All the "Closet" Sailplane Pilots please come forward!!!

[Flyinfool]

Yup, Me too.
I first learned to fly RC on a glider back 30 something years ago.
I still have an old Olympic II hanging in the rafters.
I used to fly the Aquila in all types of competition.
I made it as far as the FAI finals one year but could not beg borrow or steal the money to get to Pensacola FL for the finals.
I still love slope soaring since some of the best slopes in the mid west are less than a mile from my house. I just cant convince anyone else in our club to even bring a Zagi to the slope with the intention of chucking a perfectly good airplane off of a 120 foot high vertical cliff and fly out over Lake Michigan all on purpose.

Gliders do make you learn how to do a dead stick landing.
There have been many times that I was doing a maiden flight for someone and ended up dead stick. After the landing you get some of the old farts come up and say "I see that you used to fly gliders".

[zzw26n]

Anyone have an idea where LJJ is? Have not seen him post in Months?
Where are you Levi ??

[Seanpensacola]

Yeah Jeff, I know what you mean about the dead stick issue. I seldom fly power but when I do it's with my sailplane buddies around. On a couple of occasions I have had a deadstick situation at a field full of power only guys and they all run over in a panic shouting encouragement or advice. I just tell them I'm not comfortable landing with a turning prop so I shut her down before final.

[pitviper51]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Seanpensacola
	Yeah Jeff, I know what you mean about the dead stick issue. I seldom fly power but when I do it's with my sailplane buddies around. On a couple of occasions I have had a deadstick situation at a field full of power only guys and they all run over in a panic shouting encouragement or advice. I just tell them I'm not comfortable landing with a turning prop so I shut her down before final.

ill probly use that one tomarrow.. haha iv been telling the noobs at my club to learn on gliders for the past year, and the few that have flown my alula where convieced fast more so after seeign the amount of control i have over it, while bringing it in fast then stalling it right into my hand hahaahh fun...
mike

[Judge]

Remember, with a glider you get ONE chance at the landing. Make it count!!

[xtraflyr]

Hey guys,
I just got back into sailplanes this summer. I bought a used BOT from an ex club member. It has to be 25 years old. I recently gave it to another club member thats very interested in trying out soaring. I went and bought a new BOT RTF.
With my old BOT about the 4th time out a caught a BOOMER and specked it out. It was so sweet flying with the hawks.
I also had a chance to soar with a Bald Eagle talk about a sureal time. Having my first 30 min totally unpowered flight off my winch was AWESOME! Cant wait to get a scale full house sailplane!!
Cya,
Frank

[Extra nuts]

I knew it was just a matter of time before this thread would come up. Yes i am a sailplane glider junkie. One of my first rc planes ever was the Gentle Lady. I think that was 1984? Since then i have added a slew of Zagi's and a chinese fibglass jobee. 126 in. I with other have made many differnt experimental gliders, even a fiberglass Zagi. It was very heavy but fast as a jet. It mad the coolest jet like screaching sound at speed, it was like it had built in sound affects. HAHA You should of heard it hit the ground LOL
Anyway gliders/sailplanes etc are cool. Teach's and hone's good technique's and habits.

[scot]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Seanpensacola
	Hi Mike, Nope, have not done the camear thing yet. Guess I need to jump into that soon. I think that would be great! I emailed the guy about the K-13 plans tonight. I'll keep ya posted! Sean

That's a VERY cool K-13. I learned full scale gliding in a K-13; nice gentle ship.

I'm mostly an IMAC guy, but I recently started flying a 3.6m DG-505. It's amazing how small it gets!!!

[pitviper51]

yippi! this thread lives! all of us former fullscale soarers always find a way back to it in some fashion.. currently for me its through rc,, i hope to get back at it someday when i can live ina places that soaring is easly accessible.. ahh good times
mike

[xtraflyr]

YouTube - Onboard camera

Heres a quick vid I took on board my BOT. Turn the volume down though its has a lot of static for some reason. It's a FlycamOne 2 camera.The winch launch is awesome!!

[pitviper51]

well done! a guy i fly with just convert his bot to electric. works ok. they have funny flying characteristic so i dought ill own one. the static is normal for wind blowing on microphone, you can insert music easy for better apeal.
mike

[scaflock]

I'm a sailplane pilot and I've NEVER been in the closet about it. All I fly are sailplanes, sailplanes and a few more sailplanes. Smallest one I currently have is a "Thermal Thing" @ 72 inch span up to a Paragon at 3 meters. Seanpcola can tell you that I"m a pure junkie when it comes to sailplanes. I left the hobby for about 17-18 years but got back into it when I moved to Georgia. Back in California I flew at Torrey Pines as well as a lot of inland thermal and slope near my house. Well no slope near me now but the thermal flying skills are getting better with each flight.

Current hanger has:
Thermal Thing 72 inch HL
HOB Two-TEE
Gentle Lady 2 meter
Spectra 2 meter EP
Riser 100
Paragon 3 meter (stock)
Paragon 3 meter EP
Jester 2 meter (needs building)
Windfree (highly modified)
Klingberg 100 wing (needs building)
W.A.S.P. MkI (home brewed design) Designed for thermal "Combat" flying
W.A.S.P. MkII (Upgraded home brewed design)

Next project is a 1/3 scale Zogling primary glider trainer. 131 inch span

[davidjensen]

There is nothing like flying w/o power and have the ability to keep it up. These are just some of the sailplanes I've had my way with.

[pitviper51]

nice fleet! looks like my ventus, im guessing its the cmpro ? im almost done with mine
mike

[exciter900rr]

Update, Cause I finally spruced up the "older" part of the fleet......