Radio Control Slope Soaring
Dave Garwood [[email protected]]
Highlights of Slope Soaring event
Guest writer Joe Chovan contributed this report covering the 2011 Island Slope Rebels (ISR) Spring Power Scale Soaring (PSS) Festival at Cajon Summit.
Once again, slope-soaring aficionados converged in southern California on Memorial Day weekend to participate in the biennial ISR Spring PSS Festival, sponsored by the Inland Slope Rebels.
Event overview
In Power Scale Soaring (PSS), hobbyists model and fly aircraft that have full-scale powered counterparts, but fly them as radio-controlled gliders in slope lift. PSS is popular with slope-soaring pilots for several reasons, including the variety, appearance, and performance available from these models.
In recent years, interest for this event has been built primarily on the online forum RCGroups, which hosts several threads devoted to it. The main topic thread often sees action in the months prior to the event date, with hopeful participants sharing details, pictures, and videos of their models and construction techniques. This online community has grown worldwide, and this year’s event drew participants from as far as New York, Hawaii, and New Zealand.
In previous years there have been club projects in which a particular airplane is chosen to be modeled by several participants. This year’s “Project Spitfire” featured more than 20 Supermarine Spitfires built from identical short kits. The Spitfire project was spearheaded by RC hobbyists in the San Diego area. Master modelers Brian Laird and Joe Cormier aided builders with supplies and knowledge. At one point during the event, 13 or more Spitfires flew in formation—an incredible sight to behold and thrilling to perform.
Locations and flying
The unofficial start of the event was on Thursday, when early arrivals met at the famed Point Fermin in Palos Verdes, California. The sea cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean provided a venue to swap stories of slope-soaring adventures and previous festivals, while experienced fliers enjoyed good lift.
Point Fermin is one of those magic places that seem impossible to fly with heavy airplanes until you actually witness it. The author recalls Ian Gittins’ 100-ounce Rodent smoking up the half-pipes—proving the lift was good.
On Friday the action moved to the prime location—the Cajon Summit near Hesperia, California—where excellent lift is often found. In this giant mountain bowl overlooking Interstate 15, crosswind conditions are rare: if the air is moving, it is either traveling up or down the slope. Because the Mojave Desert is behind the hill, daily solar heating yields strong convection currents rising over the desert, causing surface air currents to “suck” through the surrounding mountain passes, including Cajon. So most sunny days give excellent lift and “big sky” flying may be enjoyed.
The ISR provided a hilltop parking area as well as several places to display models. Flying took place between two sites roughly 1/8 mile apart—the upper and lower hills. The upper hill is best suited for slower airplanes, while the lower hill allows easier landings for the heavier, faster aircraft. Fliers read the air by observing what was being flown and assessing conditions at each hill. Those unsure of the best course consulted local experts Carl Maas and Brian Laird. One request often heard was, “Brian, can you land my plane?”
The author flew often and early on Friday, and in one instance collided with Dan Cummings, who cheerfully remarked, “There is a way we can guarantee we won’t have any midairs: We go sit in our cars and don’t fly. But that isn’t why we’re here!” The two immediately resumed flying. Airplanes such as these are built stoutly enough to survive contact, and a little paint-swapping is simply the price of admission for a weekend of fun.
This type of slope flying requires advanced situational awareness, and to the casual observer it is amazing how fliers keep track of their own airplanes amidst all the action. It offers the “off-the-scale cool factor,” illustrated each year when motocross riders traversing the trail near the flying site stop to watch the spectacle.
The highlight for many is the mandatory Slope Scale party in which five to 10 or more pilots perform half-pipe formation flights, turning in unison with stall turns on each edge of the flight window between dives approaching 100 mph or more. Nearly everyone who could fly on Friday did, and the author remembers leaving the hill reluctantly, although craving a meal and shower.
Notable aircraft
The lift was excellent again on Saturday. Although Bill Kenny hoped to fly his 100-inch-span, 55-pound Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, technical difficulties kept him grounded. Bill’s airplane is one of the most astounding creations ever made for a PSS Fest—the level of detail and craftsmanship is simply top-notch. When viewing the airplane for the first time, one can only think, “And you say you’re going to throw this off a cliff?” See the web link listed in Sources for a chronicle of Bill’s 2½-year build process.
Phil Herrington grabbed the limelight with his giant Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Phil built the airplane for Soar Utah the previous year but was unable to fly it there. The maiden flight proved worth the wait as he flew for more than 30 minutes to the delight of all who saw his accomplishment. Phil’s P-38 has a 108-inch span, weighs 19 pounds, and has a wing area of 1,310 square inches, giving a wing loading of 33.4 ounces per square foot.
Also noteworthy were David “Nauga” Hyde’s Sea Hawk and his original scratch-built S-3 Viking. Highlights:
- S-3 Viking: 60-inch span, 100 ounces; exact scale dimensions (nothing stretched), homemade decals and paint masks, Sharpie panel lines, airbrush and artists’ charcoal weathering. It uses two channels, three-servo flaperons, and elevator.
- Sea Hawk: Started from a Russ Thompson Meteor fuselage molded in polyester, glass, and carbon fiber. It has a 60-inch span and weighs 4 pounds 13 ounces, for a wing loading of 28 ounces per square foot. “It’s a rocket,” Dave says; he flew it near the end of the day when most heavier airplanes had landed.
Judging and camaraderie
The contest is judged strictly by rules governing craftsmanship as they pertain to scale modeling and is largely a “beauty contest.” But all the airplanes are built with the goal to fly and fly well. Judging these marvelous scale models is often a daunting task but is performed under the expert guidance of master craftsman Carl Maas Sr., who says the level of craftsmanship has steadily risen and reached an amazing mark with this year’s entries.
Participating and flying one’s own creation in one of the longest-running premier slope events worldwide gives a sense of accomplishment. Saturday evening, the fliers left the hill to go to a local eatery for a thorough recap of the day’s events. More than 50 pilots flew hundreds of sorties, and the camaraderie was as thick as a brotherhood can be. This largely online community met with purpose and celebrated in style one of the most rewarding pursuits in RC flight.
By keeping in touch throughout the year, looking forward to this event, and building (often from scratch) a sleek creation to join the action over such majestic vistas, participants know they’re in great company.
Sunday and conclusion
The wind blew all night and expectations were high for Sunday, but a repeat of Saturday’s conditions did not materialize. Early risers met on the hill to witness light wind plowing down the slope. Several participants chose to leave early, perhaps to fly other venues on the trek home. The author was happy to get a jump on holiday weekend traffic and started the drive home with memories of great friends and flying.
Most agreed it was a fun festival—among the best in recent memory—despite the lack of flying on Sunday. There was plenty of inspiration to fuel the desire for the next PSS Fest in 2013.
Sources
- 2011 PSS Spitfire—San Diego build:
www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1333591
- Bill Kenny’s Ziroli Dauntless PSS build thread:
www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=992515
- Dave Hyde’s S-3 Viking build thread:
www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804631
- League of Silent Flight:
- Inland Slope Rebels:
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
