Cummins

Hi,
I am looking at a way of getting into RC gliding to see whether it would be a hobby I would enjoy and be able to do. I live in an area where finding some open space with stong(ish) winds would be no problem whatsoever. I would like to get a powered glider and start make a decent step into the world of gliding, preferably starting with a small glider and building it up from a kit, the problem is, finding a place to get gliders in the UK. [link=http://www.srcm.co.uk/system/index.html]This[/link] is about the only place I know so if you have a link please give it me. Also, with a non-powered glider, ie. the tradional type of throw em and fly em, how easy is it to get some altitude to do some decent soaring with? I thought that gliding was "chuck it off a hill and fly it around until it runs out of air to fly and hits the ground at the bottom of the hill" but is it possible to hand launch a non-powered glider on a flat surface like a playing field and get some decent altitude to soar? If it is, then I would probably go for a non-powered. Also, budget is a HUGE consideration and I may end up having to buy the air-frame then save up for the radio or vice verser. Any info/criticisms/advice/link/vids/etc would be HUGELY useful as it is hard to find a site which has a large amount of information aimed at the novice like me and gives a guide on the "how to get into RC gliding" thing as it looks hugely enjoyable. Also, to help me make up my mind, would it be better for me to get a simulator (Real Flight G3) so I can see how each type of model (trainer/3D/glider/heli/scale) is like to operate? I would like to get a trainer anyway. Also, is there any free plans for scratch building a good beginners glider instead of buying a kit. Thanks in advance,

Chris.

Tall Paul

There's a number of ways to get a plane in the air in flat territory.
Simplest is to throw it.
The latest variation on this is to have a peg in one wingtip, which lets the pilot get more leverage than a straight-ahead toss. ala a discus thrower.
Discus Launhed Glider... DLG, vs HLG, hand launched glider.
Then there's combinations of sturdy string and rubber tubing, about 50 feet of tubing, 200 feet or more of string, which pulls the airplane up.
The more sophisticated versions use an electric winch.
And easist of all, and the best instructor, is tossing the plane off a hill. With any wind, keeping the plane up and landing close by, not at the bottom of the hill really improves your flying abilities.

Cummins

Thanks for the advice, I'll keep that in mind. With regarding radios, is a complex computer radio really neccesary for just fun flying? Could I get away with the Futaba Sky Sport? It is only 4 channels but that is all that is needed for gliding and until I go into complex gliders with flaps and electric winches etc, I will only need 2-4 channels. I was thinking of getting the glider on the fourth one down on the link above on the left column and then fitting a micro system. The main problem is cost. This hobby is very expensive to make the initial plunge with as I will have to buy: radio, batteries, servos, reciever, charger, simulator, plane, materials and everything else needed (with the exception of the sim which is optional but I think it will be hugely helpful for learning the basic tricks. So far, it works out like this:

1) Glider kit - £34.99
2) Futaba Field Force 6XS Transmitter - £99.99
3) Graupner lipo4 Charger - £12.77
4) Kokam 640mah (15C) 2series - £15.90
5) 2x Het Sub Micro servo - £16
6) Voltage Regulator 2Amp Low Voltage - £15
7) ACT Mini Receiver - £32.99
8) 12 Gel Cell with Charger - £26.99

_________________________________________
= £254.63 Excl VAT on some of them!

Probably closer to £300 when P & P and VAT is added.

Thats alot of money for me. It should be doable though, I'll try. Please critisise everything I'm getting and show cheaper alternatives.

Thanks
Chris

J3FAN

My best ADVISE to you at this moment ........
The scope of your questions is so VAST that it would require volumes of transcribed experiences to satisfy your enormous quest for information.

Since you are already into RCU .....ALL THE INFO you need has already been posted, even repeated, expanded, discussed, thrashed about ALMOST TO THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION.

Take your time, READ READ READ and SURF SURF SURF through all and each post that mentions a subject you want information on.

EVERYTHING has been written up........ITS EASY ENOUGH, go find it.

There is MORE INFORMATION than you require , only it will take you a bit of time to find it.

