RC Gliders

Pilots of rc gliders are a breed apart from other rc aircraft pilots,

Remote Control 3 Ch Electric Glider AirPlane

Kyosho Stratus 1600 V-Tail RC Glider Airplane ARF

 Rc gliders come in various sizes from small to large and are made from a range of materials from balsa wood to carbon fiber & epoxy and EPP  (expanded polypropylene). Having said the purist likes nothing better than an engine-less rc glider, prop driven electric motors or gas engines are used on some aircraft to lift the glider to an altitude for radio control flight, just like some full size gliders. Other approaches to launching the rc glider is with a ground held and wound rubber band launching system. The easiest launch method being simply to hand launch from the side of a sloping hill into wind hence the term slope soaring for your model rc glider or another commonly used name is sailplane.

 
Kyosho Soarus 1600 with Aileron RC Glider Airplane ARF

The main idea is to keep the glider aloft for as long a time as possible lasting anything from 20 min to 1&1/2 hours so giving the rc pilot a greater length time airborne than his counterpart rc powered model pilots..

Your main goal as an rc glider pilot is searching for the best thermals once you find that lift and your craft goes up to altitude specking it (making your glider go so high that it is just a speck in the sky) Once you have done this with your rc glider, you will be hooked into this rc glider hobby for life. Choose your rc glider with care.

Kyosho Swing RC Glider Airplane ARF
 

Thermal rc gliders or sailplanes fall into one of four categories:

 

Handlaunch (HLG) - gliders with wingspan up to 59-60 inches (1.5 meters)

Two Meter - Gliders with a wingspan up to 78 inches (2 meters)

Standard Class - gliders with a wingspan up to 100 inches

Open Class - Gliders that have wingspans greater than 100 inches.

While Slope Soaring or sailplanes come in two categories:

Slope - gliders or sailplanes designed for high performance on the slope

Combat - gliders or sailplanes designed for combat on the slope

Schleicher ASK21 Glider Plane Model Airplanes Revell Germany 1\32 Scale