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ASH 26 Composite RC Gliders


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4 hours ago, EarlyBird said:

I get the message everything I say is wrong so I will shut up.

 

Steve

Don't get disheartened, Steve, we're all learning from the replies you're getting.

Have you looked at the range of FlyFly models sold by Gliders at Newark? They are much cheaper than the Eastern European imports and consequently lower quality but might be a place to start without spending a fortune.

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I believe that is because G-DEAJ is not in FlightRadar's database. If that is the case it may be able display real time data but it not record it. Aircraft owners can ask FR not to display information but in this case it is more likely that its information to enable tracking data has never been uploaded. There is more info here and here.

Edited by John Lee
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40 minutes ago, John Lee said:

I believe that is because G-DEAJ is not in FlightRadar's database. If that is the case it may be able display real time data but it not record it. Aircraft owners can ask FR not to display information but in this case it is more likely that its information to enable tracking data has never been uploaded. There is more info here and here.

 

My conclusion was based on the observation that the gliders with motors, self-launching, displayed their track as do all other powered craft. I am aware that some do not display at all as I have seen them flying over my house but not on the screen, Red Arrows for example.

 

With regard to D-KOOL and all the other cross-country long-distance speedsters leaving the track, this made me realise how far they travel in a day. Why they leave the track maybe different to my conclusion of it being motor dependent, but I have decided not to lose anymore sleep over it.

 

Realising that some gliders are built for speed made me wonder about what I had bought with the ASW 28. I think the full size will average something like 60 mph and slowing down is not an option as they have to fly fast to maintain the lift, obviously the model will be the same. I think I have lots to learn and consequently there is lots of fun to come.

 

Steve

 

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2 hours ago, Nick Cripps said:

Don't get disheartened, Steve, we're all learning from the replies you're getting.

Have you looked at the range of FlyFly models sold by Gliders at Newark? They are much cheaper than the Eastern European imports and consequently lower quality but might be a place to start without spending a fortune.

It's hard to stay cheerful some days but words of encouragement I get on here do have a positive effect. My builds are slowing down so I wanted RTF and am willing to pay for it to be built, that way I will have a model quicker and without any of the bodge ups that seem to be becoming more frequent recently. I know the bodge ups don't matter as they all fly without issue then there is no way that I could build the ASW 28 scratch anyway.

 

Steve

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Having read the description that, the model flies like the full size I have kept a look out for any approaching my house. With more use of flightradar24 I have come to the conclusion that having a motor does not automatically their track will be plotted. I found a Grob motor glider that did not leave a track, D-KOOL has two entries one as Glider and the other as ASW (Glider no track ASW with track). I am now thinking it's the pilot's choice as to how they are displayed. G-XELL has a call sign 405905 and leaves a track. 

 

Tuesday a glider took off from Pocklington and flew down the Trent valley, I forget the call sign it was something like D-CLKQ, on its way back it climbed in a thermal and within visual range. Tight circles and steeply banked with a good rate of climb. This is contrary to the advice I have been given on here of rudder turns keeping the wings as level as possible. 🤔

 

Wednesday went out with the MPX Heron and tried to copy D-CLKQ by adding down trim to increase the speed and once in rising air making banked tight turns, much to my amazement it kept rising. More for me to think about now. 🙂 I must have been doing a good job as a pair of Buzzards joined me, but they did not follow my example as they kept their wings flat as they circled beneath me.

 

All added up to a good day, there were lots of good mates as it was training day at WMFC.

 

Steve

 

 

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2 hours ago, EarlyBird said:

This is contrary to the advice I have been given on here of rudder turns keeping the wings as level as possible. 🤔

 

 

 

Whoever gave that advice is completely and utterly wrong. For maximum efficiency the model (or full sized) should be kept in balance during a turn with co-ordinated rudder and aileron. Keeping the wings level & using the rudder to turn requires opposite aileron and is provoking a side slip which is a good method of losing height!

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I had the wool fly off the canopy when I was flying full size at the Long Mynd last week, Paul, and I’m sure my flying immediately improved as a result!  I’d suggest the surreptitious use of a finger nail under the restraint tape when no one is looking. 😇

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14 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

I could do with some of your advice John, how do I stop the useless windscreen wiper made of an old bit of wool on the canopy when I fly it won't clean anything away ?. 🥳

 

 From French forums keep away from the Chinese flyfly gliders.

I know you are trying to be helpful, but I don't believe that the full size has windscreen wipers and am absolutely certain the scale models don't. I explained earlier that I am only interested in RTF which rules out Flyfly no matter what the French forums say.

