124 MODEL AVIATION
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Slope Soaring Dave Garwood
2008 Slope Soaring events: Which ones will you attend?
Also included in this column:
• Little Mountain flying site
• Slope Scale kits back in
production
Dave Arnold flies his Leading Edge Gliders EPP-foam P-51 Mustang on close
pass at Little Mountain in San Bernardino CA. Photographed in May 2007.
Brian Laird’s EPP-foam Weasel-pro at Little
Mountain. The model is an agile flier for light and
medium lift. It’s well suited to be a traveling slope
glider.
A Bob Martin balsa Talon, designed near the time of the US bicentennial, is still flying,
thanks partly to Little Mountain’s glider-friendly grassy landing areas.
Brian Laird’s ISR club-project Lockheed U-
2 high-altitude spyplane. It is now available
in a kit that Dan Sampson molds.
FIVE SLOPE SOARING events for 2008
have been announced at the time of this
writing in early January: the Western
Colorado Slope Challenge, the Midwest
Slope Challenge, the Cape Blanco
Slopefest, the Alpine Soaring Adventure,
and Soar Utah. The PSS [Power Scale
Soaring] Festival has instituted a biennial
schedule and will alternate with the
biennial Soar Utah event, which tends to
draw a similar audience. Be sure to check
the club Web sites for event updates.
See the 2008 Southern California Slope
Racing and American Slope Racing
Organization (ASRO) calendars for even
more event opportunities. In addition, the
Inland Slope Rebels (ISR) club is planning
to host a low-key event during Memorial
Day weekend at Cajon Pass in California.
Check the ISR schedule.
Sorry if there are additional events I did
not mention. If your Slope Soaring
organization will be scheduling an event in
2009—one that is designed to appeal to a
wide audience—let me know about it in
December 2008 and I’ll plan to mention it in
next April’s column.
Following is what is on the calendars
I’ve seen for this spring and summer.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:19 AM Page 124
Jim Ferguson, vice
president of the
sponsoring club, is
the contact person for this contest.
2) Midwest Slope Challenge: May 15-
18 at Wilson Lake reservoir in Lucas,
Kansas.
The Midwest Slope Challenge
(MWSC), which will celebrate its 15th
anniversary at this venue, is the longest
continuously running slope event, and it
aims for a relaxed rural-America flyingand-
vacation experience with four
April 2008 125
Slope Scale designers, Brian Laird and Paul Masura, chat with Dan
Sampson, who will produce Slope Scale PSS sailplanes.
This North American F-86 Sabre was the ISR club-project model
for 2007, and now it is available as a Dan Sampson kit.
1) Western Colorado Slope Challenge:
May 3-4 at “Big Mesa,” just to the east of
Delta, Colorado.
Focusing on foamie combat, the
Montrose Model Aircraft Association will
run this event for the fourth time. Among
the most interesting things about this
contest is dynamic soaring (DS) foamie
combat; these pilots fly combat on the
backside of a hill.
Look at the Web site to see photos of
rugged and interesting topography and
scenes from the event in previous years.
competition categories scheduled: Foamie
Combat, Foam Warbird Racing, One-
Design 60 Racing (ODR), and Unlimited
Class Racing.
In addition to the racing and combat
events, participants can usually count on
plenty of sport-flying opportunities
because several flyable sites around
Wilson Lake allow flying in different wind
directions.
Jet Adhesives
PO Box 633, Deerfield, IL 60015
1-866-538-4583
www.jetglues.com
Often
Imitated.
Never
Equaled.
Chrono-stabilized for
extra-long shelf life.
Gasket-sealed
lids to prevent
leakage.
Unsurpassed
bond
strength.
Exclusive
formulations
developed to
withstand heat
and vibration
Specially treated,
clog-resistant tips
and attached caps.
Easy-to-squeeze
see-through
containers.
CA’s.
We set the standard.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:21 AM Page 125
For MWSC registration information,
visit the Web site or contact the Wings
Over Wilson club by E-mail.
3) Cape Blanco Slopefest: June 27-29
at Cape Blanco State Park in southern
Oregon.
