RC planes ... to full-scale

[Peter Ha]

So I just took delivery of an ELF; an RC DLG (Radio Controlled Discus Launched Glider). A very finely built, almost ready to fly, hand launch glider that is launched using this ‘discus’ method, something I’ve never seen except in YouTube videos. Still waiting for some radio bits and pieces to be delivered.

Soaring flight has always attracted me. After being trained in RC powered flight back in the early proportional days, I migrated to gliders. Tried hand towing, ridge soaring and finally hi-starts. Played around with hand launch free flight gliders. Then after training in full scale power, gliders took over again and I gained my PPG before my PPL. After owning and racing 2 sailplanes, I came back to power flying again with a Maule to get my tailwheel chops and then to a RV10 to get my building and maintaining chops, just like RC.

I’ve said all this before here but after a get-out-of-house-and fly somewhere mission to play a round of golf, I realize I still see the skies through a glider pilot’s eyes. After takeoff I monitor the convection level. At 11:00am it’s blue skies and light thermals to about 2,000’. I know as heating continues the thermals will grow to 6-7k. Cruising down to N. Myrtle at 6500’ things are perfectly smooth but I already know that my return after 4:00 will be choppy unless I climb above 7k on the way back. There were occasional cumulus at 7k but I decided to stay at 5500 for more favorable winds and a shorter climb. Choppy it was and I was tempted to dolphin fly the thermals instead of doing the very inefficient straight and level... but a constant altitude is safer for traffic avoidance and easier for ATC to manage.

The ELF was on my doorstep when I got home and I began to dream of exploring the ‘micro thermals’ that RC DLGers chase. Too small and too low for a full scale glider to work just has a fully developed mature thermal is too strong and high for an RC glider to work.

Soaring birds work the entire band of lift from dozens of feet off the ground to cloud base and beyond. I really love sharing the skies with those guys and look forward to joining them.

That's cool.
I'd be too afraid of off-airport landing on glider. Guess you're trained to have enough altitude and thermals to reach your destination?

 

[Bill Watson]

That's cool.
I'd be too afraid of off-airport landing on glider. Guess you're trained to have enough altitude and thermals to reach your destination?

Well, not exactly. Off field landings are part of the cross country racing sport. Training for it is a bit difficult in the US because no one will rent a glider for training and most clubs don’t do it. So you have to own and then go teach yourself.

I have almost 50 of them logged. It’s kind of fun most of the time but in a race, it’s not the path to winning.

Sailplanes with sustainer engines or self launchers have become popular I’m told.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Jeremy Billeaudeaux]

I know from having my PPG, that soaring is indeed so much fun. DLG is a blast, and its so incredible as soaring pilots we recognize even the smallest bubble. So challenging to maintain efficient and coordinated circles @ 10' above the ground for minutes with the sudden cannonball blowing through taking the little 7oz glider to speck height. A blast, and enjoyable. I spend many many summer mornings in a tremendous park by my house all by myself barefoot chasing those little bubbles.

 

[Brad Smith]

Fermin is on the DL. Its hit or miss, and I don't think it was the bird folks (in June/July yes) but rather a new ranger who was enforcing the model airplanes in park ordinance. Guys got some guff there for flying. I do know guys will go out there still, and fly for about an hour or so, as to hopefully not have an interaction with Mr. Ranger. That place is the most incredible lift anywhere. I have a couple of 80 oz sleds I have for that place.

Thanks for the update on Fermin. It's very sad that the Ranger is on a power trip. Years ago I was harassed for being on the ocean side of the retaining wall. It was taking me more time than the Ranger thought was necessary to land my "toy plane" and he was getting a bit heated. Fermin, as you know, is not the place where you can say OK! and land it immediately as it requires a bit of planning. I guess I'm not missing much at Fermin these days.

 

[Pugs]

What a pain in the butt. No, not the 6 whole screws it takes to put together but finding out the DSM transmitter I've been happily using for a decade is no longer supported. So, new transmitter. Then apparently you're supposed to use some sort of zen-like force to understand of the 6 wires coming out of the wing which go to what in the fuselage. To be fair, the flaps were labeled but not the retracts or ailerons.

Then the Y harness that came with it was bad. Horizon Hobbies may be the worst customer service I've ever dealt with. An hour waiting on tech support, an hour on sales and no answer. By the way "use our chat service" Um, you do know there is no link to chat on your website? How in the hell can you not do phone tech or sales from home today? Finally e-mailed them and in typical fashion got a generic e-mail back and they shipped me a new one. It arrived yesterday evening while I was out actually flying and getting some approaches in.

So, all set to go out this week.

 

[Peter Ha]

What a pain in the butt. No, not the 6 whole screws it takes to put together but finding out the DSM transmitter I've been happily using for a decade is no longer supported. So, new transmitter. Then apparently you're supposed to use some sort of zen-like force to understand of the 6 wires coming out of the wing which go to what in the fuselage. To be fair, the flaps were labeled but not the retracts or ailerons.

Then the Y harness that came with it was bad. Horizon Hobbies may be the worst customer service I've ever dealt with. An hour waiting on tech support, an hour on sales and no answer. By the way "use our chat service" Um, you do know there is no link to chat on your website? How in the hell can you not do phone tech or sales from home today? Finally e-mailed them and in typical fashion got a generic e-mail back and they shipped me a new one. It arrived yesterday evening while I was out actually flying and getting some approaches in.

So, all set to go out this week.

Nice! Share maiden flight video?

 

[Aviatorbrew]

Planes from flitetest.com
Made from dollar tree foamboard

 

[GaryM]

One of the things I've enjoyed lately are the simple, small RC helicopters. A few years ago I bought my son a Blade 120 and myself a WLToys v911. No real flying field required; these things make great backyard fliers. We have a little acreage, which is nice but not really necessary. The v911 is small enough to be flown indoors, if you have a large den.

Heck, that little v911 is so cheap there's no good reason not to have one. https://www.gearbest.com/r-c-helicopters/pp_62519.html

Based on your recommendation, I bought one. Actually, the V911S https://usa.banggood.com/WLtoys-V91...&ad_id=395572890419&ID=47003&cur_warehouse=CN

It's a lot of fun. Easy to fly, difficult to fly well, so it will keep me amused for quite awhile, I'm sure. I'm amazed that it's possible to get a 4 channel, gyro-stabilized helicopter with radio for under $50 (I bought a bundle with extra battery packs and added a few other spare parts as well, and still came in at $75 or so. The manual is mostly an incomprehensible translation from the Chinese, but the illustrations show you most of what you need to know.

It's a marvel of miniaturization; the helicopter only weighs two ounces and appears extremely fragile, but the light weight does a good job of keeping things from breaking. I've only got about 30 minutes of stick time thus far, so most of my flights still end when I let it get too far away to tell how it is oriented, and I chop the throttle before I lose it in the trees. Over grass, I don't think it's possible to hurt the thing.