REMEMBER
THAT COOL new model
you had to have? It was the expensive one,
with the hot new airfoil and the extra span.
Remember how you felt when you first
flew it and learned that you could land
better or perhaps see its reaction to the
thermals more readily than with your tired,
old sailplane?
I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that
maybe those
better landings and
easier thermals were largely owed to your
being a better pilot. That time you spent
with the previous sailplane made you a
better pilot, and it showed when you flew
the hot new sailplane.
Don’t get me wrong; I love the
excitement of getting a new model.
There’s the anguish of seeing the brown
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Soaring Lee Estingoy
Also included in this column:
• Sights at the WRAM Show
• Treasures at the 2009
Toledo Show
It’s in the way that you use it
Above: Gunny Bumburs’ beautiful new
take on a 1/4-scale Schweizer 2-33A offers
great flight performance, which is seldom
heard of when discussing model 2-33As.
Skip Miller shows the new Espadita: a 2-meter version of the Jaro
Muller Espada. Skip’s Toledo Show booth was filled with the latest
in high-end sailplanes.
Barry Kennedy displays his Miles 2-meter kit. It sports cuttingedge
airfoils in a laser-cut kit form that allows builders to
contribute a bit of sweat equity.
truck trundle past your house without
stopping. Then there’s the thrill of the
doorbell ring and the anxious moments
opening the box to see if the new baby has
any—I mean any—dings.
There has been an incredible
improvement in the airframers’ art in the
past 10 years. My first full-house sailplane
was a Prism by Ron Vann. It was a good
machine back in 1995. It had beautiful
Obechi-skinned 7037 wings and was just
pretty. It was a much better airplane than I
was a pilot in 1998.
I remember quickly outgrowing the
Prism and moving on to something more
expensive. Sure, that new sailplane flew
better, but I soon replaced it with another.
There were many sailplane relationships
during the ensuing years. I was a serial
sailplane depreciator.
I was lucky enough to find a preloved
Prism Open-class sailplane for sale a few
years ago, and I snatched it up. I went
through the whole business of eagerly
waiting for the brown truck to deposit my
sailplane (intact) here at the office. Hey,
the guy even slowed down before he
tossed it out.
I went over the installation of servos
and linkages and made adjustments here
and there, to reduce surface sloppiness. I
replaced a few of the more wobbly servos
with higher-grade servos than I would
have contemplated using 10 years ago.
It’s funny how the threshold for sticker
shock is so much higher now.
I was able to quickly adjust the
program in my radio to make all of the
surfaces travel the right directions and
distances. Remember how long that used
to take?
A good day finally came along, and I
took the new Prism and all my nostalgia
out to the field. I got everything ready and
stepped up to the winch.
My Prism launches used to be
exciting. I used to dread them almost as
much as I dread walking down the
lightbulb aisle with my 5-year-old son
now. The sailplane used to veer wildly,
pop off, or do anything but shoot straight
up the line.
You know what? That new Prism went
straight up like it was on rails. How could
that be? What was different? I was!
That first Prism and every airplane
since have helped me learn the skills that
I need to be a better RC sailplane pilot. I
now know how to set up the model so that
the linkages are tight and precise. I know
how to set the towhook position and
roughly where to put the CG.
I know how to program the radio so
that the surfaces are in the right places at
the right times. I know how to stand on
one leg and tap the pedal with the other to
tighten the line just enough, and I know
how to toss the sailplane without imparting
unwanted yaw.
That all used to take conscious thought.
It’s mostly second nature now.
I admit that experience with the Prism
and some of the new foamie ARFs has
caused many second thoughts about the
expensive sailplanes I’m hoarding. I feel
more comfortable flying the less valuable,
more “loved” airplanes, and there’s
nothing wrong with that. The whole point
of the hobby for me is to enjoy an
afternoon out in the sun and the breeze.
Soaring does not necessarily require the
participant to pound $2,000 worth of
carbon fiber into the landing tape as the
sidekick’s timer goes “bing.” Sure, some
fliers enjoy that, but I’ll wager that it’s not
for everybody. Soaring should not be a
one-size-fits-all experience.
Prices of the airframes we feel
compelled to buy to remain competitive
have escalated incredibly during just my
10 years in the hobby. Obechi sailplanes
such as the Prism or the Lasoar 960 were
roughly $400 in the late 1990s. Prices for
today’s sailplanes are three or four times
that. Is it any wonder that the number of
participants is dwindling?
