Wildthing
Legendary member
Was coming on an off side I think. Will try the tail heavy next time.
Just move your ballast back a little at a time
slope soaring
- Thread starter bracesport
- Start date
Just move your ballast back a little at a time
bracesport
Legendary member
@mayan - seems the plane should want to lift out of your hand at launch - but that's just what I hear, not what I have tried (yet)!
@Piotrsko - great advice as always - I can imagine reality is harder than the sim, but I do enjoy the sim-sloping more than than the sim-flying - I will certainly try powered and non-powered - I have my 1.0m DLGv1 and the blunt nose Versa wing (powered) to start with - all going well I have a fleet to launch off the cliffs!
Yes, winter here so there are more building days than flying days!
@sprzout - yes, I was surprised how well the sim-slope flies - I thought it was my skills improving - One thing is for certain, the sim is helping me with my orientation!
@Piotrsko - great advice as always - I can imagine reality is harder than the sim, but I do enjoy the sim-sloping more than than the sim-flying - I will certainly try powered and non-powered - I have my 1.0m DLGv1 and the blunt nose Versa wing (powered) to start with - all going well I have a fleet to launch off the cliffs!
Yes, winter here so there are more building days than flying days!
@sprzout - yes, I was surprised how well the sim-slope flies - I thought it was my skills improving - One thing is for certain, the sim is helping me with my orientation!
Piotrsko
Master member
Mayan: too windy or too much up trim. You go basically right into stall and get blown backwards. Then you hit full down and start chasing the plane reactions from there. DO NOT move cg back. Maybe a bit forward. The plane should fly a nice gentle glide to the ground on a windless day about 100ft in front of you with no control inputs.
My comment about gentle release means there should be no need for immediate control input, trimmed properly it should rise a bit and smoothly fly off. You all should be flying in winds of about 15 mph (30 kph?) If it is too windy to fly at your normal site, it is too windy for you to fly slope.
My comment about gentle release means there should be no need for immediate control input, trimmed properly it should rise a bit and smoothly fly off. You all should be flying in winds of about 15 mph (30 kph?) If it is too windy to fly at your normal site, it is too windy for you to fly slope.
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mayan
Legendary member
Points for thought
. Thank you.
bracesport
Legendary member
@Piotrsko - I am so over waiting for the weather to improve here - then I will hit the monster site - originally I found a north-facing slope but there seemed to be too many obstacles in the way (I may brave it depending on the wind direction)! I love the idea that the sloper should lift out of your hand on the launch!
In the meantime, I have ordered a couple of Rx units from FRsky with built-in vario (could be interesting), also assembling DLG v2 (for the slope), and am involved in FT build of a Spitfire that I hope to slope too! I will probably try some powered planes on the slope to help out if I lose air (assuming I haven't crashed already!
I love the idea that the sloper should lift out of your hand on the launch!In the meantime, I have ordered a couple of Rx units from FRsky with built-in vario (could be interesting), also assembling DLG v2 (for the slope), and am involved in FT build of a Spitfire that I hope to slope too!
I will probably try some powered planes on the slope to help out if I lose air (assuming I haven't crashed already!
Piotrsko
Master member
Shoot a picture of any site you want to fly, post it with comments regarding wind speed/direction and we on the forum can critique it as suitable or not. You live on a mountainous island, there HAS to be great flying sites, somewhere (there is a law about that).
Everyone here is helpful, I just seem to be the most intrusive for what I know.
Everyone here is helpful, I just seem to be the most intrusive for what I know.
bracesport
Legendary member
bracesport
Legendary member
wow!
bracesport
Legendary member
I have been working away on my Ridge Rat project and have been thinking about wing loading - seems the wing loading is based on the total weight of the ship divided by the wing area - take my hybrid Bixler/Pheonix with a 1.5m wing and an AUW of 850g - how does that look as a wing loading?
I get 270,000 sq mm which is 27sq dm divided by 850g - looks like it rates as a trainer - probably accurate as is a powered glider!
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I get 270,000 sq mm which is 27sq dm divided by 850g - looks like it rates as a trainer - probably accurate as is a powered glider!
images reduces to 1000px
bracesport
Legendary member
I did it
Sunday 13 October 2019
I have to thank @buzzbomb for giving me a push - I have been dilly-dallying around for awhile - spring is here and so is the wind but this morning the weather cleared and gave me some light southerlies to attempt to slope for the first time - my southerly slope site is a cliff face rather than a hill, but there is a benefit if I can crack this because it is so close to my home.
I took out two ships - my 1.2 V tail DLG and my hybrid FB sailplane - I was super nervous and mucked around before launching the DLG, but wow it flew and I managed a few flights at launch site one (it seemed like the junior launch site) but did not really get the lift I wanted - next came the sailplane and the launch was good, but I lost control and well, its toast now - I realised I made a huge rookie mistake and forgot to pull out my antenna on the old FM Tx!
I was pushing for 'time' at this point, so I went to the launch site two and my hat camera was playing up (I am yet to figure out if there is any useful footage), but luckily a couple of guys walking their dog came by and I gave them my iPhone to make this video!
I am stoked - watch closely, I even did a loop!
@Piotrsko - now you don't have to come down here and kick my butt (need some help smoothing out the control though)!
Sunday 13 October 2019
I have to thank @buzzbomb for giving me a push - I have been dilly-dallying around for awhile - spring is here and so is the wind but this morning the weather cleared and gave me some light southerlies to attempt to slope for the first time - my southerly slope site is a cliff face rather than a hill, but there is a benefit if I can crack this because it is so close to my home.
