twisted blade

I want the best all around multipurpose high quality sailplane; I need the following capabilities.

1. Fly the high winds of open planes
2. Self launching for solo flying
3. Easily packable for airline/automotive travels
4. Ridge soaring, performance in high wind like beach cliffs or windy mountains ridges
5. Real thermo soaring, wingspan capable of offsetting electric power weight
6. Aerobatic maneuvers, capable of high speed
7. Easy to maneuver in to tight landing spots

Currently looking at the following:

Parada
Omega II 2M E w/ Flaps
Renny 2ME with flaps
Fly Q
Siren ARF’s
Gabby-E With Flaps
Cumulus XXL
Elipsoid II Sport
Bingo

evan-RCU

Best all around high quality... With the list of capabilities you want able to thermal, slope, aerobatic, high speed, land on a dime you are asking alot.

You may have to make trade offs to get everything especially the thermal and high speed (I consider high speed 120+).

Some of your list is not very good quality and most will not do everything on your capabilities list.

To get what you want you'll need a lightly loaded (thermal), composite (quality), four servo wing (able to slow for spot landings and to reconfigure the wing for speed and thermal), high power (speed), two piece wing no bigger than around 85" (transportable) plane.

None of your list meet these requirements for me. If high speed is say 80mph maybe a couple would work.... In fact there are very few planes that meet your requirements at all, specifically a big stiff 4 servo wing that is a 2 piece...


Not sure how you'll carry this with you on the plane but a couple choices;

You'll have to cut flaps into the wing but the wing is 2 piece and the tail comes off;
http://www.soaringusa.com/products/p...ategory_id=262
or;
http://www.soaringusa.com/products/p...ategory_id=262


Or bigger if you use a ski tube;
http://www.soaringusa.com/products/p...ategory_id=262

Tinkrerpilot

My Feedback: (2)

That one has not been designed yet!

More of what you are planning on doing the most of will determine what type of model would more suit you. All models will slope, but not all models will thermal well.
Iwould have to agree with Evan on the selection. There are plenty out there to chose from. Just have to decide what type of flying is more important, and what you are going to more of...........


tink

twisted blade

OK,

Guys, I know I’m asking a lot, so let me redefine my needs.

I really value your input; the trial and error process gets expensive buying and selling to find what works.

In order of importance and need redefined:
1. Self-launching for solo flying and climb with power, Texas is flat and windy most of the time.
2. Good thermo lift and wingspan to offsetting electric power weight
3. Easy to maneuver in to tight landing spots
4. Aerobatic maneuvers for fun and to carry energy to penetrate the wind, so I can reel it back and slow it down for that tight cliffs when rigde flying.

Thanks

evan-RCU

Now you have choices.... of your list the Omega II 2M E w/ Flaps, Gabby-E With Flaps, and Bingo look the best to me. Is the Bingo a 2 piece wing though?

Taking high speed out of the equasion changes everything.

I'll do some more searching at work for some more choices...

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Since you have not defined a budget I presume money is no object. You have told us nothing about what easy transport means or high speed so again, that leaves out a lot.

Here would be my pick

Supra E
http://www.kennedycomposites.com/suprae.htm

Be sure to put in the Ballast tube and pick up the brass ballast system
http://www.kennedycomposites.com/supra-repl.htm

This will do all you asked.

Depending on how fast a climb you want, I would recommend the 400 watt or the 700 watt motors
http://www.kennedycomposites.com/motors.htm#

I carry my Supra on airplanes in a Sport Tube Ski case. No problems.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I really enjoy my Omega 2m. Its not particuarly stand out at anything but its a good all around performer and when the air is good it themals well, its fairly slick so it penetrates wind with the flaps reflexed a few degees and lands well with crow activated.

evan-RCU

Nice plane, can the wings break down after it's built? (Supra)

I really like the Bingo, looks nice and big and light. Kinda like the E1500 I modified but smaller.

twisted blade

About the travel issue, it needs to break it down so it can fit across my back seat (yes I have a full size auto).

