Glider to Take On holiday

[chefsolaire]

I’m going hiking in the Apennines and want to take something I can pack down in a rucksack.

The Apennines are mountains near Bologna in Italy – in the north but down a bit… I am expecting thermals rather than slope lift so the first idea of taking the little glider in a wingeron version seems, sadly a nonstarter. If anyone knows better, I’m all ears!

I reckon the biggest dimension I can fit in will be 50 cm and it’s going to need to be fairly robust. I’ve ruled out DLGs

Any genius ideas? – I’m going at the start of June so a bit of building time.

[Shaun]

Have a look at Andy's range of models.

https://www.angelwingdesigns.co.uk/

Quite a few sub 250g excellent soarers.

Shaun.

[Martin]

Dreamflight Alula Trek is hard to beat. 90 cm span, but a two piece wing. Tough little lightweight foamy, designed to be transported in a pack and take a few knocks. Needs hardly any building time, though, other than installing the radio gear - so if you enjoy building, look elsewhere.

Can be used as a DLG, but thermals well and copes with moderate breezes on the slope too.

[chefsolaire]

Thanks for suggestions – Alula might be a bit wide for the rucksack but having a foamy a good idea.

The magical solution is some sort of very lightweight Lidl glider – which hasn’t been invented yet

Anyone tried a jedelski wing? Maybe something coloured in doculam

Keep thinking of ‘simplify and add lightness’

[chefsolaire]

I have a 1S micro set of RC gear from a dancing wings plane – has a tiny brushless as well.

I can see the sense in an Alula - copes with winds and thermals on virtually nothing –but measuring it up still a bit big for the rucksack

[Martin]

I've got one of these Cheetah lightweight 'toy' foamy gliders that I've converted to motor power, but it would work well as a glider too. I really ought to change the pushrods - it was a quick lash-up, so I used bamboo skewers, as I didn't expect it to fly very well. But it actually flies great - much better glide than the Lidl glider, and the wing is in two pieces with a sort of dovetail joint at the centre, so it would fit in your backpack.

Fuselage is a bit longer (600 mm) but you could saw it in half and add some kind of joiner (carbon rod or similar) if you want it to break down smaller.
It's slower flying than the Lidl ones, so wouldn't work well in windy conditions.

I've not added any sort of wing joiner, yet, and I do get a considerable increase in dihedral when pulling a loop!

It was as cheap as a Lidl when I bought mine. Here's an Ali Express seller (click one of the '99cm' versions in 'Color:' choice.) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006592515475.html

[chefsolaire]

Thanks – I’ve ordered two. Seemed a good bargain as shipping costs were free over £10.

I’m going to experiment with one as is a bit like you have done. I’ll definitely split the fuselage.

I’ll think hard about the second one – tempted to make a lighter fuselage and keep the flying surfaces – I’ve been experimenting with a Depron pod and a carbon fibre boom – I’ve also tried all moving Rudders in the past – on a small Wizard of Oz! – this to make packing easier.

I’ll let you know how things go on once they arrive – still like suggestions for something using 1s in the old days I had great fun with a higher spec ratio glider with excellent Xlit twin motors as pushes on the wing

[franck]

I remember a Gentleman Flyer Contest
may be interresting for you
https://jivaro-models.org/tykei/page_ty ... #gsc.tab=0
https://jivaro-models.org/albedo/page_a ... #gsc.tab=0
https://jivaro-models.org/fiu/page_fiu.htm#gsc.tab=0
best regard

[chefsolaire]

Genius

I’m going to build something similar and then see if I take that or the cheetah

I’ve got my depron wing in three sections which are hinged with parcel tape – the tip polyhedral join is then simply Sellotaped on the upper surface

Pod and boom is in 2 bits with closed loop

Rudder end is on hooks so tension provided as boom is fully extended

[Martin]

After getting the Cheetah out to photograph it, I took it with me on Friday, and one of my mates, Mike, snapped a few flying shots.