The Southern Oregon Slopeiens club
will be sponsoring another laid-back
slope-pilot gathering at a primo coastal
flying site. Cape Blanco protrudes out into
the Pacific and works in both north and
south wind directions. Its ridge is suitable
for dynamic soaring. Competitive events
are not mentioned on the club Web site,
126 MODEL AVIATION
but reserving the entire state-park
campsite and having a barbecue are
mentioned.
Those who plan to fly in the event
are asked to contact Todd Davis. More
information is posted on the Southern
Oregon Slopeiens Web site.
4) Alpine Soaring Adventure: June
27-July 1 at Wallowa Lake in Joseph,
Oregon.
Although this is not strictly a Slope
Soaring event, those I’ve spoken with
have good things to say about this
family-oriented, vacation-destination
gathering. (Kiona Publishing [which
produces Quiet Flyer and RC Sport
Flyer] sponsors this outing.)
The lift source described in last
year’s online brochure mentions that
“Thermals drift up the canyon’s walls,
creating superb soaring conditions.”
And “If wind conditions allow, models
can be flown from at least two alternate
sites on the opposite side of Memaloose
Ridge.” (I presume in slope lift.)
One of the big headaches in planning
a Slope Soaring event, particularly one
in which people will be traveling to
participate, is that it might not be windy
the days of the scheduled gathering. The
Alpine Soaring Adventure organizers
have addressed that problem by
providing for aero-towing, floatplane
flying, and electric-power flying in an
alpine setting with spectacular scenery.
5) Soar Utah: August 29-September
1 at Salt Lake City, Utah.
Slope pilots from across the country
look forward to Soar Utah, which is now
held every other year, especially those
of us who are interested in Scale
models—both sailplane prototypes and
power Scale sailplanes. My first Soar
Utah was in 1995, and I’ve been able to
fly in three of them.
The InterMountain Silent Flyers
(IMSF) club focuses on providing a lowkey
event with an emphasis on flying at
several locations during your visit to the
Great Salt Lake. In past years the IMSF
has held a judged Scale contest with part
of the score attained during judged flight
maneuvers. Visit the club and event Web
sites for more information.
Little Mountain in San Bernardino:
This is one of the Southern California
slope-flying spots I remember with a
smile. The hill is covered with tall grass,
which includes a few rocks, but there are
not many thistles or sticker bushes.
The hilltop and topography out front
are airplane- and people-friendly, thus
the site is great for beginners and pilots
with moderate flying and landing skills.
Will Rogers said, “We can’t all be
heroes because somebody has to sit on
the curb and clap as they go by.” Little
Mountain is open to everybody and
accessible to fliers of all skill levels.
On most days west winds build in the
afternoon to 5-15 mph, and thermals
form and blow through. Winds can reach
speeds of 30 mph on windy days. The
hill is approximately 500 feet high and
fairly steep. A dirt road allows you to
drive to the top.
Local pilots fly foam combat wings
and light- to medium-weight balsa and
fiberglass sailplanes. Little Mountain
was the location of Weaselfest 2005. Go
to the SBslopers Web site for more about
the event. Visit the Dream-Flight Web
site for information about the Weasel.
To get to Little Mountain, head north
on Little Mountain Drive. Take a right
onto a dirt road that is just after the crest
of the hill, which leads to the top. A
Web site courtesy of ASRO provides
more detailed driving directions.
Fly from south of the towers in the
common west wind and from north of
the towers in a Santa Ana wind. Reviews
about flying at this site in Santa Ana
(easterly) winds are mixed, and I have
not flown there in east winds.
Slope Scale Kits Back in Production: I
have enjoyed building and flying Slope
Scale PSS kits since I first saw one fly at
Eagle Butte during the World Soaring
Jamboree in 1994. At Point of the
Mountain during Soar Utah 1995, I was
amazed as I watched six Slope Scale
models in the air together, flying the
distinctive group “half pipe” pattern,
which we have come to call a “Slope
Scale Party.”