Concerning price, will to pay for quality but could care less about wow factors. On the speed issue guys, I was defining speed as means to building energy for penetration back to the fly zone and or recovery point.

The more you know the better,

Thanks for helping,

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

The Omega has a 2 piece wing and though I glued them, the VTail is held on by two nylon bolts and can be removable.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

Supra wing is 3 piece with carbon joiners. Comes with 0, 2.5 and 5 degree joiners. I would use the 0 for slope racing and the 5 degree for thermal soaring. 2.5 might be good for windy thermal soaring.

Speed is not how I would describe wind penetration. I thought you were talking about high speed slope aerobatics or dynamic soaring.

Supra does VERY well in wind. I usually add ballast when we get over 15 mph winds. 14 ounces works very well up to about 20+ on the thermal field. I have ballasted mine up as much as 35 ounces just to give it a try. At that weight I think it could handle a hurricane.

twisted blade

I really like the Supera, it is just to big to travel with.

I need to stick to 2.5m or less in size.

twisted blade

OK,

Thanks for all the help, I'm going for the Bingo.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

My Spirit 2m glider has a two piece wing, each half of which is about 39" long.

A typical 2.5M 100" plane has a two piece wing that breaks down to two wing sections of about 50" each

My Supra has a 3.4M wing span. The longest piece is 58"

Many 2M gliders have you join the wing halves with epoxy for a wing of about 79" long

The hardest one to transport in a car is the 2M 1 piece wing. All the others easily fit in the back seat of any car or in a sport tube for airline travel.

evan-RCU

Airline travel can be difficult nowadays. Not only the plane itself but the transmitter and LiPos if it's an electric. Even taking my small one with me raises eyebrows....

Eplane65

My Feedback: (16)

You have to look at a Mistral 2600 at www.espritmodel.com

It is beautifully made and only costs a little more that some of the foamies on the market.

evan-RCU

I have a Mistral....

How it fits your original criteria;

1. Fly the high winds of open planes- yes
2. Self launching for solo flying- yes
3. Easily packable for airline/automotive travels- airline sort of, the wings are pretty long but the hor stab unbolts, by car yes easily fits in the back of my Corvette.
4. Ridge soaring, performance in high wind like beach cliffs or windy mountains ridges- yes but not what it's designed for
5. Real thermo soaring, wingspan capable of offsetting electric power weight- yes though it has a fairly high wing loading
6. Aerobatic maneuvers, capable of high speed- NO not what I would call aerobatic
7. Easy to maneuver in to tight landing spots- yes, good crow effectiveness


How it fits your revised criteria;

In order of importance and need redefined:
1. Self-launching for solo flying and climb with power, Texas is flat and windy most of the time.- Yes
2. Good thermo lift and wingspan to offsetting electric power weight- yes though it has firly high wing loading
3. Easy to maneuver in to tight landing spots- yes, good crow effectiveness
4. Aerobatic maneuvers for fun and to carry energy to penetrate the wind, so I can reel it back and slow it down for that tight cliffs when rigde flying. Not good aerobatic, I would worry about the wings. it is able to carry energy, it can slow way down for landing and has good stability when slow.



I think the Bingo is a better choice but the Mistral is not bad either.

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I know your primary travel concern is by car, but since we have spoken about travel in general, I thought I would share this.

Sport Tube 3 - Great for airline travel. The height is adjustable to accomodate whatever you put inside.
http://www.amazon.com/SporTube-Snowb...5679555&sr=8-2

I have put both my Supra 3.4M and my Thermal Dancer 3.1M sailplanes in the one Sport tube at the same time. Fits in the back of my SUB, or on a roof rack or for plane travel. Has wheels to make it easy to transport. Would not fit well in a regular sedan, except maybe in the passenger seat with the seat back down.

Just more options.