RE: the simple flying pleasure of a 2M R/E glider
I recently had my hands on the controls of a friends 2M sailplane, rudder and elevator only. No ailerons or spoilers. I was told that in the case of this design, ailerons would have added unwanted weight and taken away the needed flex in the wing. This plane is only good on calm days but it will rise with just the slightest hint of lift.
There is one additional device. There is a servo in the center pod that is connected to two very thin wires that reach out to each wing tip. The servo applies or releases tension in the wing which changes how it flies and responds to wind and lift. It also twists the wing just a bit. You can see the results immediately but it takes patients to learn how to take advantage of this device.
I like the idea because it is something new and there are no experts or guide lines. I put the idea forward to him and he, the master builder, went ahead and built it. The wing has already been torn apart to build the second generation. We are developing a new structure for the wing that will allow changes to be made in the field.