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Other Sailplanes

Other Sailplanes

Other sailplanes is the collective of most every other type of radio controlled sailplane, besides handlaunch, slope, and combat sailplanes described on other pages.

Airworld 'Fox' Fast Fly-By (c) Mike Shellim These sailplanes or gliders range in size from 2-meters in wingspan to 'open class' sailplanes of wingspans greater than 100". Some open class and scale sailplanes have wing spans greater than 3 meters, but you better have a large car and friends to help get that plane in the air.

Typically, planes with wing spans of about 2 meters are the most popular as they're smaller (they fit in the car) and a bit easier to manuever and anticipate their movements in the air. The 'standard' and open class sailplanes have the greatest potential for high performance, thermal hunting or other types such as those that resemble full-size sailplanes.

There is a short list below of electric-assist or powered sailplanes that have electric motors. Additionally planes on this page encompass very speedy, contest-style planes, very snazzy-looking scale sailplanes, and even ornithopters (flapping bird-style planes). Some of the scale sailplanes look remarkably like full-size sailplanes that carry people aloft. At some point all sailplanes become 'other' in that you can fly these planes on a slope, or even handlaunch them like that class of sailplane. Use your judgement carefully, especially with some of these very expensive aircraft.

There are many different plane sizes in the lists below. If you're a beginner, it's probably best to consider a sailplane that is near the 2-meter size as trying to learn to fly a 10-foot wingspan mega-sailplane can be disasterous if you crash while learning. Also you need to decide what might fit in your car or even your house before considering any of these planes. Some of the larger, open class sized sailplanes are not only difficult to build, but some can be fairly difficult to fly as well, even for an expert pilot. If you are desiring performance, some of the planes in the 'Advanced' category below can offer a challenge that can be truly rewarding.

Here's my buddie's Arcus at Los Banos Reservoir:


 

Here's my Ventus 2C on it's first flights


Here's a list of lots of R/C sailplanes that I consider 'other' sailplanes: (These links change often or disappear, I will try to keep updating this list when I can)

2-Meter (or less wing span) sailplanes:

Novice / Beginner

  • Banggood "XK A800" 31" span motor glider
  • Great Planes "Fling ARF" prebuilt
  • Great Planes "Gentle Lady" entry-level, built-up kit
  • Hobby King "Bixler EPO" - 55" span, EPO foam motor glider
  • Horizon Hobby "UMX Radian BNF" - 30" span, lightweight motor glider
  • Horizon Hobby "Night Radian" - 78" span, motor glider with night lights!
  • Sig "Riser" 78" span, balsa wood construction

Intermediate


Advanced/ Contest/ Not For Beginners


Standard sailplanes (wing spans beyond 2 meter or 78", but not over 100"):

Novice / Beginner

  • DJ Aerotech "Chrysalis 2-Meter" - 78" span, F3-RES built-up wing
  • Sig "Riser 100" 100" span, balsa wood construction
  • Sky Bench Aerotech "Olympic II" It's BACK! - 100" span, Nostalgia class

Intermediate


Advanced/ Contest/ Not For Beginners



Open Class sailplanes (wing spans beyond 100 inches):

Novice


Intermediate


Advanced / Contest / Not For Beginners



F3F/F3B/F3J [not for Novices!]

Advanced/ Contest/ Not For Beginners

  • Aloft Hobbies "Argema" - 145" span, fiberglass/carbon layup
  • Aloft Hobbies "Rotmilan" - 106" span, molded carbon layup
  • DJ Aerotech "2M Monarch Ascension" - 78" span, F3-RES built-up competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Ascot F3F" - 125" span, F3B/F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Avalon" - 119" span, F3B/F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Avatar F3B" - 124" span, F3B/F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Caldera R" - 108" span, F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Ceres F3B" - 120" span, F3B competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Ceres F3F" - 120" span, F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Cyril F3B" - 118" span, F3B competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "ESO Carbon" - 120" span, F3F/F3B competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Egida" - 143" span, F3J/Thermal competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Eldorado F3B/F3F" - 122" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "ESO Carbon" - 124" span, F3F/F3B competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Fosa" - 126" span, F3B speed competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Fosa Light" - 128" span, Lighter wing-loading version of Fosa sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Freestyler" - 116" span, F3F/F3B competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Needle 124" - 124" span, slope or F3F sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Jedi" - 122" span, F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Pike Precision F3B" - 116" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Pitbull 2 F3B or F3F" - 116" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Pitbull F3B or F3F" - 118" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Rotmilan-Midi" - 113" span, F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Scorpion Carbon F3F" - 114" span, F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Sharon 4.2M" - 165" span, TD or Cross Country competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Sharp Wind F3J" - 133" span, F3J competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Skywalker 3800" - 150" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Space Profi 3.27M" - 129" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Storm 3.2M" - 126" span, F3B/F3F competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Toba" - 121" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Thermic XL 4M F3J" - 158" span, 13-foot, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Thermic XXXL 5M F3J" - 195" span, huge competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Twister F3F" - 118" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Vampire F3B" - 119" span, competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Xplorer 2 F3J 3500 ST Lite" - 138" span, F3J competitive sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Xplorer 4 F3J 4000 ST Lite" - 138" span, F3J competitive sailplane

