Radio Control Slope Soaring

Author: Dave Garwood

Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 119,120,122,124

Dave Garwood <[email protected]>

The Antelope Island flying site in Utah

ANTELOPE ISLAND in the Great Salt Lake sticks in my mind as one of the top 10 most pleasant slope-soaring locations of all my travels. During Soar Utah 2000, I spent a fine afternoon there flying slope-scale heavy fiberglass warbirds with Inland Slope Rebels Brian Laird, Carl Maas, and Ralph Roberts on the south side of Buffalo Point just after a storm front passed through.

I flew there again twice during Soar Utah 2008 with New York Slope Dogs Joe Chovan and Jim Harrigan. The first time was on Thursday before the event, in 5–10 mph north to north-northeast winds under sunny skies. Joe, Jim, and I flew 60-inch foamies on the large, gentle slope on the north side of the Buffalo Point ridge, a pair of SkyKing RC Products DAW 1-26s, and a Leading Edge Gliders (LEG) Arctic Fox. The gentle lift ranged far out, and huge grass fields provided abundant model-friendly landing areas. Another cool thing about a north-facing slope is that the sun is at your back all day.

While waiting for wind, Joe and I took the 0.3-mile hike from the parking lot at the Buffalo Point concession up to the twin peaks. We went mainly to take in the scenery, but thinking back and reviewing a topographic map, I believe that the highest ground at Buffalo Point would provide flying sites for southwest, west, and northwest winds.

Also included in this column:

Magnum Models
2009 Slope Soaring events

The ground at the top is strewn with boulders, large and small, so highly accurate landing skills or truly bounceable foam sailplanes are needed to fly from there. The view around the Great Salt Lake from the top is wonderful.

On Labor Day, the Francis Peak, Utah, trip was canceled because of stormy weather. We watched the radar until we could see that the last rain band was passing over the lake, with clear skies following, and we headed up to Antelope Island for the second time during our one-week trip to the state. When we got to Buffalo Point, the winds were nearly calm. Colorado pilots Ian Frechette, Nick Strong, and Cody Remington had been flying, but the wind died. Joe, Jim, and I ate lunch, and within an hour the winds began building on the south side. We flew the 72-inch scale foamies, DAW Schweizer 1-26s, and an LEG Arctic Fox. Joe tossed an LEG P-80 Shooting Star, but lift was light for that model. Jim got some stick time on a Dream Flight Weasel Pro, which is another excellent sailplane with which to travel.

As I look at a topographic map of Antelope Island, I see an impressive number of wind directions that could be flown from hills and ridges there, especially if you include the hiking trails. Start with north-northeast and south-southeast, which can be flown from the parking lot at the concession at Buffalo Point. Moving southward, it looks on the map like slopes accessible from White Rock Loop Trail and Elephant Head Trail could be flyable in west wind. It looks like Beacon Knob Trail leads to a southeast-facing bowl that is approximately 200 feet taller than Buffalo Point.

The Frary Peak Trail follows a north–south ridge, which is 1,800 feet taller than Buffalo Point and looks to have flyable terrain on both the east and west sides. It appears from a review of the map that hikers might be rewarded with spectacular flying sites on Antelope Island.

To get to Antelope Island, take Exit 332 from Interstate 15. Drive west on West Antelope Drive to the park entrance, where you pay your fee and pick up a park map that shows roads and hiking trails. Drive out to the island over the causeway. During your drive, you might see antelope and bison.

The Utah State Parks Service runs a fascinating museum on the island. It has a huge relief map of the island, information about the Great Basin’s geologic history, human artifacts indicating that the island was inhabited 10,000 years ago, and a tank of Amazing Sea Monkeys. You can learn a lot about the island by visiting the museum. In late summer the area is a major bird refuge.

Take the road to Buffalo Point, to the paved parking of the concession area, where there is a restaurant and a toilet. This drive-to hill is roughly 400 feet above the lake level, and it works in north-northeast and south-southeast winds.

1. Los Banos, California

This event combines aerotowing with slope flying for scale RC gliders at Los Banos in north-central California, and 2009 will be its 15th year. The Los Banos reservoir's steep, grassy slopes provide lift in several wind directions. This is a major gathering of large scale sailplanes of both modern and vintage design.

2. Midwest Slope Challenge

May 15–17 Wings Over Wilson club Wilson Lake Reservoir, Lucas, Kansas

This contest is tied with the Los Banos event as the longest continually running US slope-soaring event, at 15 years in 2009. It's a relaxed flying and vacation experience featuring four competition categories: foam combat, foam warbird race, ODR (One Design Race), and Unlimited-class race. In 2008, the Wings Over Wilson club staged an unofficial F3F race.

Travelers can usually count on plenty of sport-flying opportunities, because several hills around Wilson Lake allow pilots to fly their aircraft in different wind directions.

3. Southern California PSS Festival

May 22–24 Inland Slope Rebels Cajon Summit, California

This is the largest gathering of Power Scale Soaring (PSS) gliders in the country. The Inland Slope Rebels club has run the event for 11 years, turning Cajon Summit into a PSS mecca. The flying site is a mile-long ridge 1,800 feet above the Cajon Pass in the San Bernardino National Forest, which is a few hours east of Los Angeles.

Pilots can enter their models in a judged contest and compete for awards in four groups: best jet, best propeller airplane, best civilian airplane, and best foam airplane. The Southern California PSS Festival alternates years with Soar Utah.

4. Western Colorado Slope Challenge

May 23–25 Montrose Model Aircraft Association Big Mesa; Delta, Colorado

Focusing on foamie combat, this will be the event's fifth edition. In past years, these pilots have flown dynamic-soaring (DS) combat on the backside of the slope. Most years, the slots are taken early. The contact person is Jim Ferguson, who is vice president of the Montrose Model Aircraft Association.

5. Cape Blanco Slope Fest

Dates not yet announced Southern Oregon Slopians Port Orford, Oregon

This is an informal five-day event held near the campground of Cape Blanco State Park. It includes hours of noncompetitive flying, a barbecue, and camaraderie among like-minded pilots. The ridge is flyable in both north and south winds, and its shape presents an opportunity for DS.

6. Alpine Soaring Adventure

June 26–29 Kiona Publishing Wallowa Lake in Joseph, Oregon

Although this is not strictly a slope-soaring event, the Alpine Soaring Adventure website states that, "if wind conditions allow, models can be flown from at least two alternate sites on the opposite side of Memaloose Ridge." This gathering focuses on alpine (thermal) soaring and includes aerotow and electric-power flying in an alpine setting with spectacular scenery.

"Most guys arrive a day or two early, and leave a day or two late!" said event CD Don Bailey. "We will be aerotowing again out at the driving range, and of course there will be lots of alpine soaring at Memaloose and Mt. Howard."

7. Leading Edge Gliders Fun Fly

September 5–7 Leading Edge Gliders (LEG) Wilson Lake Reservoir, Lucas, Kansas

Jack Cooper, chief honcho at LEG, not only makes good-looking and great-flying warbirds, but he also throws a Labor Day party to remember on alternate years from Soar Utah. It is designed to bring slope-soaring pilots from across the country together for some late-summer flying at Wilson Lake and surrounding inland hills. There are no scheduled competitions. Fly what you bring. Electric-power flying and winch-launching are at the ready in case of wind failure.