Not quite a cook up yet, but going there.

These are the guys who are flying gliders at almost 500 mph. They build big and HEAVY.

Now someone is suggesting a "nano" class around 16 or 20 inches.

Since they get some of their smaller planes well over 150 mph this should be interesting.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1636921

Dunno where this is going, but it sounds worth watching.

If you haven't seen any of Speedster Den's videos it's very interesting since Denmark is a very flat country and he DS's off some small dunes and even off roads where the grading provides a small depression to use.

Pete

i have seen Den's stuff, and love his videos

not too far off from the dlg and pylon planes i already have though, i dont know of many places i could DS near here... plus i've never done it before, so that would be a learning curve as well.

sounds like fun to me. give me something to do on the windy days.

There are no DS sites near me either, but if speedster den can DS the places he does then maybe I should start looking for similar sites.

Pete

the great thing about micros is the size. suddenly a small parking lot next to a big building is a huge area to fly a 12 imch plane in with no wind on a windy day. i am guessing a DS will be the same idea.

Originally Posted by nemoskull

the great thing about micros is the size. suddenly a small parking lot next to a big building is a huge area to fly a 12 imch plane in with no wind on a windy day. i am guessing a DS will be the same idea.

Should be possible to DS in the wind shadow of a building. Especially if it's the only one in a flat area. I will post a still of the conditions required.

Pete

Here's a picture of what I mean. This was done in the Wind Tunnel Pro app on my iPad. it's a still from a perfect, seamless video. Unfortunately I can't capture the video but the still tells the story.

You launch towards the roof of the building. As you hit the sheer line the glider picks up airspeed. You sort of loop around to go downwind, picking up ground speed. you pass through the sheer line into still air and again the glider picks up airspeed.

Repeat as otten as possible. You can go as much as ten times the actual wind speed.

Pete

of coarse, that assumes the house goes on forever in both directions, so there will be airflow swirling around the sides of the house as well. thats why places like road swails/ditches work well, the long wind shear they create. if i were to go into the government property down the road, there is a giant pit they dug that looks nice and straight sides which should make great shears

Originally Posted by derk

of coarse, that assumes the house goes on forever in both directions, so there will be airflow swirling around the sides of the house as well. thats why places like road swails/ditches work well, the long wind shear they create. if i were to go into the government property down the road, there is a giant pit they dug that looks nice and straight sides which should make great shears

True, but in exchanging messages on the DS forum about how small a plane can DS these guys mentioned seeing swifts DS cars and even people!

With our coarse senses we will never be the equal of birds like that, but if a swift can DS a car I'd be willing to give a house a try.

Hope springs eternal. It's also easier to draw a house in Wind Tunnel than a ditch.

Edit: Check this out.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1638790

Pete

Originally Posted by PeteSchug

but if a swift can DS a car I'd be willing to give a house a try.
Pete

i envy the birds. a 8 inch WS sparrow flies in 20+ MPH winds, and they never seem to get stuck up a tree or run straight into the ground like i have with my much bigger and heavier UM p51.

i have yet to see a gyro or on board computer that can match that.

Just in case you think any old glider will do for DS speed events in high winds, check this out.

A typical over the counter RTF glider will not survive high speed DS. Even carefully designed planes occasionally blow up due to sudden onset of flutter at high speed.

Here is an Aussie designer who designs his own stuff and is "testing" his new wing!

Pete