R&R products Genesis glider question

[Fen Tiger]

Hi,

I would like to ask if any members have owned / flown an R&R products Genesis glider. The model is quite old (released in '93) and is a fully moulded 113" open / F3J model.

I have managed to obtain a new in box example which is in fantastic condition, and I was going to put together over the next few weeks.

If anyone has any words of wisdom I would appreciate the advice.

Simon

[sbxcflyer]

I had a Genesis 10 years ago. They are great flyers. I remember flying in a rainstorm and finding thermals with mine.
Good luck

[rlbpilot]

NEVER NEVER launch it SLOW. It will break one way or the other once you let it go if you do.Wind up the winch and throw it HARD.I found out the hard way.It will dip once you throw it, until the tail starts to fly ,It is a fun plane to fly........RLB :eek:

[slopemeno]

Great flier, actually. I just sold mine to a local. Surprisingly aerobatic for such a large TD plane.

The only issue I had with it was landings, as our LZ is quite small and very turbulent. Its hard to have enough roll and yaw control under those conditions. The larger, later SE rudder would probably help, but spending some quality time landing it and playing with the programming wouldnt hurt.

And yeah, that thing seemed to find lift where the other planes didnt.

[mlee8249]

Hi Simon,

Good plane! As one pilot mentioned, throw this one with malice and foresight on the launch. It does not have really great airbrakes compared to more modern designs, but they do work. Thermals nice, handles nice, strong and good looking. You'll like it!

[soarrich]

The larger, later SE rudder would probably help,



What's the SE rudder? I've got my plane almost done, it had two hollow molded rudders in the box, both are the same and look kind of small.



And yeah, that thing seemed to find lift where the other planes didnt.

That's good to know. I started building mine and a friend asked why? "They're dogs", that hurt, so it got put on the back burner. :(

[becsta]

I have a really old Genesis at home which was bought from someone in our club, who modified a few things on them. It looks like the Genesis was all the rage in our club for a while there way-back-when.

1) The T-tail rudder is very vulnerable in a landing. Mine had the pivot modified quite extensively to give support to the elevator.

2) Rudder was modified to make it a bit wider

Some observations of it's flying characteristics:

* In stiff breezes, point it into the wind and park it
* Mine is heavy, slow, is good to fly, and opened my eyes to the bigger planes
* The roots of the tip panels, and outer roots of the inner panel, are open, and quite vulnerable to crushing in tip strikes on the ground.

- bec

[Fen Tiger]

Thanks for the replies. I will bear in mind the comments when building it and when it is in the air....

Simon

[DelUK]

Hello all,

I have been offered a Genesis that I intend to use on the slope.

What sort of wind speeds are these best suited to, and is it aerobatic and agile ?

Feedback much appreciated, thanks !

[genesis006005]

Hi All,

I got a reference to this forum site from someone in the Yahoo group for the NASF sailplane club in the Huntsville Alabama area, I flew with them for a while in the early 1990's and got my Genesis, serial number 006-005, used from one of the club members and really enjoyed flying it.

My previous sailplane experience was with a Gentle Lady and a Riser 100 and wasn't sure what to expect but I found my Genesis to be well mannered, but the first flights showed it needed a much bigger rudder, so the original quickly got replaced with a balsa and monocoat replacement about twice the width of the original, which made a major improvement in rudder response. I was told the first ones in production like mine tended to be a bit weak in the wing saddle area and to watch for stress cracks in that area so reinforced the inside around the saddle lip with some epoxy and fiberglass.

I haven't flown any RC planes since the mid 1990's but have been wanting to put the Genesis back in the air again lately so have been going over it and gave it a new paint job that matches the original, preserving the original wing label lettering in the process, and have made a second more tapered rudder then my original replacement. I find it interesting that the information on the R&R site for the current Genesis-SE notes they've increased rudder size and added reinforcing to the wing saddle area.

Here are a couple photos of my Genesis and one showing a comparison of the three rudders, in order: original, first replacement, current replacement.

I'm still getting reacquainted with all the switches and settings the Futaba 7uaps radio system has and look forward to getting this bird back in the air again.

Bruce

[slopemeno]

The left most rudder is the early stock one. The two built-up rudders are slightly larger than the molded ones included with the later Genesis SE's.
I had mine flying one day on the slope when the only other planes were DLG's and Gentle Lady's, and was able climb out.

Yes, it's an old design now, but still performs well.