Do we want to create such a high cost
of entry into the hobby? Yeah, I know it’s
cheaper than a Harley-Davidson or a bass
boat. But maybe, just maybe, we could
work toward getting people into the hobby
before we expect them to spend the
family’s vacation budget on a model.
Those who are bitten by the Soaring
bug will ultimately find their place in the
hobby, but that should be a journey they
make by their own choice—not a
prerequisite for showing up at the field
on Day One.
WRAM Show 2009: I saw a new gadget
that looked like fun at the WRAM Show
in White Plains, New York. Etienne
Dorig of ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics
is importing a GPS telemetry transmitter/
receiver system called “SkyNavigator.”
This unit allows the Soaring pilot to
enter waypoints in a handheld Windows
Mobile personal digital assistant (PDA)
and then watch as the model’s route is
mapped by the computer as the sailplane
travels around the course. The idea is to
set up three virtual waypoints that are as
much as 1,650 feet away from the pilot
and then fly the course with the
sailplane.
The computer tracks the laps and
ensures that the virtual pylons aren’t
cut. There’s a time window, and
participants race to fly as many laps as
possible in that period. This is an
approximation of one of the events in
full-scale soaring.
I wish I hadn’t just made such an
impassioned case for cutting costs; this
baby retails for $859 and that does not
include the PDA.
Another slick item I saw at the WRAM
Show was Aviation Concepts’ Gunny
Bumburs’ stunning short kit of the
Schweizer 2-33A. This is a top-notch
product.
Gunny is a skilled craftsman, and he
has made a kit that builds to a great-size
model for aerotow. It spans 153 inches, is
78.5 inches in length, and weighs 12
pounds all-up. It’s large enough to fly
impressively, yet it’s still small enough to
live with.
Gunny used the evergreen 7037 airfoil,
which should have an enjoyable speed
envelope that will allow the pilot to do
much more than hover the Schweizer over
the release point. If you have questions or
want additional information, e-mail
Gunny.
Toledo Show 2009: Soaring dealers
Kennedy Composites and Skip Miller
Models both had displays at the 2009
Weak Signals R/C Expo. Skip had an
impressive display of the Exotica that he
imports. He was plain silly about the
incredibly stout ultra-carbon DS
(Dynamic Soaring) and slope sailplanes
he has been working hard to bring to his
customers. He is also stocking quality
fully molded models from Asia at price
points that are markedly lower than
those of the European products.
Barry Kennedy is the US dealer for
Vladimir’s Model, which makes the Supra
and the new Sprite 2-meter that were on
display. It’s a pleasure to visit with Barry
and his guests at the booth.
Soaring is all about finding your place.
Whether it’s picking a sailplane, visiting
with other people at a show, taking part in
a competitive event, or flying for fun, look
for what’s going up and avoid what’s
going down. MA
Sources:
ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics
(450) 449-9094
www.icare-rc.com
Gunny Bumburs
[email protected]
www.hangtimes.com
Skip Miller Models
(303) 442-6454
www.skipmillermodels.com
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 111,112,113
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 111,112,113
REMEMBER
THAT COOL new model
you had to have? It was the expensive one,
with the hot new airfoil and the extra span.
Remember how you felt when you first
flew it and learned that you could land
better or perhaps see its reaction to the
thermals more readily than with your tired,
old sailplane?
I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that
maybe those
better landings and
easier thermals were largely owed to your
being a better pilot. That time you spent
with the previous sailplane made you a
better pilot, and it showed when you flew
the hot new sailplane.
Don’t get me wrong; I love the
excitement of getting a new model.
There’s the anguish of seeing the brown
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Soaring Lee Estingoy
Also included in this column:
• Sights at the WRAM Show
• Treasures at the 2009
Toledo Show
It’s in the way that you use it
Above: Gunny Bumburs’ beautiful new
take on a 1/4-scale Schweizer 2-33A offers
great flight performance, which is seldom
heard of when discussing model 2-33As.
Skip Miller shows the new Espadita: a 2-meter version of the Jaro
Muller Espada. Skip’s Toledo Show booth was filled with the latest
in high-end sailplanes.
Barry Kennedy displays his Miles 2-meter kit. It sports cuttingedge
airfoils in a laser-cut kit form that allows builders to
contribute a bit of sweat equity.
truck trundle past your house without
stopping. Then there’s the thrill of the
doorbell ring and the anxious moments
opening the box to see if the new baby has
any—I mean any—dings.
There has been an incredible
improvement in the airframers’ art in the
past 10 years. My first full-house sailplane
was a Prism by Ron Vann. It was a good
machine back in 1995. It had beautiful
Obechi-skinned 7037 wings and was just
pretty. It was a much better airplane than I
was a pilot in 1998.
