarter choice. Every flight he got to his "uncomfortable" altitude. It's his first glider so he's not specking out. The airplane is a very good 1st glider.

Tips? Don't put the biggest battery in the sucker. We put a 1300mAh in and it flew significantly better than it had with the 2000mAh he started with. We moved it aft after one flight and it flew even better. "Aft" was about halfway into the battery compartment, not shoved all the way in.

He had the flaps setup with 3 positions. Zero degrees, about 5 degrees and full (something like 40 degrees). He used the 5 degrees whenever he was in a thermal. It worked good for him.

It's a good glider.

Oh, btw........... we "called the buzzards" a couple of times. We'd be circling in a thremal and here they came. They'd make a few laps and boogie on. It was humorous that they came to us more than we went to them. Not usually the case, but it was yesterday. Hope it is tomorrow as well.


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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/20/2011 1:06 AM   
zdog59


 

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Status: offline 		HAHA,

Yeah thanks, thats great info!

I was watching today and saw quite a few Buzzards circling and what looked like "riding the wind" so was thinking it wasn't me....

Here is the other funny thing...I was trying to put my 2000 mha in at the time you sent the message....lol...will put the 1300 in now.

Sounds like you friend got the pro model, I got the straight 3 channel (even though I was looking hard at the pro) but am really looking forward gliding around. 

Thanks for the help.




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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/20/2011 7:35 PM   
speedracerntrixie


 

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Status: offline 		Welcome to the world of soaring. I myself just got back into it after flying power aerobatics for 13 years. I have a very understanding wife who now has agreed to going to IMAC, Pattern, Pylon and now soaring events with me. The no thermals comment is priceless. When I worked for a hobby shop we started importing a line of sailplanes from Germany called Airjet. They were works of art with blow molded fuses and balsa covered foam surfaces. Quite advanced for the day ( 1986 ). We were at the Chicago model expo on dealers on;y day ( Friday ) And I could not convince a dealer form Florida that he had thermals. He kept repeating " No thermals in Floor E da"  LOL  Have fun with it as it is one of the purest form of R/C and will teach you loads about what mother earth is doing constantly that most have no clue about.


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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/20/2011 8:09 PM   
da Rock



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Status: offline 		No thermals in FloorEda, lol..... I worked on the Everglades side of Miami International for a few years. Looking to the southwest from work you'd often see huge flights of buzzards circling. Depending on the time of day, they were heading out or coming home. Ask the guys who say there are no thermals in Va/Fla how dem' buzzards get so high without flapping their wings.

BTW, when I was in Minnesnowta, some of us thermalled in the middle of winter. Snow everywhere but as long as it isn't coming down, and the sun is out....

< Message edited by da Rock -- 12/17/2011 7:08 PM >

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RE: New to sailplanes - 11/20/2011 11:53 PM   
zdog59


 

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Status: offline 		Well the good news, I got the Radian all set up and ready to go.  However, I chickend out today. lol Winds here were 15 plus and blowing straight cross at our field.  (with some big gusts) I would have been launching upwind.  I did fly my Avistar and landings were really squirrlely.. not to mention I was being push all day.  However, I kept looking out over the fields and seeing all the buzzards soaring....I have to say I was a bit envious.   But not know what kind of winds, I figured I'd better play it safe and wait for a bit calmer day.  After all the instruction book did say: "Parkzone recommends you fly this plane in light winds."     The other funny thing, I found myself wondering everytime there was a slight winds shift if there was a thermal around. lol...

BTW: Thanks for everyones help, I can't wait to get out and start "exploring"

Mike


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RE: New to sailplanes - 12/17/2011 3:02 PM   
hooker53



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Status: offline 		Mike, hope your having fun with the Radian. The "NO Thermals" in Va. is a indeed funny. I'v flew dif forms of RC since birth almost and in between that, ultrqalites and Exp. I can assure you there are Thermals in the Old Dom. My Lazair proved that out.

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