Gliding wing?

KLJ4CCH

Member
Can a wing be a glider? Can a flying wing be able to glide any good? I would like to build the versa wing and make it my first FPV system, as well as fly it like a glider. My intentions are too fly it as high as possible and then fly it back (with no power) to Earth. I want to maximize my flying experience, with the longest possible flight, so maybe if I can climb for 2 min, I could glide around for maybe 5-10 min. Two servos should not draw that much power from a battery pack, so i should not have to worry about killing my battery.

This would be my very first electric RC airplane :D, I have several other gas planes that could fly for 30 min + but the vibrations associated would not be suitable for fpv. I do this with with my gas airplanes too, but they weight 13 pounds and arnt very suitable for gliding, as they are veeeerrryyy heavy and, with a big square engine on the nose, not very aerodynamic. I often get about 5 min glide time with those from about 800 ft up.

And an unrelated question, can you slope soar with a wing off a building? like a parking garage? Living in Florida, our land is pretty flat, and we normally have a slight east to west wind. So i thought the wind hitting the side of the building could cause some lift that I could use to fly? We also have thermals that can get very strong in the summer. I can remember on cross country flights, Below 3000 feet can get bouncy in a 172.

I could also use the wing to fly FPV normally, and have lots of fun still!

Thanks for yalls help!
 

KLJ4CCH

Member
How would create elevons with a futaba skysport 6? There isnt a computer or any type of menu setting. I was thinking of purchasing a
Orange TX... 60 bucks sounds good.
 

quorneng

Master member
You can create elevons with one of these.
Vtailmixer.JPG
Its called a V tail mixer. I bought mine off Ebay for just few dollars.
Connect it to the elevator and aileron channels on the rx and connect the output to the two servos and it does it all for you but you do have to get the right channel to the right servo. It just requires a bit of trial and error.

This uses one.
Painted.JPG
My basic 35mHz 6ch Futaba does have elevon mixing but has no model memories so the Tx would have to be reconfigured each time. I decided it was much easier to use a 'mixer'.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
6mm carbon spar on hand (Arrow shaft). No carbon strip though but I do have a bit of 3mm solid round carbon.

Thurmond
 

KLJ4CCH

Member
You can create elevons with one of these.
View attachment 12461
Its called a V tail mixer. I bought mine off Ebay for just few dollars.
Connect it to the elevator and aileron channels on the rx and connect the output to the two servos and it does it all for you but you do have to get the right channel to the right servo. It just requires a bit of trial and error.

This uses one.
View attachment 12462
My basic 35mHz 6ch Futaba does have elevon mixing but has no model memories so the Tx would have to be reconfigured each time. I decided it was much easier to use a 'mixer'.

Wow thanks! I am gonna invest into a spectrum DX5, as it is cheap, and not as susceptible to interference with like the 72mhz radios. Plus, I find it hard to find RX's for them. It is only 50 bucks and has delta wing mixing. It seems like a good radio, and spectrum makes pretty good radios from my understanding. IT also comes with a RX too! I could pick up orange RX's for other airplanes. Thanks guys for your help.

I think I have one of those harnesses in my airplanes. It couples ailerons and rudders, which is kinda the same concept. It has just been 8 years sense I took it apart, never had any problems with it. I find it amazing how all my radio equipment has lasted almost a decade, being used every week.

I have had elevator servo failures, but I still managed to land the airplane on the runway. Minor damage:)
 

squishy

Pirate ParkFlyer
It also doesn't have expo which I think is a noobs best friend...shop around and do your homework, spektrum ain't the best esspecially their cheap one.

A good transmitter and charger are the two things should not skimp on, in the long run you will pay a lot more money because you will have purchased a few transmitters as you progress and get better. Might as well buy the good one now and grow into it, then you only have to buy one..and a good charger will extend the life of your other heavy investment and that is batteries...a good charger keeps lipos balanced and running longer...
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
I agree with squishy regarding the transmitter. Get yourself a programmable TX like the Turnigy 9X, Turnigy 9XR with FrSky Module or an Orange tx from Hobby King or the FrSky Taranis.
 

KLJ4CCH

Member
wow, i gotta start to work a few more weeks :p Ill check to see what my buddy has... I might be able to pick up a computer radio for free, ill see him tomorrow, but most of his radios are 72mhz, but those can e converted using that TX module.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
There's actually nothing wrong with the 72mhz radios, as long as you're flying alone. I fly mine in the backyard all the time, but my backyard is bigger and more remote than most. I know most clubs now require 2.4 or you don't fly.
 

squishy

Pirate ParkFlyer
I fly a JR XP 9303 (a 72mhz radio) but I don't normally use 72mhz, I use a spektrum module for orange, FrSky for telemetry and dragonlink for FPV...all on the same TX...it pays to have a module bay...
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
I fly a JR XP 9303 (a 72mhz radio) but I don't normally use 72mhz, I use a spektrum module for orange, FrSky for telemetry and dragonlink for FPV...all on the same TX...it pays to have a module bay...
Very true, Squishy! My 72mhz is also a JR but it's an older XP662 with no module bay, so with it, it's either 72mhz or grab a different radio...
I guess I might be able to put in a DIY module if I could figure out the proper circuit traces...
Hmmm, maybe another project? Like I need more! ;)
 

KLJ4CCH

Member
wow guys thanks! I plan on flying at both a remote place and at college (gives me something to do waiting on classes). I might look at this 9xr radio, or the 9x, Flitetest did do a review on it, and it seems to be fine, either way, I cant spend book-hoo amounts of money on things, I am pretty frugal. I just don't want any interference.

TBH I trust 72mhz, I lug my 13 pound models 100+ miles per hour around, I do have a scanner, so I can check if that freq is in use. I might just uses them until i can invest in something that I know will work. Where I fly, we all use 72mhz, Its nice going to an FPV flyin and have the oldest antique out there. I dont know the band plan for the RC community or when it will expire.

I use a futaba skysport 6.... Been using it for 10 years now, with the same RX. But the 9xR looks pretty cool if you ask me, More than likely better than what I have now.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
Well, if you can manage to find a local club that still flies 72, they likely will have a freq pin system or impound so there are no worries about someone turning on their same channel Tx while you're flying. At least that was the way it was always done in the "olden days"! That is really the only issue I've ever had with 72mhz was waiting for a pin to be open, and one of the reasons I have a few crystals for swapping out my channel if needed.

I currently also have a 9X with the Frsky module in it with a few mods to put the backlight and telemetry on the screen. Also running Er9X firmware. I've also been (not so) patiently waiting for the Taranis to come back into stock because that will pretty much be the only radio I'll need for a long time. It's got the built in Frsky AND a JR module bay for whatever you want; LR gear or Spektrum or whatever! Plus you can boost the stock 16 channels to 24 or 36 by using a Frsky module in the external bay. I'm really excited about it, I don't know if you could tell!
 
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KLJ4CCH

Member
wow thats really cool! I dont know what you would do with all them channels! I am leaning towards the turnigy, it seems like a good simple useful radio. I am not in need of all the bells and whistles, but I am sure the time will come when I want too, and ill have a better job that can feed my addictions. This Taranis seems really interesting. 200 dollars is like two paychecks though hahaha.

what kind of models do yall fly?