Solving the problems of designing a
Scale warbird glider that flies well, the
combined design talent of Brian Laird,
Paul Masura, Gary Kawamura, Carl
Maas, and Robert Cavazos has given us
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:23 AM Page 126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 124,125,126,128
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 124,125,126,128
124 MODEL AVIATION
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Slope Soaring Dave Garwood
2008 Slope Soaring events: Which ones will you attend?
Also included in this column:
• Little Mountain flying site
• Slope Scale kits back in
production
Dave Arnold flies his Leading Edge Gliders EPP-foam P-51 Mustang on close
pass at Little Mountain in San Bernardino CA. Photographed in May 2007.
Brian Laird’s EPP-foam Weasel-pro at Little
Mountain. The model is an agile flier for light and
medium lift. It’s well suited to be a traveling slope
glider.
A Bob Martin balsa Talon, designed near the time of the US bicentennial, is still flying,
thanks partly to Little Mountain’s glider-friendly grassy landing areas.
Brian Laird’s ISR club-project Lockheed U-
2 high-altitude spyplane. It is now available
in a kit that Dan Sampson molds.
FIVE SLOPE SOARING events for 2008
have been announced at the time of this
writing in early January: the Western
Colorado Slope Challenge, the Midwest
Slope Challenge, the Cape Blanco
Slopefest, the Alpine Soaring Adventure,
and Soar Utah. The PSS [Power Scale
Soaring] Festival has instituted a biennial
schedule and will alternate with the
biennial Soar Utah event, which tends to
draw a similar audience. Be sure to check
the club Web sites for event updates.
See the 2008 Southern California Slope
Racing and American Slope Racing
Organization (ASRO) calendars for even
more event opportunities. In addition, the
Inland Slope Rebels (ISR) club is planning
to host a low-key event during Memorial
Day weekend at Cajon Pass in California.
Check the ISR schedule.
Sorry if there are additional events I did
not mention. If your Slope Soaring
organization will be scheduling an event in
2009—one that is designed to appeal to a
wide audience—let me know about it in
December 2008 and I’ll plan to mention it in
next April’s column.
Following is what is on the calendars
I’ve seen for this spring and summer.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:19 AM Page 124
Jim Ferguson, vice
president of the
sponsoring club, is
the contact person for this contest.
2) Midwest Slope Challenge: May 15-
18 at Wilson Lake reservoir in Lucas,
Kansas.
The Midwest Slope Challenge
(MWSC), which will celebrate its 15th
anniversary at this venue, is the longest
continuously running slope event, and it
aims for a relaxed rural-America flyingand-
vacation experience with four
April 2008 125
Slope Scale designers, Brian Laird and Paul Masura, chat with Dan
Sampson, who will produce Slope Scale PSS sailplanes.
This North American F-86 Sabre was the ISR club-project model
for 2007, and now it is available as a Dan Sampson kit.
1) Western Colorado Slope Challenge:
May 3-4 at “Big Mesa,” just to the east of
Delta, Colorado.
Focusing on foamie combat, the
Montrose Model Aircraft Association will
run this event for the fourth time. Among
the most interesting things about this
contest is dynamic soaring (DS) foamie
combat; these pilots fly combat on the
backside of a hill.
Look at the Web site to see photos of
rugged and interesting topography and
scenes from the event in previous years.
competition categories scheduled: Foamie
Combat, Foam Warbird Racing, One-
Design 60 Racing (ODR), and Unlimited
Class Racing.
In addition to the racing and combat
events, participants can usually count on
plenty of sport-flying opportunities
because several flyable sites around
Wilson Lake allow flying in different wind
directions.
Jet Adhesives
PO Box 633, Deerfield, IL 60015
1-866-538-4583
www.jetglues.com
Often
Imitated.
Never
Equaled.
Chrono-stabilized for
extra-long shelf life.
Gasket-sealed
lids to prevent
leakage.
Unsurpassed
bond
strength.
Exclusive
formulations
developed to
withstand heat
and vibration
Specially treated,
clog-resistant tips
and attached caps.
Easy-to-squeeze
see-through
containers.
CA’s.
We set the standard.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:21 AM Page 125
For MWSC registration information,
visit the Web site or contact the Wings
Over Wilson club by E-mail.
