How to Fly RC Gliders
Flying an RC glider can be an enjoyable hobby once you get the hang of handling the aircraft. For beginners, slope flying is a good way to get your plane up in the air and flying, using the wind to maintain altitude. Learning to fly your RC glider isn't that difficult. You can gain the necessary basic skills with the first flight, although mastering it can take years of practice. While gaining that mastery, you can use a few simple flying methods to begin immediately, making leisurely passes with your glider or gaining altitude and speed for acrobatic flying.
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Things You'll Need
- RC glider
- Remote control transmitter
- Clear field with a slope
- Launch system
Instructions
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Launching the Glider
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1
Launch your glider using one of three primary methods. Hand launch the glider by taking it to the top of a sloped hill. Point the glider into a wind stream that's blowing up the slope, and then toss it into the air to catch the wind and fly.
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2
Bungee launch your glider by planting a length of elastic cord into the ground, pulling it taunt like a rubber band. Hook the plane into the cord and let it go, allowing the force from the retreating band to provide the lift needed to launch the airplane.
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3
Tow launch your glider, by using a winch and pulley system. Plant the winch into the ground and then plant the pulley 600 feet away. Run the towline from the winch to the pulley and back again, attaching it to your glider. Activate the winch, using it to pull the glider in order to achieve the speed necessary for liftoff.
Flying the Glider
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4
Use the movements of the wind to fly your glider. As long as the wind is blowing, you'll have lift for your glider. Fly your glider near ridges or slopes. These areas should have the most updrafts available to keep your glider airborne. When you catch a wind draft, pull back on the elevator (the stick that goes up and down) of your remote control, to pull up and gain altitude.
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5
Turn the glider using the rudder stick (the one that goes left to right) on your remote control. Use the wind to make controlled turns, turning into the wind so that you don't lose altitude as you're turning. For sloped areas, this means turning away from any slopes.
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6
Gain altitude before performing any acrobatics. To gain altitude, perform multiple passes, using the updraft from the wind to rise with each additional pass. To gain speed, push down on the elevator to dive. The steeper the dive the more speed you'll gain. Pull up on the elevator at the bottom of your dive to level out. With both speed and altitude, you should have enough sky to perform simple acrobatic movements such as loops.
Landing the Glider
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Land your glider by dropping altitude until your plane is slightly higher than your head.
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8
Perform a wide circle into the wind and use the elevator control to bring the plane down gently towards the ground.
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Keep the plane level with the nose slightly up when you land. The wings should be level to prevent a tumbling airplane result from a wing touching the ground at landing speed.
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Tips & Warnings
Watch your battery power closely in the remote. If the battery charge runs out before you land, you'll lose control of the aircraft and it will most likely crash.
