More (unpowered) gliders

[GliderGuider]

I know you folks at Flite Test are more into powered aircraft, and I know you've already done a couple of episodes on (unpowered) gliders, but perhaps you could do some more. I liked the episodes with David W's DLG, and the KA-8 review since these also explored more than just the aircraft themselves, but touched on aspects of glider flying (launching, etc.) in general.

There is a fairly commonly held opinion out there that flying RC gliders will actually make one a better RC powered aircraft pilot, since you have to learn to trim and "fly" a glider; you can't just drag it around the sky under power; this might be something to mention to viewers. Beginners also get a lot of landing practice with gliders. Floater type gliders can also be a very inexpensive way for folks to start in the RC flying hobby (by the way, I do commend FT for the Simple Soarer; well done).

There are lots of things to explore in RC gliders, such as glider-enabled Tx flight mode settings (the KA-8 episode missed out on discussing glider launch mode settings when David was talking about getting higher launches by holding a little up elevator), thermal theory as well as finding and flying thermals, different types of gliders and flying (i.e., thermal, slope [including combat], hand launch & DLG), high-starts and short-starts and winches, glider set up (crow, air brakes, flaperons, and tail mixes).

I recognize that many of the popular RC sailplanes are highly specialized and expensive, and this is not what you folks are about (even though you don't seem concerned about multirotor FPV in this regard, which is also quite expensive, but admittedly, I enjoy those episodes too), but there are plenty of good entry-level sailplanes out there as well, and these latter models would be a logical starting place.

You've already moved beyond airplanes, and into multirotors, so why not cover even more of the flying hobby to give folks a broader perspective of the hobby's possibilities?

 

[abieex]

I'm sure many of us fly gliders. I love my powered gliders cause its easier since I generally fly alone. The folks that do the FT Afterdark pod cast seem to love their DLG's. I too would like to see more coverage but lets face it, FPV is where most of Flitetests energy is going to go cause its very popular. I keep searching the web for a show featuring more glider info.

 

[Epitaph]

Maybe FT should try returning to the Slope modality, where no one uses a motor because the wind is already going in the right direction: up!! It is not an easy way of flying, but as long as the wind continues, you can carry on flying for hours on just an inexpensive homemade NiMH pack plugged straight into the receiver, making it a very cheap plane electronicwise... as far as the plane itself is concerned, there are very expensive builds out there, but there are also many cheap designs out there that can probably be "ported" to DTFB pretty easily, and on contrary to other gliders, slopesoarers like the weight, so you don't have to be sparing with the hot glue.

 

[Craftydan]

Wow! Talk about delivering on a request . . . The next day *and* completely without electrical power

 

[Mid7night]

I would LOVE to see more content on gliders, especially slopers. Sloping is where I started in RC, and it's definitely one of, if not THE cheapest way to get into RC, simply because you don't need a motor and a big power battery.

And if you need some "power" in your sloping, check out the class of "PSS" (Power Scale Slopers)...now THAT'S power sloping!