3) Cape Blanco Slopefest: June 27-29
at Cape Blanco State Park in southern
Oregon.
The Southern Oregon Slopeiens club
will be sponsoring another laid-back
slope-pilot gathering at a primo coastal
flying site. Cape Blanco protrudes out into
the Pacific and works in both north and
south wind directions. Its ridge is suitable
for dynamic soaring. Competitive events
are not mentioned on the club Web site,
126 MODEL AVIATION
but reserving the entire state-park
campsite and having a barbecue are
mentioned.
Those who plan to fly in the event
are asked to contact Todd Davis. More
information is posted on the Southern
Oregon Slopeiens Web site.
4) Alpine Soaring Adventure: June
27-July 1 at Wallowa Lake in Joseph,
Oregon.
Although this is not strictly a Slope
Soaring event, those I’ve spoken with
have good things to say about this
family-oriented, vacation-destination
gathering. (Kiona Publishing [which
produces Quiet Flyer and RC Sport
Flyer] sponsors this outing.)
The lift source described in last
year’s online brochure mentions that
“Thermals drift up the canyon’s walls,
creating superb soaring conditions.”
And “If wind conditions allow, models
can be flown from at least two alternate
sites on the opposite side of Memaloose
Ridge.” (I presume in slope lift.)
One of the big headaches in planning
a Slope Soaring event, particularly one
in which people will be traveling to
participate, is that it might not be windy
the days of the scheduled gathering. The
Alpine Soaring Adventure organizers
have addressed that problem by
providing for aero-towing, floatplane
flying, and electric-power flying in an
alpine setting with spectacular scenery.
5) Soar Utah: August 29-September
1 at Salt Lake City, Utah.
Slope pilots from across the country
look forward to Soar Utah, which is now
held every other year, especially those
of us who are interested in Scale
models—both sailplane prototypes and
power Scale sailplanes. My first Soar
Utah was in 1995, and I’ve been able to
fly in three of them.
The InterMountain Silent Flyers
(IMSF) club focuses on providing a lowkey
event with an emphasis on flying at
several locations during your visit to the
Great Salt Lake. In past years the IMSF
has held a judged Scale contest with part
of the score attained during judged flight
maneuvers. Visit the club and event Web
sites for more information.
Little Mountain in San Bernardino:
This is one of the Southern California
slope-flying spots I remember with a
smile. The hill is covered with tall grass,
which includes a few rocks, but there are
not many thistles or sticker bushes.
The hilltop and topography out front
are airplane- and people-friendly, thus
the site is great for beginners and pilots
with moderate flying and landing skills.
Will Rogers said, “We can’t all be
heroes because somebody has to sit on
the curb and clap as they go by.” Little
Mountain is open to everybody and
accessible to fliers of all skill levels.
On most days west winds build in the
afternoon to 5-15 mph, and thermals
form and blow through. Winds can reach
speeds of 30 mph on windy days. The
hill is approximately 500 feet high and
fairly steep. A dirt road allows you to
drive to the top.
Local pilots fly foam combat wings
and light- to medium-weight balsa and
fiberglass sailplanes. Little Mountain
was the location of Weaselfest 2005. Go
to the SBslopers Web site for more about
the event. Visit the Dream-Flight Web
site for information about the Weasel.
To get to Little Mountain, head north
on Little Mountain Drive. Take a right
onto a dirt road that is just after the crest
of the hill, which leads to the top. A
Web site courtesy of ASRO provides
more detailed driving directions.
Fly from south of the towers in the
common west wind and from north of
the towers in a Santa Ana wind. Reviews
about flying at this site in Santa Ana
(easterly) winds are mixed, and I have
not flown there in east winds.
Slope Scale Kits Back in Production: I
have enjoyed building and flying Slope
Scale PSS kits since I first saw one fly at
Eagle Butte during the World Soaring
Jamboree in 1994. At Point of the
Mountain during Soar Utah 1995, I was
amazed as I watched six Slope Scale
models in the air together, flying the
distinctive group “half pipe” pattern,
which we have come to call a “Slope
Scale Party.”