I remember quickly outgrowing the
Prism and moving on to something more
expensive. Sure, that new sailplane flew
better, but I soon replaced it with another.
There were many sailplane relationships
during the ensuing years. I was a serial
sailplane depreciator.
I was lucky enough to find a preloved
Prism Open-class sailplane for sale a few
years ago, and I snatched it up. I went
through the whole business of eagerly
waiting for the brown truck to deposit my
sailplane (intact) here at the office. Hey,
the guy even slowed down before he
tossed it out.
I went over the installation of servos
and linkages and made adjustments here
and there, to reduce surface sloppiness. I
replaced a few of the more wobbly servos
with higher-grade servos than I would
have contemplated using 10 years ago.
It’s funny how the threshold for sticker
shock is so much higher now.
I was able to quickly adjust the
program in my radio to make all of the
surfaces travel the right directions and
distances. Remember how long that used
to take?
A good day finally came along, and I
took the new Prism and all my nostalgia
out to the field. I got everything ready and
stepped up to the winch.
My Prism launches used to be
exciting. I used to dread them almost as
much as I dread walking down the
lightbulb aisle with my 5-year-old son
now. The sailplane used to veer wildly,
pop off, or do anything but shoot straight
up the line.
You know what? That new Prism went
straight up like it was on rails. How could
that be? What was different? I was!
That first Prism and every airplane
since have helped me learn the skills that
I need to be a better RC sailplane pilot. I
now know how to set up the model so that
the linkages are tight and precise. I know
how to set the towhook position and
roughly where to put the CG.
I know how to program the radio so
that the surfaces are in the right places at
the right times. I know how to stand on
one leg and tap the pedal with the other to
tighten the line just enough, and I know
how to toss the sailplane without imparting
unwanted yaw.
That all used to take conscious thought.
It’s mostly second nature now.
I admit that experience with the Prism
and some of the new foamie ARFs has
caused many second thoughts about the
expensive sailplanes I’m hoarding. I feel
more comfortable flying the less valuable,
more “loved” airplanes, and there’s
nothing wrong with that. The whole point
of the hobby for me is to enjoy an
afternoon out in the sun and the breeze.
Soaring does not necessarily require the
participant to pound $2,000 worth of
carbon fiber into the landing tape as the
sidekick’s timer goes “bing.” Sure, some
fliers enjoy that, but I’ll wager that it’s not
for everybody. Soaring should not be a
one-size-fits-all experience.
Prices of the airframes we feel
compelled to buy to remain competitive
have escalated incredibly during just my
10 years in the hobby. Obechi sailplanes
such as the Prism or the Lasoar 960 were
roughly $400 in the late 1990s. Prices for
today’s sailplanes are three or four times
that. Is it any wonder that the number of
participants is dwindling?
Do we want to create such a high cost
of entry into the hobby? Yeah, I know it’s
cheaper than a Harley-Davidson or a bass
boat. But maybe, just maybe, we could
work toward getting people into the hobby
before we expect them to spend the
family’s vacation budget on a model.
Those who are bitten by the Soaring
bug will ultimately find their place in the
hobby, but that should be a journey they
make by their own choice—not a
prerequisite for showing up at the field
on Day One.
WRAM Show 2009: I saw a new gadget
that looked like fun at the WRAM Show
in White Plains, New York. Etienne
Dorig of ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics
is importing a GPS telemetry transmitter/
receiver system called “SkyNavigator.”
This unit allows the Soaring pilot to
enter waypoints in a handheld Windows
Mobile personal digital assistant (PDA)
and then watch as the model’s route is
mapped by the computer as the sailplane
travels around the course. The idea is to
set up three virtual waypoints that are as
much as 1,650 feet away from the pilot
and then fly the course with the
sailplane.
The computer tracks the laps and
ensures that the virtual pylons aren’t
cut. There’s a time window, and
participants race to fly as many laps as
possible in that period. This is an
approximation of one of the events in
full-scale soaring.
I wish I hadn’t just made such an
impassioned case for cutting costs; this
baby retails for $859 and that does not
include the PDA.
Another slick item I saw at the WRAM
Show was Aviation Concepts’ Gunny
Bumburs’ stunning short kit of the
Schweizer 2-33A. This is a top-notch
product.
Gunny is a skilled craftsman, and he
has made a kit that builds to a great-size
model for aerotow. It spans 153 inches, is
78.5 inches in length, and weighs 12
pounds all-up. It’s large enough to fly
impressively, yet it’s still small enough to
live with.
