Why are Radio Control Gliders so popular?

Daisy

 Since some gliders have no motor, you might think gliding around is simple. Not true! Gliders are capable of high speed and advanced aerobatics.

Gliding can be competitive because pilot skill is the main factor. Speed, aerobatic flight and racing are part of glider flight.

Of course, the classic image of soaring like the birds, chasing thermals and flying on a relaxed Sunday afternoon are still the distinctive appeal of R/C soaring. Glider flying is quiet, clean, and lots of fun. You don't descend to refuel, you just stay up for hours!

If you want speed, our German hotliner gliders do up to 235 mph with brushless motors, and 80-150 mph on hot standard motors.

Glider Flying in Ireland
Gliders make excellent trainer aircraft - their slow flight and stability is perfect for beginners. There are different gliders designed to take advantage of the two types of lift.

Slope soaring: is the faster type of gliding. When the wind encounters rising ground, high coastline or a line of trees, it rises to pass over. The rising breeze creates an area of lift above and in front of the hill that lasts as long as the wind blows so slope soaring is very popular in Ireland due to our breezy weather, especially at hilly and seaside locations.
For more info on this Go to Slope Soaring & PSS Ireland

Slope soaring gliders are fast. They penetrate the wind well so they fly in strong wind conditions. Their speed gives them superb aerobatic flight. Visualise swooping & diving on the slope at seagull-eagle speeds.Electric fighters with folding props slope also soar when the motor is off & prop folded.

Fredy
Irish Soaring  ....  Glider, radio, hill & breeze … that's all you need to slope soar

Slope soaring gliders are fast. They penetrate the wind well so they fly in strong wind conditions. Their speed gives them superb aerobatic flight. Visualise swooping & diving on the slope at seagull-eagle speeds.Electric fighters with folding props slope also soar when the motor is off & prop folded.

Motor power gliders are the best self-learn planes because being lightweight, their landing speed is a safer 12 mph versus the 18-20mph for heavy glowfuel trainers. This avoids the worst knocks & bumps from the wobbly landings at the end of those first flights..

My favourite slope soaring "glider" is a jet or a WWII fighter... Yes, that's right. They are the right shape to cut through a big wind on the slope while I fly at speed. No engine required.

High power fast motor glider racers are called hotliners.

 

 

Thermal soaring: Thermals are rising masses of warm air that provide the  challenge and enjoyment for the thermal sailplane pilot. Thermal sailplanes are slow, gracefully floating across the sky. Finding the invisible lift and using it to climb like an eagle is a source of great enjoyment.

Motor gliders don't need wind, they have propellers, motors fitted to allow climbing up from flat flying sites, with a subsequent thermal & soaring descent flight.

Some gliders have engines
Gliders are available in various designs based on wingspan and whether power is built-in or not. Hand Launch (HLG) Soarers: Joy & Daisy (glider version) span 60 ". These light slope soarers are hand launched or bungeed. Jets such as Hawk and many WWII fighters are very good slope soarers too, with engine off and propeller folded. Parkfliers can soar nicely in calm days but fast areobatic parkflys like Wonder XXS and Skyraider are excellent for flying on the slope in hilly areas.
Pure Gliders: Many makes are available, we have the Daisy (glider version), Pilatus B-4 and others. Cosinus is faster, fully aerobatic with aileron control. Large ones are often fitted with airbrakes, tow-hook release, retractable wheels, etc. Rödel large scale sailplanes are beautifully made and fly for hours using thermals for lift. The very large 3 - 4 metre gliders are effortless in flight. We like the 3.2 metre ASK21.
Motor Gliders: The most popular RC aircraft. Motor gliders make the ideal first R/C aircraft for young fliers and learners with no access to instructors They can be any of the above designs with an electric motor added to allow takeoff anywhere, anytime. A folding propeller opens as a normal prop when under power carrying the plane to heights and when the throttle is cut, the propeller blades fold back to lie alongside the fuselage sides eliminating wind drag for the flight. Now the model can fly faster then with engine on.

Soaring small motor planes

For the novice, a motor glider is the best choice. These gliders are quick to build, good value and fly very well responding crisply and smoothly to the controls. This is just what the beginner needs..a glider with engine off and a motor plane when engine is on. At Green Hobby we commissioned the Daisy design for this purpose. "Daisy" is our perfect first aircraft, it is tough, pre-built, good looking, flies very steady, and lands slowly. Daisy's ellipsoid wing tips are very forgiving keeping the wing tips up off the ground during landings.

Upgraded Daisy has the faster aileron "Q" wing is a favourite of experienced Irish modellers too. The "Q" wing is available as an upgrade for learners, so you can convert your trainer into a lively faster flier at little cost. (Eg New wing only, no building new aircraft.)

Motor gliders vary from trainer up to competition hotliner. Trainers include the highly regarded Green Hobby ARF Daisy, its bigger brother Daisy Max, and kit Panafly. The faster Daisy Q, Bella, & Powerfly are nice aerobatic 2nd aircraft. Super fast hotliners Surprise & Parabola do vertical climbs and 150-200mph.

Hot gliders whistle in the air (like a crossbow bolt) from sheer speed, 150 mph is not too fast for these aircraft with no engine. There are vee-tail hot gliders also - beautiful aircraft to have and fly. These advanced hot gliders are Fredy and Dogan.

Launching a Glider
There are many ways of launching a sailplane.  Some need equipment and others require nothing at all.
  2. Hand or Winch Tow: Like launching a kite it is effective, bicycles and fishing line are very useful for this! Suits young modellers very well.
1. Hand launching from the top of a ridge: All the slope soarers do this. It works great for small gliders and slope soarers. You just throw them outwards into the slope lift. It's also be effective for thermal gliders.

See this on our video web page with the "Joy" clip.

 3. Glider Tug Towing: This is like the real thing with a large R/C model tug towing the sailplane aloft and releasing it by use of an R/C servo operated release mechanism.

It really looks the business, but you have a lot to organise what with large glowengine models as well as your glider.

 
4. Motor & folding propeller: The usual method for flat flying sites. A motor glider climbs fast, so very high . this is by far the most used method of getting a glider to height.

You can catch a video of this method in the "Daisy" clip on our video web page.

5. Bungee Catapult: The most visually exciting method of launching, the 30' Green Hobby bungee is like a big slingshot that catapults your model into the air. To launch, you simply peg the other end down, pull the bungee tight, point the plane into the wind and let go. When the plane overtakes the bungee, it flies off the line. Simple, economical, independent.