RE: Turbine Gliders
Hi Darren,
It really depends what you want to do with it.
If it is just a power assist to get you aloft then your power to weight ratio can be tiny. Even for my aerobatic gliders I tend to aim for an idea of 0.5 :1 PTW. Anything over that is a bonus.
I have seen many turbine glider conversions work really well. I have also seen a few not so well. The ones that are were so good were a result of someone trying to fly a glider that is not up to the job either too fast, or too strenuously.
Consider if you want to be doing aeros with it, and if so is the model designed for it? We must have all seen that 9m span turbine glider video from years back where the guy just simply flies the wings off the model right??? I have seen a few other cases like this, and its just not pretty!
Also remember the extra speed that is capable with this set up. I remember watching a glider that was obviously too small for the amount of power that was being put through it. Coupled with being under engineered, and over flown ( Too hard, too fast) the end result was inevitable.
Regards Al