Gordon Johnson
User
I have done some sloping. But here in Massachusetts slope sites are few and far between. I have never made it out to Cape Cod, but hope to at some point. There is an island in the Boston Harbor (more of a peninsula) called Deer Island where it is possible to slope. I have sloped my Ahi there a few times. What I found in my town is a capped land fill, with a small, but man-made slope. So, I've decided to explore low wing loading slopers on small slopes. First, just about anyone who slopes has more experience sloping than I do. I'm pretty much a beginner.
The first of these light slopers I built was my Helium, completed a few weeks ago. It is based on the Bug and Pug designs, but I drew up all my own pieces and built it from scratch. Wing span is 31 inches, weight (with no ballast) is 46 grams, and wing loading is 1.48 oz/sq.ft. That one is a combination of laser cut balsa and some 3D resin printed parts. Details and build thread are on RCGroups.
www.rcgroups.com
My plan all along was to follow that up with a glider with ailerons and a wing loading that is not as extremely low as the Helium. Wayne and I bounced some ideas around and in the end I have embarked on a version of the Quicksilver. In reality it is loosely based on the Quicksilver and a number of other gliders from the 1970's. But, it will be different than the Quicksilver. First it has an emphasis on light weight and low wing loading. Wing span is 40 inches, smaller than the original Quicksilver, and similar gliders of the period. My goal is about a 3.5 oz/sq.ft loading, but the ability to ballast that heavier. Wings will be built-up not sheeted foam cores. Wings will also be removable rather than one-piece with a piece of the fuselage that removes with the wings. Ailerons are not strip ailerons but instead are in the outer 2/3 of the wing, and larger. Stab and fin will be built up rather than sheet balsa and have different shapes and placement. The stab will not be full floating. It does have rudder control, where the original and many gliders in the 1970's did not. Fuselage will be balsa. Nose will probably end up longer to help it balance with light weight equipment.
Equipment will be a roughly 1.2g receiver, four roughly 4g servos (similar to HS40's but a tad lighter), a voltage regulator, and a 280mAh 2S LiPo battery. Covering will be SoLite iron on covering film.
One last thing. If this glider is successful, and there is interest, I have told Wayne that he can kit it. But, that's a long way off. I will be making short kits for a few friends here in the Boston area if this is successful on our small hill in my town and other small slope sites I have identified so far. Hopefully we can get a few of these flying locally on small slopes.
The first of these light slopers I built was my Helium, completed a few weeks ago. It is based on the Bug and Pug designs, but I drew up all my own pieces and built it from scratch. Wing span is 31 inches, weight (with no ballast) is 46 grams, and wing loading is 1.48 oz/sq.ft. That one is a combination of laser cut balsa and some 3D resin printed parts. Details and build thread are on RCGroups.
Helium: Super Low Wing Loading Sloper - RC Groups
Build Log Helium: Super Low Wing Loading Sloper Slope Soaring
My plan all along was to follow that up with a glider with ailerons and a wing loading that is not as extremely low as the Helium. Wayne and I bounced some ideas around and in the end I have embarked on a version of the Quicksilver. In reality it is loosely based on the Quicksilver and a number of other gliders from the 1970's. But, it will be different than the Quicksilver. First it has an emphasis on light weight and low wing loading. Wing span is 40 inches, smaller than the original Quicksilver, and similar gliders of the period. My goal is about a 3.5 oz/sq.ft loading, but the ability to ballast that heavier. Wings will be built-up not sheeted foam cores. Wings will also be removable rather than one-piece with a piece of the fuselage that removes with the wings. Ailerons are not strip ailerons but instead are in the outer 2/3 of the wing, and larger. Stab and fin will be built up rather than sheet balsa and have different shapes and placement. The stab will not be full floating. It does have rudder control, where the original and many gliders in the 1970's did not. Fuselage will be balsa. Nose will probably end up longer to help it balance with light weight equipment.
Equipment will be a roughly 1.2g receiver, four roughly 4g servos (similar to HS40's but a tad lighter), a voltage regulator, and a 280mAh 2S LiPo battery. Covering will be SoLite iron on covering film.
One last thing. If this glider is successful, and there is interest, I have told Wayne that he can kit it. But, that's a long way off. I will be making short kits for a few friends here in the Boston area if this is successful on our small hill in my town and other small slope sites I have identified so far. Hopefully we can get a few of these flying locally on small slopes.
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