I took out two ships - my 1.2 V tail DLG and my hybrid FB sailplane - I was super nervous and mucked around before launching the DLG, but wow it flew and I managed a few flights at launch site one (it seemed like the junior launch site) but did not really get the lift I wanted - next came the sailplane and the launch was good, but I lost control and well, its toast now - I realised I made a huge rookie mistake and forgot to pull out my antenna on the old FM Tx!
I was pushing for 'time' at this point, so I went to the launch site two and my hat camera was playing up (I am yet to figure out if there is any useful footage), but luckily a couple of guys walking their dog came by and I gave them my iPhone to make this video!
I am stoked - watch closely, I even did a loop!
@Piotrsko - now you don't have to come down here and kick my butt (need some help smoothing out the control though)!
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bracesport
Legendary member
here are some unedited hat videos of a couple of the first flights off of the junior launch site - the videos are a bit low res but for me, it was a couple of magical moments!
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bracesport
Legendary member
and here is the sailplane - I am sure with no antenna up I lost range - I think you can see it just at the end of the video - either way the wing will now get it's 3D printed fuse I have tucked away!
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Wildthing
Legendary member
I did it
Sunday 13 October 2019
I have to thank @buzzbomb for giving me a push - I have been dilly-dallying around for awhile - spring is here and so is the wind but this morning the weather cleared and gave me some light southerlies to attempt to slope for the first time - my southerly slope site is a cliff face rather than a hill, but there is a benefit if I can crack this because it is so close to my home.
I took out two ships - my 1.2 V tail DLG and my hybrid FB sailplane - I was super nervous and mucked around before launching the DLG, but wow it flew and I managed a few flights at launch site one (it seemed like the junior launch site) but did not really get the lift I wanted - next came the sailplane and the launch was good, but I lost control and well, its toast now - I realised I made a huge rookie mistake and forgot to pull out my antenna on the old FM Tx!
I was pushing for 'time' at this point, so I went to the launch site two and my hat camera was playing up (I am yet to figure out if there is any useful footage), but luckily a couple of guys walking their dog came by and I gave them my iPhone to make this video!
I am stoked - watch closely, I even did a loop!
@Piotrsko - now you don't have to come down here and kick my butt (need some help smoothing out the control though)!
Fantastic job, it's like you have been doing it for years.
Saw the loop, I have to ask was it on purpose ?
bracesport
Legendary member
@Wildthing - yes I have been practising on the simulator and saw an appropriate moment to loop - sadly the walk of shame down to the beach was hard on the body, but it was worth it - I need to calm down the throws to smooth out the flying - also, I need to concentrate on landing back at the top - I had about 6 launches and didn't catch all of them on video (hat cam playing up) - nevertheless, it is a great site for more flying!
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Wildthing
Legendary member
@Wildthing - yes I have been practising on the simulator and saw an appropriate moment to loop - sadly the walk of shame down to the beach was hard on the body, but it was worth it - I need to calm down the throws to smooth out the flying - also, I need to concentrate on landing back at the top - I had about 6 launches and didn't catch all of them on video (hat cam playing up) - nevertheless, it is a great site for more flying!
That walk would have done me in too, good thing you were on the beginners slope
. You need a little quad or mini bike for retrieval
buzzbomb
I know nothing!
"Junior Launch Site" in name only. I would have been terrified of throwing a plane off that cliff!
I don't know if it's your video, or my internet connection, but I kept losing coherence with audio and video. One would stop while the other played.
THAT being said... Your sailplane. It looked like the prop was stuck on the half-open battery hatch. (0:41)
I'm really proud of you @bracesport. You took the bull by the horns and darn if you didn't own the day!
I don't know if it's your video, or my internet connection, but I kept losing coherence with audio and video. One would stop while the other played.
THAT being said... Your sailplane. It looked like the prop was stuck on the half-open battery hatch. (0:41)
I'm really proud of you @bracesport. You took the bull by the horns and darn if you didn't own the day!
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sundown57
Legendary member
thats is crazy cool.. you really nailed it. what a perfect place to go slope soaring.here are some unedited hat videos of a couple of the first flights off of the junior launch site - the videos are a bit low res but for me, it was a couple of magical moments!
bracesport
Legendary member
Piotrsko
Master member
About time. Nice series of flights . Congratulations, I approve.
I never said kick your butt, I said I would throw stuff off the cliff. Go get someone to pour a bucket of Gatorade on you.
Comments: way too much up trim on the red one, you were flying waaay too slow hence the stalls. Can feel you holding down stick. Also Stay about 20 meters away from the edge with the plane, you'll notice in the video when your high and further out it smooths out significantly.
Going to the bottom of the cliff provides exercise and incentives to not do that again although your slope is gentle. No walk of shame there. Red & yellow plane flew just about perfect for that site. Take that stupid spinning plane wrecking thing OFF, you don't need it.
First time by yourself is always the most difficult, but oh baby you did it. Next time will be better.
I never said kick your butt, I said I would throw stuff off the cliff. Go get someone to pour a bucket of Gatorade on you.
Comments: way too much up trim on the red one, you were flying waaay too slow hence the stalls. Can feel you holding down stick. Also Stay about 20 meters away from the edge with the plane, you'll notice in the video when your high and further out it smooths out significantly.
Going to the bottom of the cliff provides exercise and incentives to not do that again although your slope is gentle. No walk of shame there. Red & yellow plane flew just about perfect for that site. Take that stupid spinning plane wrecking thing OFF, you don't need it.
First time by yourself is always the most difficult, but oh baby you did it. Next time will be better.
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