Anyone thermal with flying wings?

[GreenAce92]

I'm almost done with a design for DLG but its a flying wing, so it flies a little faster and sink rate is a little higher. But if i move CG to correct spot i think i can slow it down, and from 70-80ft launches i'll try and scout some thermals.

So heres my plan on what to do...
Discus Launch glider into the air, then do long leg flights till i hit that bump then turn into it and try to stay inside. My areas to try and thermal are the woods, my tar road, and grapevines.

any of you thermal with flying wings? even if its not flying wing do they still fly slow enough to get thermals? i mean i know its doable but i've heard its harder...

[ShredAir]

Check http://shredair.com. The Andensegler is not a DLG, but it's an excellent thermal soaring wing. Pictured is the proof-of-concept model, but a 1.5-meter production version is now under development.

Dieter Mahlein, ShredAir

[GreenAce92]

that looks pretty sweet! nice bird!

[lincoln]

If you're not good at catching thermals, practice with a slow floater first.

[atmosteve]

Hi, I occasionally thermal my Bee and WW Skua S15 when flying decent slopes around the Great Dividing Range on the east Australian coast here in Qld. I guess its more like slermalling but the effect and result is just the same.

Yes, many flying wings, even some of those built for slope pylon racing and despite their more symetrical airfoil sections will thermal quite well and tightly despite having no dihedral. My S15 is a favourite for this, it thermals almost as well as my Carbon Bird and V2 and best of all comes screaming out of the sky at TV afterwards. Its just a matter of adapting your flying technique and perhaps your wings CG and flying weight if you are used to flying dedicated thermal sailplanes only. Something like an Alula is an ideal first DLG thermalling wing. ;)

[rbush]

Greenace,

When I'm flying my Zagi 5C on the slope, and a thermal passes through, I can usually ride it up and behind the slope. So yes, a wing, even a combat wing, can thermal. It takes more careful piloting because of the minimal tail moment.
A lot of aileron differential and exponential on both elevator and aileron seems to help.

I imagine getting a consistent flatland launch would be quite a challenge with a wing. Have you solved that one?

If you have a slope, that is a great place to test your design's thermalling properties. One can catch, ride, and exit thermal lift for hours with minimal launches and landings.

A reminder: Thermalling requires efficient flying -- not necessarily slow airspeed. Sometimes a high bank angle and increased speed is necessary to find and stay in the core.

Pardon the rambling.

Randy

[Libelle201B]

I'm almost done with a design for DLG but its a flying wing, so it flies a little faster and sink rate is a little higher. But if i move CG to correct spot i think i can slow it down, and from 70-80ft launches i'll try and scout some thermals.

So heres my plan on what to do...
Discus Launch glider into the air, then do long leg flights till i hit that bump then turn into it and try to stay inside. My areas to try and thermal are the woods, my tar road, and grapevines.

any of you thermal with flying wings? even if its not flying wing do they still fly slow enough to get thermals? i mean i know its doable but i've heard its harder... At our hill it is quite common to see the wings (all sorts)catching a thermal and climb. However a breeze is almost always there to launch into to sustain minimal slope flight. In your case ie HLG it really involves your arm and a platform that will be able to maximize low level thermal performance. A glider that needs more speed to stay aloft does not have any adantage in my opinion when it comes to pure thermaling, regardless of the plan form. "Try(ing) to stay inside" is the key ingredient. The speed required to just stay aloft, minimum sink, also translates into minimun speed needed to thermal at any particular bank angle. The faster, the larger the circle, I don't think that is good in HLG. Anyways good luck :)

[GreenAce92]

Oh i have the launching problem solved
i recently designed this DLG flying wing works great if its at 5oz with a 30in span its around 3oz/sq feet or less like 3.1

http://www.vimeo.com/3530343

http://www.vimeo.com/3568616

but im planning on launching then heading to see and try to catch a thermal above my black top road, i imagine there could be something there, plus my road is like 2 miles lol so i have plenty of room even if i only can thermal in straight lines but im glad to know that its doable

[rockyabq]

Excellent Swordfish!

I've hooked flat-land thermals with my Swift II. But only when "stick launching". See
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11128330&postcount=74

I'vd DLG'd it too, but my lack of ability to gain enough height makes it too tough.

