RC Gliders for Thermal Soaring.

Thermal Soaring RC Gliders can be launched in a number of ways.

 

Photo shows the Ventus- 2HX 2600mm (2.6meters) ARF Radio Remote Controlled Sail Plane Glider,available from NITROPLANES.COM.Click on the link for more details or to buy. This model features a wing span of 2600mm (102.4"), retractable landing gear and spoilers. The fiberglass fuselage is beautifully painted and the built-up wings are covered. With a price of $119.95 this offer is hard to resist!

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Thermal Soaring can be a very satisfying way of flying gliders. It is usually flown from a flat field and for those of us with no easy access to suitable slopes, it is the only way we can fly gliders. The idea is to find thermals, preferably up-wind and ride the thermal back towards yourself.

Thermals are bubbles of warmer air that are rising. Keep a look out for circling hawks. They are masters at finding the slightest lift and can work thermals for hours with barely a wing flap. If you watch your glider closely, you can tell when lift is around. For instance a wing tip may quickly rise, indicating lift is close by. Turn into the rising wing and you may find the thermal.

On a hot summer's day lift can be easy to find. Be careful! It is easy to loose an airplane in high lift conditions! Stay up-wind and do not let the glider rise too high-spiral out of the lift and loose altitude.

The challenge for thermal soaring is a reliable method of launching RC gliders and gaining the maximum altitude at the start of the flight. We shall now investigate the various methods available.

1. The Bungee Cord or "Hi-Start"

The photo at left shows the Dynaflite Up Start launching system available from our affiliate partner Hobby People. The 3/16" diameter latex rubber tubing can produce launches of over 200ft.in altitude.

The cost of this system is $29.99

For more information or to possibly purchase a system, please click here.

 

 

System Features-

• 1. Perfect for launching sailplanes in limited spaces.
• 2. UV stabilized surgical latex rubber tubing holds elasticity longer
• 3. Injection molded reel provides easy winding and storage
• 4. Strong, highly visible parachute allows for easy downwind recovery
• 5. Comes ready for final assembly
• 6. Steel tow ring for safe launching
• 7. Produces launches of over 200ft (61m) in altitude while only requiring a 300 ft (91m) long field

2. The Electric Winch.

Many Thermal Soaring Clubs own an electric powered winch for the use of it's members. The use of such a device can give reliable launches but you do have to wait your turn! You can, of course own your own winch. The photo and link below shows an example of what is available.

 

The above photo shows the winch available from SUPERSKEG. to visit their website for full information- please click here

Kindly mention RC Airplanes Simplified.com if contacting them.

 

3. The Tow Plane.

A large RC airplane can be used to tow RC gliders aloft. An ideal plane for this purpose is a large, high wing plane with a 40 to 50cc gas engine. They must be built strong and tough and the large size helps  visibility when at altitude. They can even be a scale model! If the glider being towed is scale then the illusion is complete! (Full size gliders often use a "tug" to pull them aloft.)

Photo shows a good example of a scale glider tug. This is the WILGA-35. A model is available as an ARF kit from ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics.

This model features a wing span of 95" and the flying weight is from 12 to 19LBS.

For more information please click here to visit the ICARE website. Please mention RC Airplanes Simplified.com if contacting them.

 

 

4.The Electric RC Glider.

Photo shows the Big Scale 1.85-Meter (73") Dynam Sonic 185 Electric Brushless Radio Controlled RC Glider RTF, available from NITROPLANES.COM Click on the link for more information or to purchase. This RC glider is priced at $139.70-complete and ready to fly! (Including a 4 channel radio!)

This model is typical of the electric RC glider. A 200 watt brushless motor drives a 2-bladed folding propeller. Complete with a LI-PO battery and charger.

For further information on  the Electric RC Glider-please click here.

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