Solving the problems of designing a
Scale warbird glider that flies well, the
combined design talent of Brian Laird,
Paul Masura, Gary Kawamura, Carl
Maas, and Robert Cavazos has given us
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:23 AM Page 126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 124,125,126,128
124 MODEL AVIATION
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Slope Soaring Dave Garwood
2008 Slope Soaring events: Which ones will you attend?
Also included in this column:
• Little Mountain flying site
• Slope Scale kits back in
production
Dave Arnold flies his Leading Edge Gliders EPP-foam P-51 Mustang on close
pass at Little Mountain in San Bernardino CA. Photographed in May 2007.
Brian Laird’s EPP-foam Weasel-pro at Little
Mountain. The model is an agile flier for light and
medium lift. It’s well suited to be a traveling slope
glider.
A Bob Martin balsa Talon, designed near the time of the US bicentennial, is still flying,
thanks partly to Little Mountain’s glider-friendly grassy landing areas.
Brian Laird’s ISR club-project Lockheed U-
2 high-altitude spyplane. It is now available
in a kit that Dan Sampson molds.
FIVE SLOPE SOARING events for 2008
have been announced at the time of this
writing in early January: the Western
Colorado Slope Challenge, the Midwest
Slope Challenge, the Cape Blanco
Slopefest, the Alpine Soaring Adventure,
and Soar Utah. The PSS [Power Scale
Soaring] Festival has instituted a biennial
schedule and will alternate with the
biennial Soar Utah event, which tends to
draw a similar audience. Be sure to check
the club Web sites for event updates.
See the 2008 Southern California Slope
Racing and American Slope Racing
Organization (ASRO) calendars for even
more event opportunities. In addition, the
Inland Slope Rebels (ISR) club is planning
to host a low-key event during Memorial
Day weekend at Cajon Pass in California.
Check the ISR schedule.
Sorry if there are additional events I did
not mention. If your Slope Soaring
organization will be scheduling an event in
2009—one that is designed to appeal to a
wide audience—let me know about it in
December 2008 and I’ll plan to mention it in
next April’s column.
Following is what is on the calendars
I’ve seen for this spring and summer.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:19 AM Page 124
Jim Ferguson, vice
president of the
sponsoring club, is
the contact person for this contest.
2) Midwest Slope Challenge: May 15-
18 at Wilson Lake reservoir in Lucas,
Kansas.
The Midwest Slope Challenge
(MWSC), which will celebrate its 15th
anniversary at this venue, is the longest
continuously running slope event, and it
aims for a relaxed rural-America flyingand-
vacation experience with four
April 2008 125
Slope Scale designers, Brian Laird and Paul Masura, chat with Dan
Sampson, who will produce Slope Scale PSS sailplanes.
This North American F-86 Sabre was the ISR club-project model
for 2007, and now it is available as a Dan Sampson kit.
1) Western Colorado Slope Challenge:
May 3-4 at “Big Mesa,” just to the east of
Delta, Colorado.
Focusing on foamie combat, the
Montrose Model Aircraft Association will
run this event for the fourth time. Among
the most interesting things about this
contest is dynamic soaring (DS) foamie
combat; these pilots fly combat on the
backside of a hill.
Look at the Web site to see photos of
rugged and interesting topography and
scenes from the event in previous years.
competition categories scheduled: Foamie
Combat, Foam Warbird Racing, One-
Design 60 Racing (ODR), and Unlimited
Class Racing.
In addition to the racing and combat
events, participants can usually count on
plenty of sport-flying opportunities
because several flyable sites around
Wilson Lake allow flying in different wind
directions.
Jet Adhesives
PO Box 633, Deerfield, IL 60015
1-866-538-4583
www.jetglues.com
Often
Imitated.
Never
Equaled.
Chrono-stabilized for
extra-long shelf life.
Gasket-sealed
lids to prevent
leakage.
Unsurpassed
bond
strength.
Exclusive
formulations
developed to
withstand heat
and vibration
Specially treated,
clog-resistant tips
and attached caps.
Easy-to-squeeze
see-through
containers.
CA’s.