[DelUK]

Hi All,

I got a reference to this forum site from someone in the Yahoo group for the NASF sailplane club in the Huntsville Alabama area, I flew with them for a while in the early 1990's and got my Genesis, serial number 006-005, used from one of the club members and really enjoyed flying it.

My previous sailplane experience was with a Gentle Lady and a Riser 100 and wasn't sure what to expect but I found my Genesis to be well mannered, but the first flights showed it needed a much bigger rudder, so the original quickly got replaced with a balsa and monocoat replacement about twice the width of the original, which made a major improvement in rudder response. I was told the first ones in production like mine tended to be a bit weak in the wing saddle area and to watch for stress cracks in that area so reinforced the inside around the saddle lip with some epoxy and fiberglass.

I haven't flown any RC planes since the mid 1990's but have been wanting to put the Genesis back in the air again lately so have been going over it and gave it a new paint job that matches the original, preserving the original wing label lettering in the process, and have made a second more tapered rudder then my original replacement. I find it interesting that the information on the R&R site for the current Genesis-SE notes they've increased rudder size and added reinforcing to the wing saddle area.

Here are a couple photos of my Genesis and one showing a comparison of the three rudders, in order: original, first replacement, current replacement.

I'm still getting reacquainted with all the switches and settings the Futaba 7uaps radio system has and look forward to getting this bird back in the air again.

Bruce

Thanks for your input Bruce, it is appreciated.

I have mine now, and hope to give it (my) maiden flight later this week. From the look of things mine has the earlier smaller rudder. This appears to be a vacuum formed hollow rudder, very light indeed and has got a good amount of throw through the linkage.

Regarding setup, do you guys remember if you enabled aileron to flap coupling and whether this should be permanently 'on' ?

Thanks again.

[DelUK]

Hi All,

I got a reference to this forum site from someone in the Yahoo group for the NASF sailplane club in the Huntsville Alabama area, I flew with them for a while in the early 1990's and got my Genesis, serial number 006-005, used from one of the club members and really enjoyed flying it.


Bruce

Just noticed that my Genesis has the serial number marked on the fuselage, I'll check it next time I get it out. I wonder how many were made, and are still in circulation ?

[genesis006005]

The only function similar to an aileron flap coupling I can think of in my older Futaba 7uaps transmitter is a flaperon function that lets ailerons move together like flaps, but I have no idea if that couples them with the flaps or not. That function and an aileron differential function are selectable but only one of the two can be used at a time and I use the aileron differential function to limit up aileron movement so they stop just short of jamming against the edge of the main wing panel surface.

The serial numbers and label on mine are inside of the battery compartment. It could be interesting to find out how many pre-SE version Genesis survivors there are.

Bruce

[Mr Tripod]

If you have the smaller rudder, you'd best tape on an extension to give it more authority. It helps it fly (and land) much better.
And they do like to snap on launch. Mine always snapped left, so I would throw it with full right rudder every time and then it would finally launch straight. Good glider. Got wood with it at Visalia one year.

Dave K.

[DelUK]

Been flying my one off the slope for a few weeks now and it is very nice indeed. It is quite agile (although rolls are very very slow) and carves around the sky with great authority, this one inspires confidence and seems very well mannered. Floats very well too and finds lift very easily. Oh, and it whistles like a banshee when you point the nose down :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa2jCYiLZr0

Photos taken by Miniphase.

[Scott Seidler]

Has anyone figured out how to tell the old Genesis form the newer one? Can we tell from the serial number (havent looked for it on mine yet).
Thanks,

Scott

[Frank Stickle]

I think any of them with a serial number ending in 0-9 might be a problem.




















;)

[genesis006005]

DelUK,

Thanks for posting the video and pics of your Genesis, those bring back fond memories of flying mine years ago.

Unfortunately my one attempt to get my Genesis in the air ended up in it staying on the ground due to battery pack connection problems in the transmitter's battery compartment that first showed up while ground checking it. I got that problem resolved, but by the time I was sure the transmitter was good to go flying with again I had lost all interest in trying to fly with the local RC sailplane club so had the AMA cancel my briefly renewed membership.

The Genesis now hangs from the ceiling in my hobby room with lead replacing the battery pack for balance. I don't plan on selling or trading it, it has too much sentimental value.

I'm thinking I'd be better off with an electric sailplane and a 2.4 GHZ radio system so I wouldn't have to worry about anyone having the same channel and wouldn't have to be dependent on others with a winch to launch and only be able to fly when they go.

