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Slope Soaring Basics 101

So you are new to the slope soaring scene and have tons of questions.

I'll try to explain some of the basics.

1. What is rc slope soaring?
Slope soaring is a branch of the remote control model airplane hobby. The big difference compared to other aspects of the hobby are that we don't use motors and rely on the wind currents rising up over a hill to stay up. A good analogy is surfing only we surf the air.

2. What kind of plane is good for a beginner?
Generally you will want to start with a EPP foam glider either conventional tailed or flying wing slope glider. You want to choose a model that is durable and has good flying characteristics.

I recommend going the flying wing road as they are super easy to build, relatively cheap, and fly well in 5 mph and up. They recover well and are very durable. Many refer to them as combat wings.

I don't recommend the Lumberjack as a first glider, but highly endorce Predator Bees www.predatorwing.com. The Lumberjack does make a great second or third glider.

3. What radio do I need?
You will need a transmitter on an airplane frequency preferably with 4 or more channels and has dual rates function. Dual rates allow you to adjust the amount of travel of the control surface which is important for flying wings.

Depending on what plane you choose you will also need x number of servos All gliders need a receiver, and rx battery pack. Many radios come with what you need to get started.

4. What else do I need?
Depending on what plane you choose and whither it is already built or not, you may need building materials. Consult the manual of the kit for needed tools and supplies. It's also a good idea to get some tape, basic tools, and a small assortment of spare parts to have with you incase something breaks. Last thing you want is to have your flying session cut short for a broken $0.25 part.

5. How much does it cost?
This is a rather loaded question. You can spend anywhere from $200 - $400 on your first plane, radio, parts, and basic tools.

Generally if you are on a budget slope soaring is probably the most resonably priced branch of the whole remote control hobby. You don't have to worry over, engines, motors, elaborate flight line gear, and fuel. Once the initial investment is made, many of the more expensive components are reusable on future kits.

It is very reasonable to spend $200 dollars to get started. Cost of maintaining your model is quite low and you can learn to fly on one model and enjoy it every weekend for a year or more. EPP planes are very durable and will get you through the learning stages with few problems. Combat wings can last a whole season of hard flying with little to no repairs.

6. How long does it take to learn?
With help from an experienced pilot to get you up and going, you can be flying on your own in as little as one hour. Others many take longer, but most get the hang of it fairly quickly.

Slope soaring is a great way to learn how to fly. EPP foam takes away alot of the frustration as EPP is super durable. You tend to fly closer to yourself compared to flying gas rc planes so it's easier to see what the model is doing. There's no motor to have to figure out.

7. Where can you fly?
Generally you need a hill facing into the wind. The size of the hill can be anything from a 5 foot dune at the beach to a 10,000 foot high mountain in the rockies.

When you are just starting out it's hard to know what kind of hill works or not. It's best to find someone in you local area who flies slope and find out where to go from them. You can slope pretty much anything that causes the wind to go up and over. Treelines and building for instance can be soared.

Wind is also a factor. Ideally you want a steady smooth breeze. Coastal sights offer the smoothest lift as wind coming over the water has nothing to disturb it. On inland slopes it will depend on what the area looks like. Obstructions will disturb the air and cause it to be rough or swirly. Thermals (hot rising colums of air) will also affect the lift and wind direction. The unpredicability of the wind is one of the challenges of slope soaring.

When slope soaring you must learn to use what lift there is. Being able to utilize the extremes of wind, thermal only to gale force takes practice and patience. It is satisfying to climb out on a themal in 0mph wind. It is also very exciting flying in 100mph wind.

8. What is the appeal of slope soaring?
Slope soaring is a challenge every time you head to the slope. You are using the wind alone which is constantly changing and thus challenging as you adapt to the conditions.

There are times that it's a total rush. Flying in big air on a big hill with a heavy plane can really get your heart pumping. You can routinely get speeds in excess of 100mph, even with a combat wing. The world record for slope flying is 301mph set last year in CA. They were Dynamic soaring over a ridge which is another aspect of slope soaring. Dynamic soaring is total sensory overload that will get even the most experienced rc pilot's knees shaking.

There are other times where its pure relaxation. With no motor, there's no noise. You can sit on the slope listen to nature around you. Guiding your plane around the sky on a warm sunny afternoon, what more could you ask for. Since slope gliding takes alot of concentration it's easy to clear your mind of the outside world while focusing on a plane.

Let's not forget about building. Building new planes, from kits or scratch is also an aspect of the hobby I enjoy. It allows me a creative outlet. It will take 2 lifetimes to learn all there is to learn about building.

Another big draw is the people that fly slope. Slopers tend to be some of the friendliest helpful pilots you will ever meet. The community of slopers is small so we welcome any interest in our hobby. There are lots of characters though. It's not uncommon for a slope flyer to spend the day helping a new pilot get his plane flying, or the afternoon helping a buddy find his lost plane.

One of the biggest appeals for me is the locations. You can slope pretty much anywhere there's a hill. You don't need a runway or large grass field. You can stop on a mountain clearing and toss out for a few minutes of fun. You can fly at the beach over the ocean. You can also fly above the treeline on a mountain pass. The backdrop to some of the mountian sights I fly on are breathtaking. I would never have had found these spots were it not for slope soaring.

There are also events around the country that attract pilots from all over. I recommend anyone wanting to see what slope soaring is all about to attend and event. Plan on spending the day watching, talking, learning and laughing.