How to Make a Sailplane Cheap
Flying a radio-controlled sailplane is different from piloting a standard-powered RC aircraft. Powered planes have an engine to pull them through the air and create lift. A sailplane, however, is in a constant state of falling from the moment it leaves your hand. If you can navigate your sailplane into a thermal or updraft that is rising faster than the plane is falling, then the plane will stay aloft. Building a sailplane of necessity requires using lightweight materials. One of the lightest and least expensive materials is foam.
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Things You'll Need
- 3-by-3-foot polystyrene foam sheet
- Straight edge
- Craft knife
- Sandpaper
- Glue
- Hinge tape
- Mini radio receiver
- RC aircraft servos
Instructions
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1
Draw a fuselage side view on the foam sheet. Make it 30 inches long, with the main part of the fuselage 2 to 3 inches tall, and the tail 8 to10 inches tall. Cut out the fuselage, cut out a rudder shape from the tail and secure the rudder with hinge tape.
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2
Draw a pair of wings 36 inches long on the polystyrene sheet. Using the straight edge, make the wings 2 inches wide at the tips and 6 inches wide at the center. Cut them out with the craft knife.
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3
Sand the front edge of the wing to round it. Sand the rear edge so that it tapers to a point.
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4
Cut a slot through the fuselage wide enough and tall enough for the wing to slide through. Angle the slot so the front of the wing is about 5 degrees higher than the rear. Glue the wing in place with craft glue and let it dry for at least one hour.
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5
Cut out control flaps from either side of the wing and attach them with hinge tape.
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6
Cut out a tail wing about 12 inches wide and 4 inches long at its midpoint. Sand the leading edge to round it and the trailing edge so it tapers to a point. Cut a slot in the back of the fuselage and glue the wing in place. Cut out elevator control surfaces and attach them to the tail with hinge tape.
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7
Attach the radio receiver and all servos by cutting notches in the fuselage or wings and gluing the equipment in place, taking care to keep the plane balanced.
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Tips & Warnings
When hand-launching your sailplane, take advantage of updrafts, which can often be found on the sides of hills.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Lifesize/Getty Images