Bruce

[DelUK]

That's a real shame Bruce, aren't there any slopes to fly it from nearby ?

[genesis006005]

I don't know of any place locally where RC slope flying might be practical. The only way I ever flew the Genesis was off a winch so have no idea if I could hand launch it or not and never had the nerve to try, didn't want to chance damaging if if I didn't heave it hard enough.

[DelUK]

I don't know of any place locally where RC slope flying might be practical. The only way I ever flew the Genesis was off a winch so have no idea if I could hand launch it or not and never had the nerve to try, didn't want to chance damaging if if I didn't heave it hard enough.

I have never tried a winch launch so can't comment, although they do look scary to me !

I always launch off the slope, normally one handed on my own unless its very blowy. Then sometimes I get someone to launch for me. To be honest I find it very easy, the Genesis just cruises out of my hand. This is as long as the glider is set up correct of course. Point to the nose at the horizon or just below, trot up a few paces and heave.

Deryck

[genesis006005]

Winch launching as I remember it wasn't all that scary after the first time or two, but then I wasn't enough while flying the Genesis to run the winch myself so one of the experienced guys do the winch operation so all I had to do was make sure the Genesis was launched properly and fly it up.

This summer I've been flying my electric powered glider out of my back yard over the field out back when conditions are calm. I just posted a new thread with some info about it and a few photos of it on the ground and in flight in the following area...

Aircraft - Electric - Airplanes - Sport Planes
Topic: Discussion - Electric Convert Freelanced Powered Glider
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1109664

It isn't anything like the Genesis but I don't need any launch system or club affiliations and only have to go out my back door to fly it. :)

Bruce

[target]

You should get a high start or a "zip-start". No winch required, and the zip start only takes up @ 100' or so stretched out.

Zip start is @ 25-30' heavy duty rubber tubing (much heavier than a normal Hi-start), and about 40-60' of line attached. Stretch the securely staked zip-start back (with plane pre-attached to the ring on the line!), and launch with no camber, or just thermal camber.
The plane goes up at a 45-60* angle, and if you do a little "ping" off the top, you can get 200'+ of altitude, more if there is a head wind.

You should be able to find a thermal from there, if there are any around.

R,
Target

[genesis006005]

Unfortunately I don't have access to a decent grassy field to fly from and don't know anyone who has a suitable grassy field so am kind of sunk for using any kind of hi/zip start. It would take a lot more rubber tubing power then the small hi-start I used with a Gentle Lady for a while years ago to get the Genesis up. I got tired of chasing after the end and all the pulling pretty fast, that's one of the reasons I ended up building that powered glider some time later on, no launching system to mess with. :)

I'd probably be better off getting a modern electric powered sailplane with a brushless motor and folding prop with comparable performance and size to the Genesis and one of those 2.4 GHZ radio systems and keep the Genesis as a flyable condition keepsake from earlier RC flying days.

Bruce

[jswain]

[QUOTEI'd probably be better off getting a modern electric powered sailplane with a brushless motor and folding prop with comparable performance and size to the Genesis and one of those 2.4 GHZ radio systems and keep the Genesis as a flyable condition keepsake from earlier RC flying days.

Bruce[/QUOTE]

You hit the nail on the head.
Keep what you got in one piece (it isn't going anywhere by itself :)) and buiild one of the Skybench.com E-glider kits or get a E-Danny from HobbyClub.com using an inexpensive 2.4 tx/rx.

john s.

[genesis006005]

This summer I've been flying my electric powered glider out of my back yard over the field out back when conditions are calm. I just posted a new thread with some info about it and a few photos of it on the ground and in flight in the following area...


My electric powered glider post and photos have been moved to:

Aircraft - Sailplanes - Electric Sailplanes - Discussion - Freelanced Powered Glider Electric Convert

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1112492#post13129926

Bruce

[genesis006005]

one of the Skybench.com E-glider kits or get a E-Danny from HobbyClub.com using an inexpensive 2.4 tx/rx.

john s.

The Skybench E-birds look like something I'd be interested in, I've always liked the looks of the Bird of Time. I wouldn't mind getting an E-Danny but is a bit out of my price range for now.

Bruce

[capt soap]

genesis, Bama, or the Barn????

[genesis006005]

genesis, Bama, or the Barn????

Lost me on that one...