gliders for beginners

Gliders, the silent wings
Although some people do start on powered aircraft they soon learn of gliders and some even take them up. Firstly they don’t require noisy engines to get going, they are cheaper to build and use very simple controls. Great I hear you say, well then this could be the place to start for you.

If you are starting with a glider you should still consider what you might fly later on? Many modern computer radios and servo combinations will easily cater for gliders, so think hard. When budget is a large factor in starting in this hobby, gliders are truly the cheapest way to begin. A 2-channel radio with does just fine for a basic glider. Normal dry cell batteries will also work for a long time, as the power consumption is low. The basic gilders have very little in them so building these types of aircraft can be achieved with little work at all. Again ARF gliders are available from your local hobby stores and some modern versions have electric motors also. Typically they are either hand launched or bungie launched, this is a large elastic band that catapults your glider skyward at great speed. When first seen it may look difficult, but is soon mastered and considered part of the standard equipment list.

Many expert glider pilots take their aircraft to slope soaring clubs to experience the magic that only a bird could understand the magic of flight! With some basic skills and an expert instructor you too could try your hand at this. To begin though look at which models interest you and whether they are for the beginner or expert, some intermediate models can be tamed down to fly more calmly to help ease you in to the sport. This will not only help save some money but also give you a huge confidence boost, in that you have already been flying this model and are familiar with it orientation and flight characteristics.

Later on you can consider scale gliders which are several metres in wing span and require large-scale tug aircraft to help get them to a release height to commence their flight. There is large glider clubs all over the country and advertise in the RC magazines their major meetings. The skill required maintaining these large birds is high and also the knowledge of the winds and prevailing thermals to help lift the wings in flight. The true test on a pilot comes from being able to see this invisible lift and use it fully to not only lengthen the flight but give the glider much needed speed to perform some aerobatics before landing.

Our club does have active glider pilots and some members even hold silent mornings at the field to encourage new members to try their hands at this great pastime. These silent mornings are advertised on the web in the "What’s new" page prior to the day, so do check back regularly to see when the next day is on. Gliders can be flow at our field earlier then powered aircraft, as they do not disturb the peace prior to 7am, it’s a different way to take a early morning walk, but much more rewarding then just a trip around your local streets. On occasion we have even cooked breakfast at the field afterwards to really enjoy the whole morning.

So there you have it, Gliders more fun then a chair, so get up and get into the wonderful world of remote control aircraft. Your local hobby store has loads of different things to satisfy your itch, go on scratch that itch and enjoy some great times with new friends and great models.

Enjoy yourself, no matter what your hobby is!

Fly a glider today.

Happy flying, Randall