Have you ever considerd DLG Flying?

 

Now we have access to some nice big flat fields and for those very low wind days on the hill, why not consider a DLG (Discuss Launch Glider)? You don't have to be super fit or arms like a Gorilla to fly DLG's plus they are available for right and left handed people too (like lefty Rob!). They are extremely light (around 250 - 300 grams) and you can start relatively cheap and move up as your experience grows. The Dream Flight Libelle is a good entry model. I had loads of fun with mine for a long time (until Scott got hold of it!).
Easy to launch, easy to fly and when you do contact a thermal and climb away the feeling of satisfaction is immense.
Here are a few DLG gliders you could consider:
Dream Flight Libelle (my first DLG)
Blaster 2 (my current DLG)
Longshot 4 (Ian's DLG)
Blaster 3 (Ian's DLG)
FireBlade 2 (my new DLG)

Lots of DLG's for sale here:
Hyperflight
Superfly

There is always tuition / instruction available to fly a DLG. Help with the launching and how to find lift (we are all still learning these) but help is at hand.

DLG flying is so much fun - Why not give it a go?

Coyote Build Update

Hi All,
I managed this week to get some time on the Coyote build.....
The update can be found here -
Coyote Build Log

More updates as it happens .....

Rob

Horsham Club Night - 1st March and Other Events

Here goes, this is my first post, so accept my apology if it doesn't come out great.

The Horsham Club, hold monthly club nights (except June, July and Aug) 8pm (1st  Thursday of the month) at the Roffey Millennium Hall, 154 -156 Crawley Road, Horsham, RH12 4DT.

Our March Club Night (1st March) is going to be a talk and presentation by Alan Head from SAS Sailplanes (sure we all have owned a Wild Thing at some point), this promises to be an interesting evening and Alan will also have kits and spares available on the night.

To add to the evening we are asking all those that have a current or past SAS model to bring it along.

Time 8pm - 10pm

Tea, coffee and snacks will be available.

To ensure a full house we will open the evening up to guests, if you interested in coming along please let me know (trakside2003@yahoo.co.uk).

Sunday 29th April (10am onwards)  Glider Day at the Horsham Field, we held this event for the first time in 2017 following the success of our club glider evenings. This is open to all forms of gliders and we  have bungee and winch available. Kevin Beale and Colin Padden will be on hand to give help and advice. It is a club event but we open it to visitors and last year Paul H and some others came along and had a great day, I think we had around 30 or 40 present and some great flying was had by all. If the weather is kind we may well have the BBQ alight, also tea and coffee will be available.

Sunday 13th May, the Horsham Club are hosting a round of the BMFA F5J series, many get put off entering, but please don't as the guys that fly in these events are very friendly and very keen to see new entrants. 2017 was a brilliant day with a really good entry. Even if you are nervous about entering, why not pop along and see what its all about and pick up some tips and information. For more info drop me a line and I will put you in touch with Kevin Beale.

Thanks, I hope the above is useful. Pete

Diary Dates

Hi all
I have added a new little box to the left hand side of the blogs front page. This is for those up and coming dates for events, shows, club expeditions etc etc.......
I would love for you guys to keep me updated and informed on future dates of events that we might want to attend but may not have known they were on. Its up to all of us to keep this 'Diary Dates' box up to date!
Please put out a shout or email me with dates of interest: paulhampshire2013@gmail.com
Thanks

Club's AGM

A huge thanks to those who made it to the club's AGM yesterday with especial thanks to Rob for organising the meeting and keeping it all on track and to Scott for the detailed accounts. Thanks Rob & Scott.

EASA Publish their Technical Opinion and Draft Regulations for Unmanned Aircraft

Hi All,
The EASA (European Air Safety Authority) have now issued their 'Technical Opinion and Draft Regulation' for consideration. This is what might affect us as model fliers and thanks to BMFA, LMA, etc... lobbying there have been significant changes to the regulations.
The whole thing is explained here at the BMFA -

BMFA News

Rob Stanley
Hon Sec

South Wales Soaring Association

Hi guys. Just to let you know that the SWSA website is now up and running and ready to view. The info on there is only basic at the moment but this will expand as the year and the club  progresses. Check it out by clicking HERE.

I am also hoping to pay you guys a visit in mid April, once the weather has warmed up a bit. It'll be good to fly with you guys again.

Steve
A470soaring

More New Members

Hi All,
I am pleased to announce that we have just recruited another 2 new members -

Tom Marchant joined in January from Burgess Hill - Tom is the son of John Marchant who joined us in December, I have yet to meet either of them but look forward to seeing them up a slope soon.

Robert Adams joined yesterday and is a member of the Horsham club and lives in Thakeham. Scott and I met Robert last night at the Horsham indoor flying, so we were able to welcome him to the club.

I'm sure you will all join us in welcoming Tom and Robert to the club.

Rob Stanley
Hon Sec

Phoenix Model Products – Stage 2A Mk2

With what is possibly the least glamourous model name in slope soaring history ­­– this is my latest winter build project.

I said last year that I’d reached the zenith of my model plane requirements and as such I didn’t need to make any more. But I enjoy building, so I came up with the cunning excuse that each new model must, hence forth, replace at least two existing models – this should result in the rapid rationalisation of my fleet! First to go will be the Ridge Runt and Coyote, to be replaced by this handily-portable general-purpose slope hack.

You’ll notice that I couldn’t just stick to the plan, I had to add some modifications of my own devising. I wanted a bigger model than the Runt/Coyote that would still fit in the car boot or roof box, so the one-piece wing now comes in two parts with a homemade aluminium joiner. For the joiner to work I had to adapt Stan Yeo’s very neat all-sheeted ‘egg box’ wing construction and add traditional spruce spars with D-box webbing balsa. I was mildly concerned about the additional weight penalty, so I compensated for this by cutting ‘windows’ in the wing sheeting; this also gives the model a bit of a ‘vintage’ look, which is a bonus in my book. It may leave the wings a little less rigid, but we shall wait and see what effect, if any, this has on aileron response.

I’ve started looking at radio layout options. The ‘cabin’ can get very cramped with standard-size servos, battery and receiver. With 35mhz gear you needed to keep the receiver near the front to allow for the run of the aerial lead, but with little 2.4GHz aerial wires this is no longer an issue, so I’m putting the heavy stuff up front, leaving a gap under the wing for ballast and locating a lightweight receiver at the rear. I’ll wait and see where the C of G ends up and adjust accordingly…

 

Happy landings,

 

Russell H

Ditchling Beacon Flying 4th Feb

Hi All,
As arranged, Tony C and I met at the Beacon this morning at 09:30, and the forecast wind - 20 to 30 mph NE was definitely correct. It was freeeeezing !
The primary aim was to try out Tony's newly adjusted and weighted Wildthing and to try out my 'new' Ninja.
Tony's Wildthing went off well, but was blown backward in the strong wind and landed against the fence. The second attempt was better and after some trimming (which can now be done thanks to Tony's adjustment of the pushrod clevises), it was flying straight and true.
My Ninja (which I got from Bob P a long time ago and never flew) went off straight from the first throw, a small amount of up trim and it was away.
Tony spent the time practicing coming round for landing and made a couple of good landings in the difficult conditions (including one in the field behind).
After 40 minutes we were both freezing and decided to call it a day having achieved our aim of flying both the models.

A good session but too cold really

Rob