Gunny used the evergreen 7037 airfoil,
which should have an enjoyable speed
envelope that will allow the pilot to do
much more than hover the Schweizer over
the release point. If you have questions or
want additional information, e-mail
Gunny.
Toledo Show 2009: Soaring dealers
Kennedy Composites and Skip Miller
Models both had displays at the 2009
Weak Signals R/C Expo. Skip had an
impressive display of the Exotica that he
imports. He was plain silly about the
incredibly stout ultra-carbon DS
(Dynamic Soaring) and slope sailplanes
he has been working hard to bring to his
customers. He is also stocking quality
fully molded models from Asia at price
points that are markedly lower than
those of the European products.
Barry Kennedy is the US dealer for
Vladimir’s Model, which makes the Supra
and the new Sprite 2-meter that were on
display. It’s a pleasure to visit with Barry
and his guests at the booth.
Soaring is all about finding your place.
Whether it’s picking a sailplane, visiting
with other people at a show, taking part in
a competitive event, or flying for fun, look
for what’s going up and avoid what’s
going down. MA
Sources:
ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics
(450) 449-9094
www.icare-rc.com
Gunny Bumburs
[email protected]
www.hangtimes.com
Skip Miller Models
(303) 442-6454
www.skipmillermodels.com
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 111,112,113
REMEMBER
THAT COOL new model
you had to have? It was the expensive one,
with the hot new airfoil and the extra span.
Remember how you felt when you first
flew it and learned that you could land
better or perhaps see its reaction to the
thermals more readily than with your tired,
old sailplane?
I’ll go out on a limb and suggest that
maybe those
better landings and
easier thermals were largely owed to your
being a better pilot. That time you spent
with the previous sailplane made you a
better pilot, and it showed when you flew
the hot new sailplane.
Don’t get me wrong; I love the
excitement of getting a new model.
There’s the anguish of seeing the brown
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Soaring Lee Estingoy
Also included in this column:
• Sights at the WRAM Show
• Treasures at the 2009
Toledo Show
It’s in the way that you use it
Above: Gunny Bumburs’ beautiful new
take on a 1/4-scale Schweizer 2-33A offers
great flight performance, which is seldom
heard of when discussing model 2-33As.
Skip Miller shows the new Espadita: a 2-meter version of the Jaro
Muller Espada. Skip’s Toledo Show booth was filled with the latest
in high-end sailplanes.
Barry Kennedy displays his Miles 2-meter kit. It sports cuttingedge
airfoils in a laser-cut kit form that allows builders to
contribute a bit of sweat equity.
truck trundle past your house without
stopping. Then there’s the thrill of the
doorbell ring and the anxious moments
opening the box to see if the new baby has
any—I mean any—dings.
There has been an incredible
improvement in the airframers’ art in the
past 10 years. My first full-house sailplane
was a Prism by Ron Vann. It was a good
machine back in 1995. It had beautiful
Obechi-skinned 7037 wings and was just
pretty. It was a much better airplane than I
was a pilot in 1998.
I remember quickly outgrowing the
Prism and moving on to something more
expensive. Sure, that new sailplane flew
better, but I soon replaced it with another.
There were many sailplane relationships
during the ensuing years. I was a serial
sailplane depreciator.
I was lucky enough to find a preloved
Prism Open-class sailplane for sale a few
years ago, and I snatched it up. I went
through the whole business of eagerly
waiting for the brown truck to deposit my
sailplane (intact) here at the office. Hey,
the guy even slowed down before he
tossed it out.
I went over the installation of servos
and linkages and made adjustments here
and there, to reduce surface sloppiness. I
replaced a few of the more wobbly servos
with higher-grade servos than I would
have contemplated using 10 years ago.
It’s funny how the threshold for sticker
shock is so much higher now.
I was able to quickly adjust the
program in my radio to make all of the
surfaces travel the right directions and
distances. Remember how long that used
to take?
A good day finally came along, and I
took the new Prism and all my nostalgia
out to the field. I got everything ready and
stepped up to the winch.
My Prism launches used to be
exciting. I used to dread them almost as
much as I dread walking down the
lightbulb aisle with my 5-year-old son
now. The sailplane used to veer wildly,
pop off, or do anything but shoot straight
up the line.
You know what? That new Prism went
straight up like it was on rails. How could
that be? What was different? I was!