 

Steve

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Steve, a joke yes, but at your expense - no. Please don't take offence.

 

This all came about following my post stating that you should use coordinated rudder and ailerons in a turn and not try to keep the wings level.

 

In full size gliders to verify that you are flying coordinated it is common practice to tape a tuft of wool on the canopy which shows the direction of airflow over the screen. When keeping in balance with the rudder and aileron the wool stays in a straight line directly down the canopy but any coordination errors are immediately shown by the wool pointing off to one side or another.

 

Beginners tend to have a great deal of difficulty initially in keeping the wool straight and have it darting from side to side as they over correct, hence the term of referring to the wool as a window wiper has been adopted in the full size gliding community.

 

Incidentally in Frank's photo you can see the FLARM display that I referred to in last Sunday's post at the top of the panel - the little black box with '1.2' on it and an LED compass which indicates the direction of nearby gliders. The transponder which shows up on FlightRadar 24 is the 2nd instrument up from the bottom centre showing the code (often referred to as a 'squawk') of 7000 which is the general conspicuity code for uncontrolled* aircraft following Visual Flight Rules

 

* by 'uncontrolled' I mean not being controlled by an Air Traffic Control unit.

Edited by John Lee
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On 28/07/2022 at 09:55, John Lee said:

Whoever gave that advice is completely and utterly wrong. For maximum efficiency the model (or full sized) should be kept in balance during a turn with co-ordinated rudder and aileron. Keeping the wings level & using the rudder to turn requires opposite aileron and is provoking a side slip which is a good method of losing height!

That takes me back.  The legendary John Jeffries who pioneered lead and follow cross country soaring courses used this technique in addition to air brakes to descend quickly when picking up “lame ducklings” struggling to centre in thermals. 

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Looking back on this thread prompts a few snippets that might be useful to those unfamiliar with the performance of gliders. 
 

15000 feet is quite possible if flying in standing wave - in fact in order to gain a diamond height endorsement you need to GAIN more than this - 5000m or a bit over 16000 feet above launch height or lowest prior point in the flight. 
 

A climb in cloud can get you to this height but airspace considerations and cloud flying ability often limit this option. Early height records were set in thunderstorm clouds but resulted in numerous fatalities. 
 

Those gently wafting gliders above you are capable of speeds up to around 150 knots (@175mph) or more although won’t be travelling at much more than 100 knots between thermals in strong conditions. Once in a thermal they will be flying between 40 to 60 knots depending on whether they are carrying water or not. *
 

Why carry water?  On a strong lift day, you can trade climb performance for speed between thermals. The distance flown is related only to the relationship of lift against drag so a heavy glider travels essentially the same distance through still air as a light one but gets there quicker. 
 

Cross country speeds can be very impressive when thermals line up in a wind, forming well defined “streets” where gliders can adopt a technique known as dolphining where the glider is flown fast in sinking air and pulled up hard when strong lift is encountered - pushing over below the normal stalling speed as short periods of negative G allow the glider to remain in the rising air longer…then flying slowly through any remaining lift until going back into static or sinking air and increasing speed to suit. (Various electronic or mechanical computing methods can be used to give the best speed to fly, taking into account conditions and requirements).

 

All in all, a glider cockpit can be a busy environment and those flights can last many hours. 


*Carrying water also gives the pilot an excuse to do a low level “competition finish” streaming water like a smoke trail and pulling up from a few feet converting energy from speed into sufficient height (several hundred feet) to complete a normal circuit and landing!

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interestingly, some full size helis also have a piece of string.

 

A firm called Multiflight used to do 'taster' heli lessons at Bradford airport. The instructor would run through a few of the controls and then point at the string and say "that is the single most important instrument - it must always hang down!".

 

I found it very hard to fly and was told I have the touch and finesse of a hippopotamus wearing boxing gloves. My teenage son took to it like a duck to water and was happily hovering and moving around the airport...

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19 hours ago, John Lee said:

Steve, a joke yes, but at your expense - no. Please don't take offence.

 

This all came about following my post stating that you should use coordinated rudder and ailerons in a turn and not try to keep the wings level.

I did take offence because to me this is serious and flippant remarks to me are misinformation.

 

It came about from the first post talking about wipers IMO and as I obviously know very little and want to learn I do find the 'in jokes' annoying as I do not understand them and assume the intention is to show up my ignorance.

 

Please understand I am talking about spending £3000 on a model so it would be appreciated if everyone was serious and gave helpful advice, in other words will the jokers please go elsewhere. 

 

Can we now move on and stop talking about string?

 

Steve

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