FT Waco vs FT Simple Soarer

[FliteFan333]

Hey everyone, I am an intermediate flyer looking for a good flite test glider to slope soar. The two I am considering are the FT Waco and simple soarer. I am into Old warbirds so I like the Waco, but I want something that will give me a good flite experience. I have nobody else I know that can tow me so I am restricted to slope soaring. Will the Waco or Simple Soarer give me the best experience? Thanks

 

[The Hangar]

I built the simple soarer and I have the Waco kit but I haven’t built it yet. The simple soarer makes a great glider, and from ehat I’ve seen from the Waco it glides alright, but not as well as the soarer. The soarer has a lot more wing area and will probably come out lighter so that’s the way I’d recommend going. However if you have a good place for slope soaring the Waco would do fine as well.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

The FT Waco is based on the WW1 troop glider. Its function was to be towed, to a specific point then released, it would then glide down to the appointed landing site silently. So its not really designed for sloping, although it will probably slope soar as most gliders do. I would have thought the FT simple soarer would be your better option out of the two as its designed with that function in mind.
You may want to consider a wing as an alternative option, the arrow or Versa wing for example they would make a good soarer. Alternatively try the explorer its powered so will assist when you run out of lift ?

 

[The Hangar]

The FT Waco is based on the WW1 troop glider. Its function was to be towed, to a specific point then released, it would then glide down to the appointed landing site silently. So its not really designed for sloping, although it will probably slope soar as most gliders do. I would have thought the FT simple soarer would be your better option out of the two as its designed with that function in mind.
You may want to consider a wing as an alternative option, the arrow or Versa wing for example they would make a good soarer. Alternatively try the explorer its powered so will assist when you run out of lift ?

The explorer would also make a good glider platform.

 

[Hondo76251]

Are you looking to get into powered flight or just slope soaring?

 

[SSgt Duramax]

I am confused too. You listed planes that are good for slope soaring, but it sounds more like you want a motor glider. If you built an explorer with an extended nose, smallish battery, and a B Pack and and extended the wings more it sounds like it would be good for you.

Tiny trainers built light can glide nice too. You can build a glider nose and a power nose and switch between them as you see fit. I kind of used to use a tiny trainer like that. I would get some altitude and glide it all the way down, rinse lather and repeat. I never did time how much time I spent flying it like that, but I feel like I could get a nice 20 minutes like that with a 2S 1000 MAH battery on a 1806.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

 

[FliteFan333]

Thank you everyone. I will go with the simple soarer.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

The Simple Soarer comes with an optional power pod, which is interchangeable with the glider nose. So you can take your pick which you want to use depending where you fly.
It doesn't matter that you don't have someone to tow you, there is always the option for a bungee chord launch system. Or pay a small child to run like hell with your tow line LOL

 

[Hondo76251]

Ive done a little slope soaring. Used my converted chuck gliders some, but also used the Tiny Trainer:

I should do it more, got plenty of places nearby, but any day with a nice steady breeze and time off I'm usually trying to get the sailboat to the lake! 🤪

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Hey everyone, I am an intermediate flyer looking for a good flite test glider to slope soar. The two I am considering are the FT Waco and simple soarer. I am into Old warbirds so I like the Waco, but I want something that will give me a good flite experience. I have nobody else I know that can tow me so I am restricted to slope soaring. Will the Waco or Simple Soarer give me the best experience? Thanks

What on earth is the Waco??? I've never ever seen it anywhere here ...

 

[SSgt Duramax]

What on earth is the Waco??? I've never ever seen it anywhere here ...

https://store.flitetest.com/ft-simple-waco-glider/

 

[Bo123]

Actually, you can make basically anything slope soar, its just the ease of flying. Personally, for slope soaring, I prefer planes with a slightly shorter wingspan, which makes it easier for me to turn around the slope. Saying that, however, the bixler is one of the best planes to start slope soaring on, so that would make the FT explorer a good learning platform as they are basically the same plane.