We set the standard.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:21 AM Page 125
For MWSC registration information,
visit the Web site or contact the Wings
Over Wilson club by E-mail.
3) Cape Blanco Slopefest: June 27-29
at Cape Blanco State Park in southern
Oregon.
The Southern Oregon Slopeiens club
will be sponsoring another laid-back
slope-pilot gathering at a primo coastal
flying site. Cape Blanco protrudes out into
the Pacific and works in both north and
south wind directions. Its ridge is suitable
for dynamic soaring. Competitive events
are not mentioned on the club Web site,
126 MODEL AVIATION
but reserving the entire state-park
campsite and having a barbecue are
mentioned.
Those who plan to fly in the event
are asked to contact Todd Davis. More
information is posted on the Southern
Oregon Slopeiens Web site.
4) Alpine Soaring Adventure: June
27-July 1 at Wallowa Lake in Joseph,
Oregon.
Although this is not strictly a Slope
Soaring event, those I’ve spoken with
have good things to say about this
family-oriented, vacation-destination
gathering. (Kiona Publishing [which
produces Quiet Flyer and RC Sport
Flyer] sponsors this outing.)
The lift source described in last
year’s online brochure mentions that
“Thermals drift up the canyon’s walls,
creating superb soaring conditions.”
And “If wind conditions allow, models
can be flown from at least two alternate
sites on the opposite side of Memaloose
Ridge.” (I presume in slope lift.)
One of the big headaches in planning
a Slope Soaring event, particularly one
in which people will be traveling to
participate, is that it might not be windy
the days of the scheduled gathering. The
Alpine Soaring Adventure organizers
have addressed that problem by
providing for aero-towing, floatplane
flying, and electric-power flying in an
alpine setting with spectacular scenery.
5) Soar Utah: August 29-September
1 at Salt Lake City, Utah.
Slope pilots from across the country
look forward to Soar Utah, which is now
held every other year, especially those
of us who are interested in Scale
models—both sailplane prototypes and
power Scale sailplanes. My first Soar
Utah was in 1995, and I’ve been able to
fly in three of them.
The InterMountain Silent Flyers
(IMSF) club focuses on providing a lowkey
event with an emphasis on flying at
several locations during your visit to the
Great Salt Lake. In past years the IMSF
has held a judged Scale contest with part
of the score attained during judged flight
maneuvers. Visit the club and event Web
sites for more information.
Little Mountain in San Bernardino:
This is one of the Southern California
slope-flying spots I remember with a
smile. The hill is covered with tall grass,
which includes a few rocks, but there are
not many thistles or sticker bushes.
The hilltop and topography out front
are airplane- and people-friendly, thus
the site is great for beginners and pilots
with moderate flying and landing skills.
Will Rogers said, “We can’t all be
heroes because somebody has to sit on
the curb and clap as they go by.” Little
Mountain is open to everybody and
accessible to fliers of all skill levels.
On most days west winds build in the
afternoon to 5-15 mph, and thermals
form and blow through. Winds can reach
speeds of 30 mph on windy days. The
hill is approximately 500 feet high and
fairly steep. A dirt road allows you to
drive to the top.
Local pilots fly foam combat wings
and light- to medium-weight balsa and
fiberglass sailplanes. Little Mountain
was the location of Weaselfest 2005. Go
to the SBslopers Web site for more about
the event. Visit the Dream-Flight Web
site for information about the Weasel.
To get to Little Mountain, head north
on Little Mountain Drive. Take a right
onto a dirt road that is just after the crest
of the hill, which leads to the top. A
Web site courtesy of ASRO provides
more detailed driving directions.
Fly from south of the towers in the
common west wind and from north of
the towers in a Santa Ana wind. Reviews
about flying at this site in Santa Ana
(easterly) winds are mixed, and I have
not flown there in east winds.
Slope Scale Kits Back in Production: I
have enjoyed building and flying Slope
Scale PSS kits since I first saw one fly at
Eagle Butte during the World Soaring
Jamboree in 1994. At Point of the
Mountain during Soar Utah 1995, I was
amazed as I watched six Slope Scale
models in the air together, flying the
distinctive group “half pipe” pattern,
which we have come to call a “Slope
Scale Party.”
