About A470 Soaring


This is the blog for a few guys who spend their time flying radio controlled gliders, or slope soarer's, from the many and varied slopes around SE Wales.

This usually begins at the northern end of Cardiff, driving north up the A470 up to the Heads of the Valley's and the southern fringe of the Brecon Beacons. But the A470 road continues its windy way all the way to N Wales.

There are many slopes available for most wind directions, the most famous being the area between Nant-y-Moel and Treorchi known as The Bwlch, which has some of the best slopes and flying in Europe with many F3F competitions being held there each year and visited by many fliers from Europe and around the world. At 1500 feet (450m) above sea level, there is usually more wind than not, and certainly more than at sea level.

If you require any further information, are new to slope soaring or are visiting the area, please contact Steve at steve.houghton59@gmail.com . I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a look at Page 2 (look below and to the left here) for Google maps of our most popular Flying Sites.


Wednesday, 24 February 2016

Stuff

So last weekend was a total washout, it just rained all day on Saturday and most of Sunday, with gale force winds to boot. So non of my models saw the light of day.

Paul from slope soaring sussex came down and we were hoping to meet up at the Bwlch, but that wasn't to be, so Paul's record as a weather jinx lives on! One day he'll come for a weekend when the weather Gods will look upon him favourably.

This weekend the weather is looking more promising, which is good because I'm heading down to Cornwall to visit family. So a couple of foamies, (Wildthing, Moth or Polecat, depending on wind speed), will be loaded into the car and with any luck I shall be able to head to St Agnes Head on Sunday morning for some quality flying.

======================================================================

I've become very interested in thermal soaring over the last year and I have acquired a couple of models to fly. However, just lately I've been quite taken by the Great Planes, (Dynaflite) Bird of Time. For those of you who don't know this model ........


It is a 3m span ARF with a glass fuselage and fin, with built up, monocoted wing, tailplane and rudder with 2ch, (rudder/elevator) controls only, and it has a very "retro" look to it.

It has been likened to a large Eflite Radian to fly, which I had a few years ago and it did fly brilliantly. And like the Radian, the BOT doesn't need ailerons as the rudder control is so positive. By all accounts, (and the many video's I've watched), it is a real floater too.

Non of the usual UK suppliers seem to have one available in stock, but I have been in touch with a guy who has one which he hasn't completed assembly on yet, (so it hasn't flown) and he wants to sell it. So it looks like I'll have a third thermal soarer to add to my collection. The main difference between this and my other models is that this one is a pure sailplane, with no electric power, so my Hi Start will be getting some use again this year.

I'm intending on doing a lot more thermal soaring this year, weather permitting, as there is obviously a skill involved in connecting to and staying in thermals, and I want to crack this. But what I really need are a pair of thermal detecting sun glasses. If anyone would like to invent these, I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time
Happy flying
Steve
Posted by

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)