The short route to slope happiness?

[Tom Satinet]

dunno Matthew, I don't fly power so I can't compare, but I think you are right in that sloping is done by the older (but wiser) gents, although I think there is a decent crowd of us in our late 20s and our 30s.

 

maybe there aren't enough people in sloping to get the numbers on the hill to have a teaching situation. One thing though is that I am not aware of any slope clubs (stand to be corrected) that require any form of certification (other than bmfa insurance or similar) to fly, so maybe there isn't the same motivation to go down a formal training route?

 

Edited By Tom Satinet on 02/02/2011 09:13:18

Edited By Tom Satinet on 02/02/2011 09:13:44

[Frank Skilbeck]

My son, 21 this year, much prefers sloping to power, but thats maybe because the Wildthing bounces.......................

[Lee Morgan]

When I started out on the slope I wasn't aware of any clubs in the area , I only went to long mynd because a non-flying mate said it might be good , After some investigation I found out about the LMSA , I would have just continued flying on my own on the hills around my house , So there might well be a whole bunch of pilots that we will never bump into ?

 

Lee

[Isoaritfirst]

I started with a 27mhz set ripped out of a RC car and installed into a thundertiger windstar.

 

All done while I was on holiday.

 

It was before the days of foam and I was a prolific builder of phase 6 type models. I think I had them all.

It cost me a load of money, all in small lumps - but lots of small lumps.

 

I learnt a lot from all the building and rebuilding, and learnt that crashing and smashing isn't the end of a model just a rebirth.

 

It is the one thing about check-book modelling that would concern me. Alex's route may suit his time restraints - but for many it seems to me to be the route that ends up with short term modellers. A few crashes in fast succession will lead to another attack on the check book and possibly a totting up, which could end up with a value for money review, as models get binned after a few hours airtime.

 

The guy who built the model first time around is much more likely to consider the crash as a setback, and after a rebuild he may take extra pride in the fact that he has been able to reconstruct it. In my case I have spent a lot of money on models but IIRCC I have only ever binned a DS Falcon and a ridge runt - and the ridge runt had had many new handles and many new heads before I finally decided to jump on it. The Falcon was a total DS wipe out.and a loss of around £500. easily justifiable in costs of my sport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Isoaritfirst]

So in my case on one hand I could recommend that newbies follow the wildthing, EG, phase, typhoon route thereby ensuring that they don't double up on models with similar atributesand keep their spend in check, unlike what I did with the multitude of phase type models - but on the other hand while those models offered little performance differences the builds and the experiences they gave me have proved invaluable.

 

My first mouldie experiences were first from a Brisk II, then a Tragi 702.

 

Both were/are absolutely top quality models, and I was a little restrained with them for a few years, but because their build quality is so good I slowly gained confidence when they didn't fall apart at the first sign of a poor landing.

 

The Tragi is still in my fleet some 10years on and has more flying hours under its belt than many would have in their total fleet. and it still is the dogs Bx of a model.

 

I didn't have the choices then of going for Lunas or Typhoons etc as a stepping stone or a useful price bridge, as to flying - don't be scared of going 3mtrs - it is the right size for slope gliders, they are easier not harder to fly and they land easier as well and if you can buy the right model it will last you for many years. Sometimes looking for the cheaper alternative will cost you more in the long run.

 

 

[Alex Leigh]

Mike, to be fair I did build a few things. And I've repaired my MP and a bunch of other stuff. Not prettily but they are airworthy. I just don't enjoy it. Smashing even expensive models wouldn't be a trigger for me to quit. When I totalled the Luna, my first thought was "right need something else then"

 

And while I respect people who build all their own models, I'm happy with their second hand cast offs. All makes the world go round.

 

I see load of people riding £3k mountain bikes with all the gear who have the skills/fitness that does not do those bikes justice. It's easy to be snooty about it, but more people riding bikes is a good thing, so their route in is irrelevant.

 

I do want a 3m tho

[Isoaritfirst]

Hi Alex, Like you I agree it makes no difference how people get into any sport, I wasn't having a go at those who choose to do things differently to the route I took, just trying to highlight what I see happening to many of them and also what they may be missing.

 

They may decide that they have to miss those things because life has other attractions and time is limited - that's fine, but if they are missing them because they having considered the advantages then hopefully my post may help.

 

It is very easy to walk into a shop and buy RTF, and think well its cheap enough why bother with the build.

 

Or even to look at others high quality building work and think I can't do that and I can buy it so why bother,

But none of the guys who can build started with a god given gift its the same as any skill you start with easy stuff and progress. The same as when you start flying, you don't expect to be instantly competing at the top level of flying 6mtr scale jobs.

 

If you have a few mates that are also building that helps a lot to pass ideas around or even to spur on the competitive edge that will make your builds better . I joined the Wolves MC which was full of very experience wood builders, we had a club comp where everyone built a sonata - It came at just the right time for me I had started to get better with my building and took extra care with this one to and had lots of great builders doing the same around me. I learnt a lot from these guys.

[Matthew Lloyd]

Any suggestions for that first (affordable!) 3m mouldie Mike? Any classics to look out for in the classifieds?

[Lee Morgan]

Acacia 2 , set up right though , A bigbird is fun only 2.5M , Tragi 702 if you can find one , Or NYX again a little smaller than 3m but still a move on from the luna

 

Lee

[Matthew Lloyd]

Why are these models a 'move on'?
PS flew Jart today - twice - and took it home in one piece! Isn't a bit of Expo a wonderful thing!

[Lee Morgan]

Come and fly my Bigbird and you'll see I reckon

 

Lee

[Andy Burgoyne]

See if you can find a sting Matt ...............theres a reason you dont see many for sale ..

