GliderFlyer
Elite member
Simple soarer RES
...need I say more?
...need I say more?
Simple soarer RES
- Thread starter GliderFlyer
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- glider res sailplane simple soarer
GliderFlyer
Elite member
If the answer is yes, then here you go:
My goal is to turn the simple soarer into a competition-worthy sailplane. I need to get more experience flying RES sailplanes, and even though I have built my Gentle lady as RES, I want something that is smaller and more convenient to transport. I also think it would be good for me to learn how make this spoiler setup, which is different than that on my gentle lady.
Here's what I'm thinking:
The FT simple soarer with a tough wooden spar for zooming winch launches,
Spoilers since I need those for RES
lightweight construction methods
That's all I can think of for now. Feel free to leave your suggestions here too, (don't say ailerons or flaps, that is already out of the question)
Who knows, maybe sometime in the future, there will be a simple soarer RES competition
My goal is to turn the simple soarer into a competition-worthy sailplane. I need to get more experience flying RES sailplanes, and even though I have built my Gentle lady as RES, I want something that is smaller and more convenient to transport. I also think it would be good for me to learn how make this spoiler setup, which is different than that on my gentle lady.
Here's what I'm thinking:
The FT simple soarer with a tough wooden spar for zooming winch launches,
Spoilers since I need those for RES
lightweight construction methods
That's all I can think of for now. Feel free to leave your suggestions here too, (don't say ailerons or flaps, that is already out of the question)
Who knows, maybe sometime in the future, there will be a simple soarer RES competition
danskis
Master member
I just participated in my first F3RES contest today....it was a casual club contest...no awards or trophies just low key and laid back. The guy who was expected to win did. I would say your Gentle Lady is closer to a competitive F3RES than the simple soarer. Someone flew a gentle lady in the contest today. Its going to give you a lot more realistic practice than the simple soarer and build your skill faster. Most of the planes in the contest today weighed around 15oz. Also, F3RES (usually, I think) uses a high start and not a winch. But I'd love to see an F3RES simple soarer. Greg, our club president, has built around 30 balsa F3RES planes so if you want a used one we could probably get you one for around $100.
GliderFlyer
Elite member
Here is the abridged version of the huge draft I was about to post:
-Thanks for the offer, but I'm good on airplanes,
-My club hasn't caught on to F3RES, they do RES once a year,
-My gentle lady was my first RC balsa build, so it may not be as competition-worthy as most.
-Is there a category for electric launched RES sailplanes?(not sure if it would be called F5RES, REST, or TRES
)Is it possible/worth the effort to use a bolt-on wing for the simple soarer?
danskis
Master member
Being a noob I need to ask about the winch class of glider. I know that there a couple of guys in the club with winches but you never see them anymore. Motor and high-start are the most commonly flown planes (in our club) right now. Probably because the winch is a pain to deal with. I did find this (175) F3B RC Glider Winch Demonstration - YouTube and this What is F3B? « Team USA F3B
Way beyond me....I'm more in the Gentle Lady, Simple Soarer category.
Way beyond me....I'm more in the Gentle Lady, Simple Soarer category.
GliderFlyer
Elite member
I'm not sure what class it is, but the winches at my club are pretty powerful. Here's a video of the RES contest from last year. You can see that the winches are built-in to the field.
danskis
Master member
@GliderFlyer - thanks for the vid. I watched a little of it but its off to bed and I'll watch the rest tomorrow. What a sweet set-up at the field. If those winches were at my field I'd want to make something too so I could use those winches. The folks that make that plane in the video say its a F3J. I think that the motorized version of that is an F5J....which is popular around here. Amazing planes but you're talking $1600 are there abouts for a plane. I think it would be quite a challenge to make a foamboard plane for those winches. I can't wait to see what you come up with.
What wingspan are you thinking about? Most of these planes have sectional wings in 3 - 4 pieces to make them easier to transport. The 2 meter I just made has a 3 piece wing that uses carbon rods that slide into aluminum tubes to join the wing pieces together. You could do that with foamboard too for not a lot of money.
What wingspan are you thinking about? Most of these planes have sectional wings in 3 - 4 pieces to make them easier to transport. The 2 meter I just made has a 3 piece wing that uses carbon rods that slide into aluminum tubes to join the wing pieces together. You could do that with foamboard too for not a lot of money.
GliderFlyer
Elite member
I'm thinking the regular wingspan of the Simple Soarer, which is about 1.5 meters. At that size, it will probably go super fast on the winch. I feel like having 2 or 3 piece wing would be a good idea, however, since foamboard is not as rigid as balsa, the joint would need to be reinforced a whole lot. 1.5 meters is not too inconvenient to transport.
GliderFlyer
Elite member
I just remembered this project today, after I had already started the Sunbird. I don't want to be neglecting this thread, but I guess I will have to put it on hiatus for now.
GliderFlyer
Elite member
That ought to be durable! I had the tail break off of one of the simple soarers I made once.
Piotrsko
Master member
Properly set up winch will have a spring sensing the line tension and over ride the main switch so in theory you cant break the wings. But someone needs to adjust that spring correctly, hence the warning about following a big plane. Then there's the other adage from the long ago's, never pull up on tow, just nose over and unhook
I have a little experience of bungee launch gliders at club level years ago.
Our club bungee was far and away more powerful than the one I made and practiced on for a new local competition.
My lightweight Finger Vee with carbon spars survived the launch, my Bird of Time with spruce spars did not.
Be very wary of bungees you don’t know is my advice and start practicing with small rubber and work your way up.
Oh and put extra rubber bands on the wings if you use them. (How do I know that?).
Our club bungee was far and away more powerful than the one I made and practiced on for a new local competition.
My lightweight Finger Vee with carbon spars survived the launch, my Bird of Time with spruce spars did not.
Be very wary of bungees you don’t know is my advice and start practicing with small rubber and work your way up.
Oh and put extra rubber bands on the wings if you use them. (How do I know that?).
You can try fuselage mounted speed brakes rather than wing mounted spoilers.
Very little drag is needed to get them down is my experience.
Any foamboard wings amongst them?
danskis
Master member
no foam wings - the aspirations in the club are way to high. The Pres. is on the development team of Sonora Lazer Arts and competes in the NATS. I believe he got 9th in F3RES. Evryone else is chasing him. I amuse them with my foam creations. When I get around to it I'll make a foam DLG.
Piotrsko
Master member
Don't know if you remember Hobby Shacks "TOMY" bungee launch kit, but I kicked butt at CSUDH one weekend using it against all sorts of high performance stuff. Mainly it was knowing how the plane flew and bit of luck and skill on teensey tight thermals the big boys couldn't turn into. A foamy dlg could beat your friend under the right conditions
