dirtstripper

hello! could anyone recommend a none powered glidert to learn to fly on??? Thanks ED

Ollie

The list of gliders that would be good for you depends on several things:

Where will you fly? On a slope? On the flat?

Do you have a radio? What model?

Can you get flight instruction or must you go it alone?

Have you had any experience with R/C cars, R/C boats or adjusting freeflight models?

Have you used a flight simulator? Can you practise on one?

How much do you plan to spend?

How is your eyesight?

How are your reflexes?

Why do you want to learn how to fly a glider?

Do you have the skills, tools, workplace, time, etc. to build a model from a kit?

How highly motivated are you?

How large a model can you transport to the flying site and have room to store at home?

jocool282

I've flown gliders for years, but just compleated my first kit. If youre planning on building it yourself the Greatplanes Spirit 2M is a very good kit. everything about it was straight forward and it builds well and fast. I've flown 2M and 100in gliders, i strongly recommend starting off w a 2M, they are much more forgiving, and more responsive.

dirtstripper

Thanks Jocool and Ollie for your comments! i really appreaciate it! i havnt learned to fly yet, i just sent for a fms simulator i cant afford a g2! i have a futaba 6 channel radio with standard servos i looked at the tg3 foamie from nesail and thought that that would be good to learn on it is a trainer 71'' wing spanweighs 37 ounces and takes standard servos and a 600 aemah battery pack! 69.95 plus shipping! i figure for the price if i wreck it it wont be that big of a lose! i bought a kadet senior but havnt started to build it yet! im going to go dry fly on the kadet when i finish it! i did build my version of a lazy bee and it came out pretty good concidering i used no plans! thanks again for the imput! BEST ED

D_Dawg

For several reasons ...

A] they are easy to repair in the field ... just bring 5 min. epoxy and duct tape ...

B] they cost less and take less time to get in the air ...

C] they can handle the rough landings better than a balsa build up ...

D] they protect the radio gear nicely ...

I would also consider one that offered Aileron and elevator instead of rudder and elevator ...

and I would suggest looking at one of these for a trainer ...

Anabat slope trainer

Cheap and easy to put together ... and will take a beating ... will fly in light lift conditions ...

My 2 cents worth

dirtstripper

Hello D DAWD! thanks for putting in YOUR 2 cents! i really do appreciate it! i think im definatly going to go with a foamie to try to learn on and your anabat sounds like a great choice! thanks again for your input and expertise!! BEST ED

slopeboy

Hi RCGO! You can try Floyds are fun at http://members.aol.com/Tsteel.head/floyd.html and try my Floyd glider construction page. at www.geocities.com/sparkir/index.html Are if you like to build, try to get a 2x4 made by House of Balsa is a good plane .Are try using the search engine Goggle and look DAW 126 2-meter and read all it. and e-mail and let me know what you think? I have one for sell Late!

dirtstripper

hi slopeboy! thanks for all the great info! the sites in northeast pa. look great! i just sent away for a anabat 48'' trainer foamie! i also sent away foe a fms simulator hope between the 2 ill be able to learn to fly! cant afford a g2 simulator! do you know of any clubs around my area, Phila Pa? im retired and would like to find some one to fly with or a club to join! anyway thanks for your input i really appreate it! BEST REGARDS ED

fprintf

Ed: perhaps I missed it, but did you say whether you will be flying from a hill or from a flat field?

If you are only flying from a flat field, you will be very disappointed with the flying performace of a glider designed for the slope - they tend to sink very quickly, having been designed generally for much greater lift than we can find on a flat field.

Good luck! If you get abmitious and want to try a simulator that more closely simulates gliders try the CRRCSim from YahooGroups - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crrcsim/ . It does require a few downloads but I have found it *much* better for teaching thermaling and sloping.

edit: p.s. To find slope flying locations, I find www.slopeflyer.com to be a great resources. http://www.slopeflyer.com/artman/pub...ticle_70.shtml has some slope locations in Lancaster County, which looks like quite a drive for you. But since Philly is on the coast, I would presume that a short drive to the MD or NJ coastline would dig up some slopes as well.

dirtstripper

Thanks for all the help and info Fprintf! i would be trying to use the trainer glider on slopes or hills! thanks again for the help BEST ED

D_Dawg

It is easy to fly ... a great plane to learn on ... and WILL fly in light lift .... Mine always goes with me ... flys anywhere ... and you don't worry about crashes ... why land ... just catch it!

dirtstripper

sent for the anabat trainer yesterday! im sure ill like it and wont worry about crashing it! really appreciate your advice and expertise! BEST ED

D_Dawg

I have been flying for over 30 years and RC for 23 of those years ...

I started out on a Hobby-Shack "Spirit of 76" foam glider, which flew about 5 minutes its first flight ...

that was how long to take me to learn how to do my 1st loop! well, half a loop ... as pulling out of the entry dive (too steep & way too much speed) ... The wings folded and I made a "lawn dart" out of it ....

The good thing was ... it was foam! 20 minutes later, I was in the air and flying again ... Epoxy and duct tape! I still have my 1st glider ... yellowed and battle scared ... but the wings still hang on the wall in the garage ...

I have flow many types of planes since, both power and glider.

I have my ANABAT for 2 reasons ... it flys well in light lift and will always do a T & L (toss and Land) ... and it is a great trainer for my 3 year old ... and he is amazing me .... he may even solo by the time he is 4 ...

He is fortunate enough that I do have plenty of "Toys" for him to grow into ... and I do have the G2 flight sim which he loves to play with ...

So he may one day inherit and out fly his old man ... Naw ... unless my eyes keep getting worse.

Enjoy ... oh by the way ... once you can fly a glider ... you can fly anything with wings! as Gliders only get ONE shot to land!

mike nolasco

do you know where i can get a copy of instructions for this plane?
HOBBY SHACK SPIRIT OF '76

I am halfway done building and lost the instructions.

thank you.

Jack Hyde

My Feedback: (1)

TG-3 as a trainer
I started RC flying with a TG-3 from DAW. I flew it several times a week for about a year, launching with a histart. It is a very tough plane but had a high sink rate and short flights. Then I built a Kestrel 2m and it immediately flew great. My guess is the TG-3 is good for learning slope but gets tedious if you are relying on thermals to keep the plane up. The Highlander is a pretty good thermal flying EPP plane.
My flying buddy built a TG-3 to teach fliers new to winching. It came out heavy and with not enough washout and it was almost impossible to launch and came down like a rock. One guy on the net says he routinely hand launches his TG-3 and it climbs out. I would as soon fly a softball.

AirHead256

Highlander on the ebabe.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3109373582
Can't go far wrong for a slopin-n-floatin foamy 2M.
Santa Fe Silent Fliers---

GotCoffee66

What an awesome concept!!! I might give that a try when I get my glider. I don't think it's to good an idea to catch my Avistar.

D_Dawg

I would suggest start of catching a foamie or even a gentle lady first ...

and you want to be comfortable flying with one hand and one thumb!