Hello everyone and thank you in advance for your reponse. I am wanting to get into the rc flight scene but want a little bit of a challenge so I want my first flight to be with a glider, I have been flying highend stunt kites for several years and want to cut the string and get into gliders. I just started my search for my first glider but I guess what I really want is some advice on which glider is best for a first choice. I have looked at the GP Spirit and Spirit Elite and also the Goldberg FL. I want a glider that will get me in the air yet be able to progress with me as I move up not just a trainer.

The Spirit Elite was my first plane I soloed the first time out....you'll get great flight times and a very forgiving self righting flying on the wing plane you will ever own, your kite flying experience or at least some of it will transition to flying an rc glider I got my start the same way knowing about wind speed , wind direction thermals etc are all relative and should serve you well , GOOD LUCK !

NewHobbie1982, not to go off topic but, have you ever flown a Shockwave kite. I have 1 and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 1 second ( Literally ), best 300 bucks I ever spent.

I have never flown the shockwave I was looking at getting a flexi for power kiting then I decided the kite thing was getting a little old and want to get into rc.

New to sailplanes?

You really ought to check out the RCU forum that's just for sailplanes: RC Gliders, Sailplanes and Slope Soaring

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_112/tt.htm

We let beginners post there too.

Those are good choices. That is, if the Goldberg FL is actually a Gentle Lady by Goldberg. They're both 2meter, and that's an excellent size to begin with. It's best to go with at least a 2meter size. Smaller gliders are ok, but for thermal soaring, increasing size increases the rate you'll find and catch thermals.

You've mentioned two versions of the Spirit. That suggests you're looking at the two kits Tower sells. They're basically the same airplane. The Elite happens to offer the option to build the flat wing with ailerons version. For a beginner, it's usually better to start with a polyhedral wing, one without ailerons. The ones you mention are thermal soarers and for beginners, the rudder/elevator/polyhedral layout is absolutely the best way for beginners.

Thermal gliders are often flown to altitudes where the model is a speck, a very small speck. (It's called specking out as a matter of fact.) Dealing with your model when it's just a dot is a lot easier for beginners when the model's roll stability is aided by the polyhedral.

Swing by the glider forum next time. There's lots to read over there. And more specialists to help with your questions.

By my experience ( since 1973), do yourself a BIG favor and stay away from the Spirit Elite as a first sailplane. The FG fusalage will cause you nothing but heart break. The two I bought were both twisted, one out 1" to the right, both were "dry seamed". I could remove the glass seaming tape with my finger nail.1 fusalage actually split apart in flight. With extensiverepair they do fly well.

Regarding the Spirit kit, I have always been a fan of building your own plane(s).Both plane are basiclly the same except the spirit has a built up fusalage.It will provide you with the skills you willl need to repair your planes now and in the future. You will know how they are designed and constructed.
For a beginner I agree that polyhedrial is the way to go for stable flight, you don't need flaps to start with and in fact a rudder/elevator ship will do just fine to begin with.
Buy a radio that you can grow with...

I started out 25 years ago with The gentle lady and the Sagitta sailplanes.
I left the hobby for 20 years and started up again last year.
I fly an easy glider pro. it has an electric motor to get you to altitude then glide.
Made of very durable foam.
I understand the simplicity of going with the 3 channels but I would go with ailerons.

pop

I disagree on the size needed to catc thermals... once you gain experience that is... I have open class to DLG's and they all catch thermals well.. The smaller the glider the closer to the ground you can be to catch one...

It's all relative,We used to hand launchour 100" Maestro's and catch thermals. But, it was easier with my Aquila's.

Holy Cow $300 for a kite[X(]. I didnt know they made stunt kites. The only kites I ever seen are the ones you can get at wal-mart. I'm gonna do a search on these kites, they sound fun.

Hey guys thanks for all the input I think I will go will the GP Spirit and spend the money on a better radio. As for the kites here is a link from the people I used to get my kites through http://www.intothewind.com/ these are a couple steps above the wally world kind.

Here's a vid of the control these kite's have and so much more that the video doesn't show. They areVERYHARD to fly at 1st, but once you learn, you will be addicted. No money for fuel, motors,esc's, batteries, tires, prop's etc...

You,4 stringsand the wind, now go BUY a Revolution Shockwave!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg48F...eature=related

ok that kite crap is seriously insane thanks for the link...... Oh and he i just got a fling 2m glider thing is fun and easy to fly and thermals nicely..... Oh and cheao