I bought mine 2nd hand 4 years ago and it still brings a smile to my face everytime I fly it ...lots of planes have come and gone but I'd not sell the Sting

Edited By Andy Burgoyne on 04/02/2011 22:07:05

Edited By Andy Burgoyne on 04/02/2011 22:08:07

[Matthew Lloyd]

Find me one then Andy!

[Tom Satinet]

wasn't Andy Ellison (slopetrashuk) selling a few mouldies? (acacia 2 etc. )

 

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Isoaritfirst]

That Pike Brio of Mr Eds is a cracking buy. 

A Pike WR is nicer in my opinion but the brio is a good model.

 

But my fav list of older models to keep an eye open for.

 

No 1. Tragi 702 or 704 (basically the same)

Big easy to fly as tough as they come, fantastic fit & finish will go on for years and having flown mine again ove rthe last few weekends - still a top performance, also good up a winch should you ever fancy it.

 

No 2. gets much harder to choose. but for a first purchase probably

Ellipse 2V or 2T. Look dated but stunningly well built, so bad landings will never faze it. Still capable of winning comps, very easy predictable model with NO bad habits.

I recently sold my lads which was as New for £450. They are still around.

 

Then

 

Sting is a stunning model to fly but does have a few problems with the build quality. The wing tips are very weak and will fold at the first sign of a poor landing. Easy repair, but a nuisance, No tow hook, so limited if you ever have chance to winch. Wing servo install is tricky to do well, so I suspect that there are a few dodgy ones out there.

Pike WR, good tough competitive model, no drawbacks, but never enjoyed mine as much as my Sting.

Acacia 2, if you can get a good one cheap, fly lovely look a bit dated, and there are a lot around that are made of cheese. Get a hard one.

Wizard Compact, tough, fast and agile. Lots of peoples favourite, but I sold mine because it was smaller than my other stuff, and size matters. @import url(http://www.modelflying.co.uk/CuteEditor_Files/Style/SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/CuteEditor_Files/public_forums.css);

 

 

 

Edited By Mike Evans 2 on 06/02/2011 21:23:43

[Andy Burgoyne]

Posted by Matthew Lloyd on 04/02/2011 22:40:21:
Find me one then Andy!

So Matt if I found you one would you want it .................?

[J G 2]

Hello All,

Phase 6 Sport, can someone please post a pictures on the wing fairing and how it's hold down please

[Pete B]

Hi JG2,

This request may be overlooked tagged onto this thread. I'd suggest you start a new thread in this section with the title 'Phase 6 Sport wing fairing', or similar - it'll be a lot more prominent

Pete

ps If you put 'Phase 6' in the search box, there are a few threads which may be of help. One has a link to Gary Binnie's excellent build thread on RCG, too!

 

Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 19/01/2015 11:37:28

[Mike Etheridge 1]

How the time flies I have not been slope soaring for about 5 years . I had my first try in 1976 with a second hand Micro Mold Colt which was well and truly battered. Then I bought an 8ft span Micro Mold Sprite which piled in on it's first flight due to radio interference. In about 1980 my nephew built me a Shaun Bannister 'Bluebottle' which he could fly very well and I could not. Then I built one myself a Flair Heron during a period in the 1980's whilst I was re-furbishing my first property, a maisonette in South Norwood. I managed to damage the Heron at Mill Hill in Sussex following an attempt to fly two loops one after the other and lost air speed. The latest slope soarer i built was a Wildthing 60. I have shown most of these planes on this web site before but as they still exist here they are again---I must fly them sometime !

 

 

 

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 19/01/2015 23:40:11

Edited By Mike Etheridge 1 on 19/01/2015 23:41:51

[John Privett]

Posted by Mike Etheridge 1 on 19/01/2015 23:35:45:

...I must fly them sometime !

I might see you on Colley Hill sometime then Mike. (Not that I've flown there much recently!)

[Bill_B]

Mike, isn't that an Avoncraft Colt? The Colt was my very first slope soarer, which didn't last very long due to my hopeless slope craft back then (in the late 70's) and a very fragile fuselage. Over the years I've flown many different airframes, but if there's one that always accompanies me to the slope these days, it's the little 60" RCRCM Sunbird. The main reason is that it's a good all rounder for aerobatics, thermallng or even just hooning around, and all for a relatively modest outlay. This is my route slope happiness.

[Mike Etheridge 1]

John,

I went to Coley Hill once last year with the Wildthing but did not fly due to excessive wind speed and the poor landing area there. The Colt and Heron have both flown there in the past, and I can remember both planes not wanting to come down due to the great amount of lift . I had better focus on my A-test with Roger before I do any more slope soaring , but at least now the Irvine Tutor seems OK ?

How about a trip to Castle Hill (Thurnham , South Westerly wind needed ) Kent where there is a large landing area and far less chance of smashing a model ?---See latest RCM& E magazine slope section.

Bill,

Yes it is the Avoncraft (Micro Mold ?) Colt , and your right the fuselage is / was not tough and I had to replace it. Some how the wings have survived without repair. I also had hopeless slope craft in 1976 and worried other flyers at Mill Hill and Devils Dyke. I have improved somewhat recently.

[Dave Bran]

I last flew Colley Hill on 1st Jan, and Mill Hill on Tuesday last week, where I maidened a delta wing of my design successfully and had some Slipstream fun.

I'm currently modding another much older light wind wing of my design which needed recovering as the tape had lost adhesion after six years use to add drooperons as well as its elevons.

I finished a JW60 last weekend, though when that'll fly I don't know, cue low winds for months, and another wing is underway. Just received a "Zulu" foam set, too.

A guy arrived at MH last Tues with a very old EBay purchase RE control high dihedral glider, trying to fly again after 20 years, never having flown a glider, only power. Helped him set up and it flew very well, quite lively and went where it was put. Some of these old designs have better manners than they look to have!