slope soaring

[Piotrsko]

Good job. Welcome to your newest addiction. Still Need a click or two of down elevator trim to help penetration, slow down your roll rates just a bit, maybe more expo. I see two issues with your video flying site, hungry plane eating powerlines, and plane munching trees. Them powerlines can jump a good 10 meters to snag a plane and they are so fast you can't see them move.

 

[thenated0g]

congrats! keep trying. you will figure it out.

 

[bracesport]

@Piotrsko - tell me about it, they draw you in like magnets - in the attached image at the far point where the telephone lines stop there in another awesome wide open slope down to the sea - the problem is, if I mess up it will be harder to retrieve the ship!

 

[bracesport]

I fixed the flying damage from yesterday - braced and glued the dihedral of the TT with skewers, put a new nose on the DL(TT)G, and got my 1.2m DLG closer to completion (fitted the iA6 Rx and wiring the battery and UBEC) - a little more tinkering to sort the CG and it will be good to go.

 

[Piotrsko]

Ok the obvious comment : then DON'T mess up. If you are unsure, wait a bit to see if conditions improve. The plane will rise up at least a meter on launch. If it doesn't, immediately try to land even if it means sticking it into the hill or nearby bush. Edp/eps packing foam nose cones are handy for that.

Unfortunately, the best slope sites have miserable retrieving conditions. One cove I flew in you had to drive 10 miles around to get to the beach to recover the crashed bits, if the beach goers didn't take them.

 

[bracesport]

@Piotrsko - some more great advice - I was getting nice rise on launch but then the lift would die - I am thinking the breeze was not steady enough that day!

 

[mayan]

Ok the obvious comment : then DON'T mess up. If you are unsure, wait a bit to see if conditions improve. The plane will rise up at least a meter on launch. If it doesn't, immediately try to land even if it means sticking it into the hill or nearby bush. Edp/eps packing foam nose cones are handy for that.

Unfortunately, the best slope sites have miserable retrieving conditions. One cove I flew in you had to drive 10 miles around to get to the beach to recover the crashed bits, if the beach goers didn't take them.

Life doesn't always give you cherries with the ice cream, sometimes you have to enjoy what you get .

 

[FoamyDM]

I didn't see the flight videos 'til now, CONGRATULATIONS.

 

[bracesport]

@FoamyDM - sadly the best flights had no video but I had a blast - so much so I built my brother in laws Pheonix and designed one for myself over easter! I also have my DLG ready to go, but I feel I need to find another soaring spot with a bit more open space!

 

[FoamyDM]

@bracesport it is about the experience. More space is key, to relaxing.
I think my favorite plane, right now, is the FT - SS for the Thermaling and Easy-long flying/gliding. I frequently spend 30 mins. on a 2200 3s Bat. (b-pack) I would use smaller if it Balanced... (wait, I should just move the wing a bit.)

Having fun is what it's about. I'm about to go up into the Smokeys (Boone) here in Western North Corlina US and see if I could try some slope soaring for a moment.

 

[bracesport]

so I have been looking around google maps for somewhere close to home - the northwesterly is our prevailing wind - I think this site might do the trick - I have previously flown on the top of the hill, but it looks like there is a doable north facing slope soaring site over the hill a bit more - it requires a bit of walking so it won't be easy to take much gear! Can't wait to go visit the site when the weather calms down.

 

[mayan]

so I have been looking around google maps for somewhere close to home - the northwesterly is our prevailing wind - I think this site might do the trick - I have previously flown on the top of the hill, but it looks like there is a doable north facing slope soaring site over the hill a bit more - it requires a bit of walking so it won't be easy to take much gear! Can't wait to go visit the site when the weather calms down.

View attachment 132694 View attachment 132695

You see that you can find solutions, good luck buddy!

 

[Tronglodon]

Just chiming in to say that I've had luck (once) sloping with a Versa Wing without a motor. I had a 2s 1700mah in the nose for cg. I had much stronger wind than in your videos, and I had the advantage of flying off a great bowl-shaped hillside with a few old pros who helped me get set up.

 

[bracesport]

today we walked into the site that google said could work, but there are a few too many power wires for my liking - I think if I launched from up high and kept high in the air it might work, so I will probably still give it a go!

I had a few minutes after flying my TT to maiden the hybrid down at the local park - the park is a bit small to give me comfort (with my skills) to get this big bird up high, so I just wanted to see if it would fly at all and was trimmed ok! it looks like it will fly really well!

 

[daxian]

looking good ...!!

 

[mayan]

today we walked into the site that google said could work, but there are a few too many power wires for my liking - I think if I launched from up high and kept high in the air it might work, so I will probably still give it a go!

I had a few minutes after flying my TT to maiden the hybrid down at the local park - the park is a bit small to give me comfort (with my skills) to get this big bird up high, so I just wanted to see if it would fly at all and was trimmed ok! it looks like it will fly really well!

Epic hit of the football poll .

 

[Mid7night]

I had a blast flying this past Saturday, here are a couple videos from Torrey Pines, CA.

 

[sprzout]

I want to give this a shot; our club has a few guys that go slope soaring just a couple miles from where I work, down at the beach in Carlsbad. Only problem is that weather has been so lousy lately - cold, overcast, and what we call "May Gray/June Gloom" here in San Diego, along the coast.

I've not done it, but I've picked up the thermals at our field with powered planes, so I know how to ride the lift; I've also practiced a bit with sims. Only problems I have with the concept of slope soaring are the launch (I suck at hand launches) and the landing, because where I'd have to land at our soaring site is really either a narrow spot along a popular walking trail or on the far side of the coastal road, where cars usually park. I'll figure it out eventually, but I want to watch some of the other guys do it first so I have an idea.

 

[Piotrsko]

I want to give this a shot; our club has a few guys that go slope soaring just a couple miles from where I work, down at the beach in Carlsbad. Only problem is that weather has been so lousy lately - cold, overcast, and what we call "May Gray/June Gloom" here in San Diego, along the coast.

I've not done it, but I've picked up the thermals at our field with powered planes, so I know how to ride the lift; I've also practiced a bit with sims. Only problems I have with the concept of slope soaring are the launch (I suck at hand launches) and the landing, because where I'd have to land at our soaring site is really either a narrow spot along a popular walking trail or on the far side of the coastal road, where cars usually park. I'll figure it out eventually, but I want to watch some of the other guys do it first so I have an idea.

Couple ways to land: start partway down the slope and fly it upslope eating up airspeed. If you have a big place behind you land crosswind there providing it isn't too turbulent, land on Beach below, crosswind nose catch it if you're good and it isn't a really fast ship (my favorite) or the perennial favorite: carrier arrest landing into a small tree or large bush. Go to TORREY Pines and watch them they know.

 

[bracesport]

@Mid7night - you are a legend and make it look so easy - the landing show was nice with the flaps in play - I need to put my camera out on the underside of the wing, such a great view!