That first Prism and every airplane
since have helped me learn the skills that
I need to be a better RC sailplane pilot. I
now know how to set up the model so that
the linkages are tight and precise. I know
how to set the towhook position and
roughly where to put the CG.
I know how to program the radio so
that the surfaces are in the right places at
the right times. I know how to stand on
one leg and tap the pedal with the other to
tighten the line just enough, and I know
how to toss the sailplane without imparting
unwanted yaw.
That all used to take conscious thought.
It’s mostly second nature now.
I admit that experience with the Prism
and some of the new foamie ARFs has
caused many second thoughts about the
expensive sailplanes I’m hoarding. I feel
more comfortable flying the less valuable,
more “loved” airplanes, and there’s
nothing wrong with that. The whole point
of the hobby for me is to enjoy an
afternoon out in the sun and the breeze.
Soaring does not necessarily require the
participant to pound $2,000 worth of
carbon fiber into the landing tape as the
sidekick’s timer goes “bing.” Sure, some
fliers enjoy that, but I’ll wager that it’s not
for everybody. Soaring should not be a
one-size-fits-all experience.
Prices of the airframes we feel
compelled to buy to remain competitive
have escalated incredibly during just my
10 years in the hobby. Obechi sailplanes
such as the Prism or the Lasoar 960 were
roughly $400 in the late 1990s. Prices for
today’s sailplanes are three or four times
that. Is it any wonder that the number of
participants is dwindling?
Do we want to create such a high cost
of entry into the hobby? Yeah, I know it’s
cheaper than a Harley-Davidson or a bass
boat. But maybe, just maybe, we could
work toward getting people into the hobby
before we expect them to spend the
family’s vacation budget on a model.
Those who are bitten by the Soaring
bug will ultimately find their place in the
hobby, but that should be a journey they
make by their own choice—not a
prerequisite for showing up at the field
on Day One.
WRAM Show 2009: I saw a new gadget
that looked like fun at the WRAM Show
in White Plains, New York. Etienne
Dorig of ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics
is importing a GPS telemetry transmitter/
receiver system called “SkyNavigator.”
This unit allows the Soaring pilot to
enter waypoints in a handheld Windows
Mobile personal digital assistant (PDA)
and then watch as the model’s route is
mapped by the computer as the sailplane
travels around the course. The idea is to
set up three virtual waypoints that are as
much as 1,650 feet away from the pilot
and then fly the course with the
sailplane.
The computer tracks the laps and
ensures that the virtual pylons aren’t
cut. There’s a time window, and
participants race to fly as many laps as
possible in that period. This is an
approximation of one of the events in
full-scale soaring.
I wish I hadn’t just made such an
impassioned case for cutting costs; this
baby retails for $859 and that does not
include the PDA.
Another slick item I saw at the WRAM
Show was Aviation Concepts’ Gunny
Bumburs’ stunning short kit of the
Schweizer 2-33A. This is a top-notch
product.
Gunny is a skilled craftsman, and he
has made a kit that builds to a great-size
model for aerotow. It spans 153 inches, is
78.5 inches in length, and weighs 12
pounds all-up. It’s large enough to fly
impressively, yet it’s still small enough to
live with.
Gunny used the evergreen 7037 airfoil,
which should have an enjoyable speed
envelope that will allow the pilot to do
much more than hover the Schweizer over
the release point. If you have questions or
want additional information, e-mail
Gunny.
Toledo Show 2009: Soaring dealers
Kennedy Composites and Skip Miller
Models both had displays at the 2009
Weak Signals R/C Expo. Skip had an
impressive display of the Exotica that he
imports. He was plain silly about the
incredibly stout ultra-carbon DS
(Dynamic Soaring) and slope sailplanes
he has been working hard to bring to his
customers. He is also stocking quality
fully molded models from Asia at price
points that are markedly lower than
those of the European products.
Barry Kennedy is the US dealer for
Vladimir’s Model, which makes the Supra
and the new Sprite 2-meter that were on
display. It’s a pleasure to visit with Barry
and his guests at the booth.
Soaring is all about finding your place.
Whether it’s picking a sailplane, visiting
with other people at a show, taking part in
a competitive event, or flying for fun, look
for what’s going up and avoid what’s
going down. MA
Sources:
ICARE Sailplanes and Electrics
(450) 449-9094
www.icare-rc.com
Gunny Bumburs
[email protected]
www.hangtimes.com
Skip Miller Models
(303) 442-6454
www.skipmillermodels.com
Kennedy Composites
(972) 602-3144
www.kennedycomposites.com
League of Silent Flight
www.silentflight.org