Keep in mind that the thermals won't necessarily follow the path of the road. They "break away" from whatever feature generated them and drift downwind.
With my Swift, I've had the best luck:
1) Launching high
2) Flying upwind (either straight upwind or at a slight angle to upwind)
3) Flying straight and smooth and stable
4) Watching for a "bobble" in the flight path. Let's say I'm flying steadily along and the right wing rises and the plane banks left. I'll assume that rising air to the right of the glider caused that wing to lift. I'll...
5) Continue the left turn back into where I think the rising air is centered
6) Adjust the thermal circles to where the glider rises the best.

One thing to beware of--both your Swordfish and my Swift II are very lightweight planes. They don't penetrate into the wind well at all. If you get too far downwind in a thermal, you may have trouble getting the plane back upwind to you.

Have fun!

[GreenAce92]

Thats what makes it more intersting!
you know what its a coincidence lol, i have commented on your video i belive if you did that one DLG launch of a swift 2 on youtube, umm mine can go around 80 or so then glide from there but that was with a 10-15mph head wind. SO not sure how it will do. Plus flyign wings have higher sink rates and fly faster so i'll have to see how to slow it down, perhaps move the CG back and have a preset launch mode and flying mode. But at same time i dont want anything to stick up, this model is nice, its not necessary to have a pre-set mode for throwing or flying, if you can throw it straight up then it'll fly just fine level, your welcome to build this plane if you'd like i can provide plans and such.

I just use a general thin flat bottomed airfoil with a slight reflex

thanks for the wealth of info! yeah im working on making it super slim/aerodynamic even by hiding my control horns
heres my quick sketching

[wingsnapper]

Here is a tip I use with my alula. I have elevator mixed to throttle and use it like a sub trim to achieve the finest trim setting possible... I can bump it forward to get some penetration and back for min sink. It's so fine that you can barely see it moving from min to max throttle. Still it shows in the air.

[rdwoebke]

Yes I have thermaled flying wings quite a bit. I have flown the Red Herring 34 inch tip launch models a lot and have had quite a few 3, 4, and 5s, and even a 10+ minute thermal flight.

Ryan

[glidermang]

Ace:

Your airplane flies great! Of course it will thermal - once you catch on to the signs.

Yours, Greg

[GreenAce92]

Awww dang it! my plane doesnt thermal lol! well it did for a brief period bout 10seconds above my house, there clearly were thermals as there were seagulls about 500ft+ in the air! just cruising and im sitting there trying to thermal up to them yeah right... need to build (same span) but bigger area... and perhaps longer chord so i have maximum wing area, or perhaps a high aspect ratio wing trying to think of my options see i need something that flies really slow so when i turn i dont gain speed...

i have a nice video of todays flight, nice day to fly! sucks though that my plane didnt fly for crap really...

[GreenAce92]

OH yeah and i destroyed this one, was flying in an enclosed area by trees, released alittle late, went through a tree and got stuck, which i had to climb! no limbs for 25ft up! ughh i was so tired afraid i'd fall out

[rbush]

This book is often recommended as the best info on RC soaring. You can order it at
http://www.flying-models.com/book_hanger.html#so

Good info and fun reading. One year I reread two particular chapters before every monthly thermal contest. Later I just read them once or twice a year.

Good videos. I like the way your plane launches.
Don't blow out your arm before the summer thermals arrive! lol

Randy

[GreenAce92]

http://www.vimeo.com/3635543
heres the video

[prodjx]

WOW did I score tonight On The Wing book 1 & 2 for $6.00.

[prodjx]

Ace, I'd buy a set of plan's for the Swordfish, it fly's real good, way to go.

[GreenAce92]

It would work better if it was in the right weight. Its a sloper/ slightly DS'r for now but im looking for flat land thermaling. Heres the plans on how its built

yeah its a really sweet flyer, even when the CG is too far forward, it will still launch straight up, with the wide Root Chord it has lots of stability the pod is whatever size you want, just try to make it small and come under 5oz for a good 3 and less oz/sq ft

[GreenAce92]

oh yeah the newest version doesn't have the pointy tips, just put that straight back to a flat TE