Wasabi Precision Aerobatics Practice (3 min 22 sec)

Fullscreen recommended

When I'm not flying my Le Fish down at the beach, I enjoy flying my Wasabi and Voltij up in the mountains. Getting video of the latter is difficult unless I've got someone along to film, but I tried an experiment - inspired by Ian "Daemon" Frechette - setting my GoPro Hero2 on "Narrow" Field of View.

I'm not totally stoked on the results - we just have to fly too far away up there for this method to work - but it's better than nothing, and considering it's been six years (!!) since my last precision video I decided to share.

Hope you enjoy,

Steve

http://www.LeFish.org/

Dawson Henderson and I have been collaborating on a wiki project meant to help support all the Le Fish builders out there - Le Fishipedia

It's meant to be a one-stop shop where new builders can learn about Le Fish, get guidance on what style/weight of build will best suit them, etc. Basically we're trying to help people avoid having to wade through thousands of pages of forum posts to find this important info. It's still a work in progress... it always will be

So... check it out! And enjoy!

Steve

Flying the ultralight Le Fish through a stock-in-trade Ultrabatics maneuver, the inverted wingtip drag to half roll out.

Next to me is Alex Hewson of New Zealand, reknowned for his DS skills (including DS aerobatics with a modified Le Fish).

Photo by Dave Garwood and sequence composited by yours truly.

Steve

Super fun trip to Greens Peak, Arizona over Memorial Day weekend with Dawson and Swiss Peter.

Alpine UltraBatics (10 min 7 sec)

UltraBatics is short for “Ultralight Slope Aerobatics” and refers to 3 or 4 axis aerobatic gliders that are ultra-lightweight, ultra-maneuverable, and ultra-durable. Hence, UltraBatic.

The UltraBatics movement started here in Santa Barbara, California in the summer of 2011 and is now spreading around the world. UltraBatics is the product of collaboration between myself Steve “Surfimp” Lange, “Swiss Peter” Richner, and Dawson Henderson of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Combining ultralight building techniques perfected by Peter with my Le Fish aerobatics glider design and Dawson’s innovative Henderson Pulley, we were able to create ultralight versions of the plane that were less than 1/2 the normal weight, allowing a radically new style of extremely close-in, low altitude flying in very light lift. These planes are fully aerobatic in as little as 6-8mph at a decent slope, but can also fly in 20-25mph and thermal, too.

UltraBatics gliders – “UItraBats” – are generally constructed from EPP and/or Depron foam, are covered in lightweight yet very durable laminating film, use minimal carbon fiber spars for reinforcement, and generally have wingloadings in the 4 – 6 oz/sq.ft. (12-20 g/dm^2) range. Some of the most radical examples employ Madslide-inspired horizontal stabilizers, controlled by Henderson Pulleys, which are capable of 180° rotation. This allows them to do radical filp maneuvers in the style invented by Benoit Paysant-Le Roux.

UltraBatics is takes inspiration from...Continue Reading

"No, you are not dreaming and this is not pure fiction: with a little practice and sometimes a few tubes of glue, we get the desired result."

- Eric Poulain, from his article about the Excalibur VTPR glider in Looping Magazine

I decided it was time to once and for all provide a concise, to-the-point introduction to VTPR aerobatics flying.

Based on a question posed by grfcon in the Slope forum, I created an info-rich response including a summary of the history and development of VTPR as well as a bunch of videos.

All of this is available via any web browser here: VTPR.info

Ultimately this might develop into its own standalone site, who knows. But at least we've got it all in one place, with one easy to remember name!

Next time you're out at the slope having a go of it, and some asks to learn more, you can just say:
"Check out vtpr.info!"

Steve

UltraBatics California Style (4 min 15 sec)

Clips from this video were featured on the TV show "right this minute": http://www.rightthisminute.com/video...-gliders-beach

Steve

Ellwood Mesa Onboard Cam (3 min 10 sec)

Fun!

Steve

Blade mQX at the park (1 min 34 sec)

I've been bitten by the quadcopter bug hard courtesy the dainty little Blade mQX. Never have a flown an aircraft which has so thoroughly impressed me; it's like a radio controlled hummingbird.

I'm already looking into a "nano" FPV system for it, and am eying a larger quadcopter frame for hardcore FPV rotorizing. This is getting serious, and I LIKE EEET!

Steve

Cruising at Ellwood (3 min 14 sec)

...Continue Reading

A reasoned response to my Sky Skate concept, a plane meant to fly upright, inverted, forwards, backwards and knife edge equally well.

I was planning to use of the Force, of course

Steve

Originally posted by N-Tropic in response to Sensiblenick's query concerning fur covered airfoils.

In all seriousness I think there's a reason why birds have evolved feathers rather than fur.

ROFL!

Steve

Not sure how I missed this wonderful Bushism escaped my nearly omnipresent gaze till now, but I've henceforth adopted it as a personal slogan for use on the Internets and/or the Google:

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."

"Naturally there are always dopes that don't use good common sense. You know, those are the guys that always say: "what could go wrong" just before their pants catch on fire."

-Ed, SkyKing RC Products

"Go back to the men who wear skirts forum and we will let you know how the DS record breaking goes..."

Zagi tape, I finally found a use for it!

- Target, Ballast Tube 101



Steve