J3FAN

EVERYTHING you need to know
HAS ALREADY BEEN POSTED (sometime - somewhere)
even repeated, discussed, expanded, enlarged
to the point of exhaustion.
What you should DO is just stay in RCU and SURF SURF SURF......READ READ READ
"ALL" your questions have already been answered.
you need to do a bit of searching and you will find all your answers.

Cummins

Woh, crazy double post. lol . There is a few questions which I havn't found the answer for yet and one of them is:

Is a simulator useful and necessary for glider training? I know for powered flight it is and for helis but is the Real Flight G3 simulator accurate enough to simulate flying a glider accurately?

Thanks,
Chris

J3FAN

I will give you an answer with RESERVATIONS

the BASIC performance of a GLIDER can be achieved very quickly and without much risk.
except maybe for the actual act of getting it to initial altitude. ( winch - HiStart - hand/peg - PiggyBack or slope)......essentially you have the fundamentals : right/ left/ up/ down at your fingers through the transmitter sticks.....i.e. rightleft/rudder updown/elevator
Because glider flight occurs in very reduced or slowed up action , performance decisions are not "rushed" and you have time to think it out. It rushes a bit on landings, this"decision" factor.

I have trained RC for longer than 30 years. My latest student was safely soloed with just 6 flights total on a motorized trainer plane. He had practiced a long time on a simulator.

A sim. IMHO is not an absolute requirement to start flying gliders. It may be a bit of a help but I just cannot say it helps a lot. Maybe in "orientation" (?)....if you can get your hands on a flying glider (launched by someone experienced) you should be flying within minutes. I am guessing that you are a YOUNG PERSON.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Maybe this would be helpful. It is not clear if you want an electric glider, a slope glider or a thermal duration glider. Maybe these articles will help you focus in on your target.

The New Glider Pilot's Handbook
by Ed Andreson

Welcome to the world of silent flight. If you plan to fly gliders and
sailplanes, whether slope or thermal, powered or pure, this series of articles
may be helpful in getting off to a good start. They are written with the new
glider pilot in mind. I hope you find them useful.

Getting Started in Sailplanes
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=36

Radio Systems Part 1 - Standard Radios
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=44

Radio Systems Part 2 - Computer Radios - The right choice for almost everyone
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=65

Sailplane Launching Systems
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=55

How to use a Hi-Start
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=52

Finding Lift
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=57

How Slope Soaring Works
http://users.iafrica.com/s/st/stevemac/afc/ssoar.html

Sailplanes are Wonderful
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=18

Plane Locators & Battery Monitors
http://www.rcezine.com/cms/article.php?cat=&id=67

The AMA, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, is an outstanding resource to the
new and experienced flyer. I encourage you to become a member. Here is an
outstanding series of articles published by the AMA that will be really useful
to new pilots, especially new e-glider pilots. It is called, "From the Ground
Up" by Bob Aberle. I highly recommend it.
http://www.modelaircraft.org/mag/FTGU/Part1/index.html

RC Clubs in the United States:
http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubmai...5E31DE4FA6F552

International RC Clubs
http://www.fai.org/fai_members/addresses.asp


Additional Articles and Resources

Colorado Gliders
http://www.coloradogliders.com/tools.htm#articles

How thermals work
http://www.scalesoaring.net/thermals.html

RC Soaring Digest - online magazine
http://www.b2streamlines.com/RCSD.html

Read this next article only if you like to dabble in deeper technical stuff.
This article
is on advanced set-up of a full house sailplane. Definitely not something a
beginner, or even a many experienced sailplane pilot need to do. This is more
for competition pilots, but if you like to look at some of the advanced stuff,

this might be fun. It is a translation, so take your time as you read it.
http://www.gliders.dk/triming_and_se...der_wi_eng.htm

If you have a high speed link, take a look at these videos of beautiful scale
sailplanes being flow off the slopes of Taiwan. Magnificent!
http://www.dwhs.tnc.edu.tw/~andycheng/wmv/200502.wmv
http://myweb.ncku.edu.tw/~n2893166/w...agon_cliff.wmv

Cummins

WOW! Thanks for the links! I am writing this in a hurry and so have not hard time to work through them yet. My primary ideas were for a powered electric glider. I will have to read through that stuff first though. As I have said, thanks for the links!

Thanks,
Chris