RCU Forums

RCU Forums (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/)
-   RC Gliders, Sailplanes and Slope Soaring (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-gliders-sailplanes-slope-soaring-112/)
-   -   Slope Soaring in NC (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-gliders-sailplanes-slope-soaring-112/2385849-slope-soaring-nc.html)

rscarawa 11-29-2004 12:52 PM

Slope Soaring in NC
 
Does anyone know if there is a directory of Soaring sites? I am specifically looking for a slope site in the foothills of North Carolina.

thx

evan-RCU 11-29-2004 01:23 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
The Hump, about 3 miles west on the blue Ridge PKWY from the HWY 16 crossing. Winds from the SE to SW. Season starts in about a month.

rscarawa 11-29-2004 03:24 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Thanks for the reply.

Will the wind be ok for a thermal glider (ie Spirit 2M)?


Scot

evan-RCU 11-29-2004 06:40 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
On a light wind day it'll be great, I have a bud that flys a BOT and he loves it there. Where do you live/ fly/ do you fly power? My cell is 779-1767, call if the winds are right and you want to go, I usually have tuesdays and sundays off....

rscarawa 11-29-2004 10:20 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
I have flown with you before in Charlotte. I have the old CAP 231. In fact, I have flown with the guy (can't remember name) who has the BOT.

At any rate, if you want to head up on a Sunday, I am game for that if I can get a couple days notice.

Thx and take care.


Scot

evan-RCU 11-30-2004 08:57 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
BOT- that's Dave....

Carolina Raptor 12-05-2004 11:11 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
OK, what am I in trouble for now?? :)

Just kidding.. got to get back up on the hill soon..

sdavis9990 10-02-2010 09:26 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Are you guys still around Charlotte and flying? I have a BOT and Spirit Elite and fly out by the speedway all the time. I also have been to the Hump. Heading up that way today, but the winds may not be right. My cell is: 704-763-0881

Scott
Concord, NC

evan-RCU 10-02-2010 05:14 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Still around...

Carolina Raptor 10-02-2010 06:01 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
I've not been as active, still have the gear.

Looks like they are flying not far from me now, have to find something cheap to fly.

Guessing the old high start is junk after a few years...

evan-RCU 10-02-2010 08:13 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Yes, I befriended Humpy and got the site for a club field then when he left I contacted Marcus and we continue there at CMS.

AmishWarlord 10-02-2010 08:34 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Hey that hump place sounds great. I have plans for a AR-1 sloper. I'll have to knock one out when I get my shop up and running and go fly with you guys up there.

da Rock 10-02-2010 08:46 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 

ORIGINAL: AmishWarlord


Hey that hump place sounds great. I have plans for a SR-1 sloper. I'll have to knock one out when I get my shop up and running and go fly with you guys up there.

Well, The Lump isn't exactly your usual slope site. It's what is called a bald. When standing at the top of it, from NE around to SW there are trees on the "slope" whose tops are about your level. If you were to try to fly out on the slope face, the trees would hide the glider. It's not bald except for the top and the SW-NE arc. That part is clear, but faces a taller hill. Winds from SW-NE come down at you. At mile 264.4

What you have is a bald area that is large enough to launch from and that usually has slope winds (NE-SW) that'll take you up. Sort of a hill generated thermal.

There is a decently large and mostly clear hilly pasture area up the Parkway at Doughton Park that has some of the same. Mileposts 238.5 and 244.7

AmishWarlord 10-03-2010 06:59 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 

Ah, wile looking for a AR-1 build thead I see that you have built a few of them Evan. So I know who to bother for advice now. He he he.

evan-RCU 10-03-2010 07:32 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
I know it as a "Freedom", they are wonderfull slopers.

sdavis9990 10-03-2010 07:46 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Good Morning Evan, Congrats on your VP yesterday. Sorry I could not be there. Had a family function in Sparta to attend, but sneeked out to go check out Dalton Park.

SD

evan-RCU 10-03-2010 08:01 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Thanks Scott, I wasn't there either...I think there were 3 or 4 nominations for VP so I didn't think I'd get it again.

Evan

MWShelton 10-16-2010 11:48 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
If any of you guys fly the Hump anytime soon could you PM me? I would like to check it out. I would love to have a slope soarer if I had a decent place to fly it. Thanks

da Rock 10-16-2010 04:14 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 


ORIGINAL: MWShelton

If any of you guys fly the Hump anytime soon could you PM me? I would like to check it out. I would love to have a slope soarer if I had a decent place to fly it. Thanks

It's really named The Lump, honest.

