-----Original Message-----
From: Scobie Puchtler or Sarah Felstiner [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2000 8:19 AM
To: Richard Ida
Subject: RE: [RCSE] 1st time sloper
If you know how to handle your Stratus in a bit of wind, you should have NO
problem sloping your local dam, and unless the wind is really howling up the
slope, your Stratus will probably be more effective than the semi-scale
slopers you mention, which are probably designed for bigger slopes and/or
heavier conditions than you want to get started in.
Try to start in wind that is truly coming in perpendicular to the slope.
Sloping still works when the wind is shear to the slope but not NEARLY as
well. Get used to good straigh-in conditions before you start flying in a
cross-slope wind of any kind.
ALWAYS start by flying a classic slope pattern. Launch, fly away from the
slope just a little, then turn and fly along the slope, hopefully gaining or
at least maintaining altitude for a while, then turn OUTWARDS away from the
slope, bring the turn around until your'e pointed the other direction, fly
along the slope again for a nice smooth pass, and turn OUTWARDS away from
the slope again when you're ready to head back. This is the classic slope
pattern no matter what size or type of aircraft one is sloping, from a
paraglider to a high performance full scale competition glider.
> There is a road crossing the dam, where would I stand to launch, how far
> from the edge?
Assuming no major traffic or safety concerns (and this may be a BIG
assumption), then launch from as close to the edge as possible. On a good
day, the lift band from this slope may be great, and it may extend outward
and upward surprisingly far, but when you are just starting out and
unfamiliar with the location, keep in mind that even in great conditions,
the most reliable lift will be just out from the edge and just above the top
of the ridge. Keep as much of your pattern in that area to start with, then
when you have some altitude, explore and see just where the lift band
extends, for a given wind condition.
Should be fun. Give us the report, and feel free to ask more questions if
you're still unsure.
Lift,
Scobie in Seattle
RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and
"unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
