Mark's aircraft

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page updated: 2007.02.18

aircraft - gliders

early electric power gliders helicopter indoor technology future

zagi zagi thl stiletto siesta filip400 simply the best nano floh skorpion

I was originally not very impressed by gliders, as they seemed to involve a lot of running about, for not much air time.
My dad used to run regular BARCS thermal soaring competitions, but interest in these has reduced, probably mostly due to the running, although these days winches are allowed. Also because of the cost of some of the state of the art aircraft.
More popular now are various electric powered formula competitions. Modern brushless motor and battery technology can pull a glider up to height quite easily, and fast. The glide performance is not going to be as good, due to extra weight, but no running - just turn on and go.

Now cadmac run a monthly minibus outing to the Long Mynd to go slope soaring. The thing with slope soaring is a continuous updraft allowing you to stay up as long as you like.

1 of the nice things about gliders is that it is a very pure form of flight - no torque reaction from a motor/propellor, no weight/balance change as fuel is used up, low wing loading. I think you also learn more about flight eg. the importance of maintaining airspeed.

zagi

Epp "combat" flying wing.

zagi thl

Lightweight version of the zagi

stiletto

Pylon racer, but really just a nice sports model..

siesta

Thermal soarer adapted for light winds on the slope.

filip400

artf electric glider

simply the best

world class electric glider.

nano floh

tiny slope glider.

skorpion

f3f speed competition glider

Long Mynd

We're a bit short of decent hills in the midlands. There are the Burton Dassett and Edgehill sites as used by the smsa. These are still a fair distance and not ideal. Also Bradgate Park to the north. We go monthly to the Long Mynd which has good slopes for most wind directions. I measured it as 85 miles away. It's looked after by the lmsa (another £5/year). Here are some photos.

And video.