Solving the problems of designing a
Scale warbird glider that flies well, the
combined design talent of Brian Laird,
Paul Masura, Gary Kawamura, Carl
Maas, and Robert Cavazos has given us
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:23 AM Page 126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 124,125,126,128
124 MODEL AVIATION
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Slope Soaring Dave Garwood
2008 Slope Soaring events: Which ones will you attend?
Also included in this column:
• Little Mountain flying site
• Slope Scale kits back in
production
Dave Arnold flies his Leading Edge Gliders EPP-foam P-51 Mustang on close
pass at Little Mountain in San Bernardino CA. Photographed in May 2007.
Brian Laird’s EPP-foam Weasel-pro at Little
Mountain. The model is an agile flier for light and
medium lift. It’s well suited to be a traveling slope
glider.
A Bob Martin balsa Talon, designed near the time of the US bicentennial, is still flying,
thanks partly to Little Mountain’s glider-friendly grassy landing areas.
Brian Laird’s ISR club-project Lockheed U-
2 high-altitude spyplane. It is now available
in a kit that Dan Sampson molds.
FIVE SLOPE SOARING events for 2008
have been announced at the time of this
writing in early January: the Western
Colorado Slope Challenge, the Midwest
Slope Challenge, the Cape Blanco
Slopefest, the Alpine Soaring Adventure,
and Soar Utah. The PSS [Power Scale
Soaring] Festival has instituted a biennial
schedule and will alternate with the
biennial Soar Utah event, which tends to
draw a similar audience. Be sure to check
the club Web sites for event updates.
See the 2008 Southern California Slope
Racing and American Slope Racing
Organization (ASRO) calendars for even
more event opportunities. In addition, the
Inland Slope Rebels (ISR) club is planning
to host a low-key event during Memorial
Day weekend at Cajon Pass in California.
Check the ISR schedule.
Sorry if there are additional events I did
not mention. If your Slope Soaring
organization will be scheduling an event in
2009—one that is designed to appeal to a
wide audience—let me know about it in
December 2008 and I’ll plan to mention it in
next April’s column.
Following is what is on the calendars
I’ve seen for this spring and summer.
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:19 AM Page 124
Jim Ferguson, vice
president of the
sponsoring club, is
the contact person for this contest.
2) Midwest Slope Challenge: May 15-
18 at Wilson Lake reservoir in Lucas,
Kansas.
The Midwest Slope Challenge
(MWSC), which will celebrate its 15th
anniversary at this venue, is the longest
continuously running slope event, and it
aims for a relaxed rural-America flyingand-
vacation experience with four
April 2008 125
Slope Scale designers, Brian Laird and Paul Masura, chat with Dan
Sampson, who will produce Slope Scale PSS sailplanes.
This North American F-86 Sabre was the ISR club-project model
for 2007, and now it is available as a Dan Sampson kit.
1) Western Colorado Slope Challenge:
May 3-4 at “Big Mesa,” just to the east of
Delta, Colorado.
Focusing on foamie combat, the
Montrose Model Aircraft Association will
run this event for the fourth time. Among
the most interesting things about this
contest is dynamic soaring (DS) foamie
combat; these pilots fly combat on the
backside of a hill.
Look at the Web site to see photos of
rugged and interesting topography and
scenes from the event in previous years.
competition categories scheduled: Foamie
Combat, Foam Warbird Racing, One-
Design 60 Racing (ODR), and Unlimited
Class Racing.
In addition to the racing and combat
events, participants can usually count on
plenty of sport-flying opportunities
because several flyable sites around
Wilson Lake allow flying in different wind
directions.
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04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:21 AM Page 125
For MWSC registration information,
visit the Web site or contact the Wings
Over Wilson club by E-mail.
3) Cape Blanco Slopefest: June 27-29
at Cape Blanco State Park in southern
Oregon.