And don't get your hopes up that it's a slope site like most slope sites. Most slope sites have slopes you stand on and look out over the slope face.

At the Lump, if you didn't know better, you would have no idea there is much slope beyond trees that cover the slope face. They start just beyond where you launch. You fly out over them and if your glider's altitude gets much less than your altitude, it goes behind the trees.... or into them. But you won't know what actually happened.

It's sort of an "overhead" flying experience. If your eyes aren't looking level or up, you've lost your airplane. Lost sight of it for sure.

Sorry I don't have pictures, but I never thought to take a picture of trees.

da Rock 10-16-2010 04:17 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 
Hey, anybody who decides to go up, post it here with some lead time and maybe we can gather a crowd up there.

MWShelton 10-16-2010 06:28 PM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 


ORIGINAL: da Rock

Hey, anybody who decides to go up, post it here with some lead time and maybe we can gather a crowd up there.
+1

AmishWarlord 10-17-2010 08:39 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 


ORIGINAL: da Rock



ORIGINAL: MWShelton

If any of you guys fly the Hump anytime soon could you PM me? I would like to check it out. I would love to have a slope soarer if I had a decent place to fly it. Thanks

It's really named The Lump, honest.

And don't get your hopes up that it's a slope site like most slope sites. Most slope sites have slopes you stand on and look out over the slope face.

At the Lump, if you didn't know better, you would have no idea there is much slope beyond trees that cover the slope face. They start just beyond where you launch. You fly out over them and if your glider's altitude gets much less than your altitude, it goes behind the trees.... or into them. But you won't know what actually happened.

It's sort of an ''overhead'' flying experience. If your eyes aren't looking level or up, you've lost your airplane. Lost sight of it for sure.

Sorry I don't have pictures, but I never thought to take a picture of trees.

That doesn’t sound like much fun.

Maybe we should scout out a real slope flying place. During my motorcycle rides I've seen tons of over looks. There has to be one we can fly from. I've been thinking of starting a statewide amphibious airplane club and have members find places to fly. Maybe we should put together a statewide slope club and have members scout out good launch sites.

da Rock 10-17-2010 09:09 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 


ORIGINAL: AmishWarlord

That doesn’t sound like much fun.

Maybe we should scout out a real slope flying place. During my motorcycle rides I've seen tons of over looks. There has to be one we can fly from. I've been thinking of starting a statewide amphibious airplane club and have members find places to fly. Maybe we should put together a statewide slope club and have members scout out good launch sites.

Now that's a good idea. OK, two good ideas.

The idea about looking for slopes is so good that I just shot off an email to a flying buddy who rides. It never dawned on me to ask him to look for slopes.

What you need to look for:
1. A place to fly from.
2. A slope face toward the prevailing wind.
3. A decently clear face.
4. It needs to be wide enough to use.
5. Access

da Rock 10-17-2010 09:18 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 


ORIGINAL: da Rock

What you need to look for:
1. A place to fly from.
2. A slope face toward the prevailing wind.
3. A decently clear face.
4. It needs to be wide enough to use.
5. Access

1. You need to be able to see out and down for one thing. The area you fly from also need to be safe to fly from. Keep in mind the pilot usually is not looking where he's walking and spectators often aren't either. And it helps to have enough area to land on. If it's not immediately on the top of the face, the further back it is the worse the turbulence.

2. If it doesn't see many days with the wind fairly straight into it, it won't see many flying days.

3. Suicide hills where you can't retrieve from often turn slopers into gas model flyers. The Lump comes to mind.

4. parking, landing are often biggies, but if the slope itself is a precipice, you're going to lose models and have lots of "oh blast, the wind just shut off" catastrophies.

5. no explanation needed.

da Rock 10-17-2010 09:26 AM

RE: Slope Soaring in NC
 

ORIGINAL: AmishWarlord

Maybe we should scout out a real slope flying place. During my motorcycle rides I've seen tons of over looks. There has to be one we can fly from.
The Park Service can be worked with. I've eaten lunch with a number of Rangers and workers on the parkway and talked gliders with 'em. They seem to pull in when they see me flying and pull out their paper bag lunch. I'll fly a bit and pull out my paper bag. They're good people. And good company for a picnic.

To a man, they always mention spectators and parking. The overlooks with rock walls holding in a rim for parking really bother them. I'm sure they'd run us off if we were flying at one of those things. Of course, those places would be murder for us. No place to land without hitting our own cars for one thing. And retrieving would be bad.

But darn this is a good idea.
How much did you say a motercicle costs? Nah...... I guess I'd rather be flying.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:24 AM.


Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.