The Southern Oregon Slopeiens club
will be sponsoring another laid-back
slope-pilot gathering at a primo coastal
flying site. Cape Blanco protrudes out into
the Pacific and works in both north and
south wind directions. Its ridge is suitable
for dynamic soaring. Competitive events
are not mentioned on the club Web site,
126 MODEL AVIATION
but reserving the entire state-park
campsite and having a barbecue are
mentioned.
Those who plan to fly in the event
are asked to contact Todd Davis. More
information is posted on the Southern
Oregon Slopeiens Web site.
4) Alpine Soaring Adventure: June
27-July 1 at Wallowa Lake in Joseph,
Oregon.
Although this is not strictly a Slope
Soaring event, those I’ve spoken with
have good things to say about this
family-oriented, vacation-destination
gathering. (Kiona Publishing [which
produces Quiet Flyer and RC Sport
Flyer] sponsors this outing.)
The lift source described in last
year’s online brochure mentions that
“Thermals drift up the canyon’s walls,
creating superb soaring conditions.”
And “If wind conditions allow, models
can be flown from at least two alternate
sites on the opposite side of Memaloose
Ridge.” (I presume in slope lift.)
One of the big headaches in planning
a Slope Soaring event, particularly one
in which people will be traveling to
participate, is that it might not be windy
the days of the scheduled gathering. The
Alpine Soaring Adventure organizers
have addressed that problem by
providing for aero-towing, floatplane
flying, and electric-power flying in an
alpine setting with spectacular scenery.
5) Soar Utah: August 29-September
1 at Salt Lake City, Utah.
Slope pilots from across the country
look forward to Soar Utah, which is now
held every other year, especially those
of us who are interested in Scale
models—both sailplane prototypes and
power Scale sailplanes. My first Soar
Utah was in 1995, and I’ve been able to
fly in three of them.
The InterMountain Silent Flyers
(IMSF) club focuses on providing a lowkey
event with an emphasis on flying at
several locations during your visit to the
Great Salt Lake. In past years the IMSF
has held a judged Scale contest with part
of the score attained during judged flight
maneuvers. Visit the club and event Web
sites for more information.
Little Mountain in San Bernardino:
This is one of the Southern California
slope-flying spots I remember with a
smile. The hill is covered with tall grass,
which includes a few rocks, but there are
not many thistles or sticker bushes.
The hilltop and topography out front
are airplane- and people-friendly, thus
the site is great for beginners and pilots
with moderate flying and landing skills.
Will Rogers said, “We can’t all be
heroes because somebody has to sit on
the curb and clap as they go by.” Little
Mountain is open to everybody and
accessible to fliers of all skill levels.
On most days west winds build in the
afternoon to 5-15 mph, and thermals
form and blow through. Winds can reach
speeds of 30 mph on windy days. The
hill is approximately 500 feet high and
fairly steep. A dirt road allows you to
drive to the top.
Local pilots fly foam combat wings
and light- to medium-weight balsa and
fiberglass sailplanes. Little Mountain
was the location of Weaselfest 2005. Go
to the SBslopers Web site for more about
the event. Visit the Dream-Flight Web
site for information about the Weasel.
To get to Little Mountain, head north
on Little Mountain Drive. Take a right
onto a dirt road that is just after the crest
of the hill, which leads to the top. A
Web site courtesy of ASRO provides
more detailed driving directions.
Fly from south of the towers in the
common west wind and from north of
the towers in a Santa Ana wind. Reviews
about flying at this site in Santa Ana
(easterly) winds are mixed, and I have
not flown there in east winds.
Slope Scale Kits Back in Production: I
have enjoyed building and flying Slope
Scale PSS kits since I first saw one fly at
Eagle Butte during the World Soaring
Jamboree in 1994. At Point of the
Mountain during Soar Utah 1995, I was
amazed as I watched six Slope Scale
models in the air together, flying the
distinctive group “half pipe” pattern,
which we have come to call a “Slope
Scale Party.”
Solving the problems of designing a
Scale warbird glider that flies well, the
combined design talent of Brian Laird,
Paul Masura, Gary Kawamura, Carl
Maas, and Robert Cavazos has given us
04sig4.QXD 2/25/08 10:23 AM Page 126