Scale sailplanes (or near scale):

Intermediate

  • Aloft Hobbies "Mibo Micro Swift" - 49" span, molded
  • Aloft Hobbies "Mini ASK21" - 51" span, balsa-sheeted wing, fiberglass fuse
  • Aloft Hobbies "Mini FOX-G2" - 49" span, balsa-sheeted wing, fiberglass fuse
  • FMS "Moa 1.5M" - 59" span, EPO construction, semi-scale, motor glider
  • ICare "Blanik L23 2.7M" - 106" span, sheeted foam covered scale sailplane
  • ICare "Jantar 2.4M" - 97" span, foam/carbon/glass or molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "Ventus 2c 2.5M" - 98" span, sheeted foam covered scale sailplane
  • MDM "Fox 2 2.3M" - 91" span, EPO construction, semi-scale, motor glider
  • Soaring USA "Byhon" - 126" span, semi-scale
  • Soaring USA "Foka 4" - 118" span, 1/5-scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Fox 3" - 120" span, near 1:4.6-scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Pilatus B4" - 118" span, T-tail, 1:5-scale sailplane

Advanced/ Contest/ Not For Beginners

  • Aloft Hobbies "Discus 2c Deluxe - 1/4 scale" - 177" span (14.8 feet), foam cored with full length, shear webbed
  • Aloft Hobbies "Swift S1" - 123.6" span (10.3 feet), carbon reinforced, obechi sheeted
  • HModel "Arcus" - 260" span (21.6 feet/6.6 meter) GIANT sailplane
  • ICare "ASH-26/M 3M (1:6)" - 118" span, foam/carbon/glass or molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "ASW-28 4M" - 158" span, foam/carbon/glass or molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "DG-600M 4-4.8M" - 158-189" span, molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "DG-800S/M 3.5-4.2M" - 137-165" span, foam/carbon/glass or molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "DG-1000/M 5.3M" - 189-208" span, foam/carbon/glass scale sailplane
  • ICare "Discus 4M" - 158" span, molded sailplane
  • ICare "Duo Discus T 4M" - 157" span, molded sailplane
  • ICare "HpH 304 CZ 3.1M" - 126-143" span, foam/carbon/glass scale sailplane
  • ICare "Lunak LF107 3.6M" - 143" span, foam/carbon/glass scale sailplane
  • ICare "Minimoa 4.8M" - 189" span, foam/carbon/glass scale sailplane
  • ICare "Nimbus 4D 4M" - 157" span, molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "Nimbus 4D/4DM 5.2M" - 204" span, molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "Nimbus 4D/DM 7M" - 278" span, HUGE! foam/carbon/glass scale sailplane
  • ICare "Pilatus B4 4.5M" - 177" span, molded scale sailplane
  • ICare "Ventus 2ax - 5M" - 197" span, (1:3 scale), molded scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "ASW-22" - 24-29 FEET GIANT 1/3 SCALE SAILPLANE
  • Soaring USA "ASG-28" - 118" span, 3M scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "ASG-29" - 197" span, 5M scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Diana 2 - 5M" - 197" span, 1/3-scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Fox 4.4" - 173" span, 1/3-scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Libelle" - 151" span, 1/4-scale sailplane
  • Soaring USA "Shark HPH 304 6M" - 236" span, 1/3-scale sailplane HUGE!
  • Soaring USA "Shark HPH 304 7M" - 284" span, 40%-scale sailplane EVEN-HUGE-R!
  • WindWings "GP15 JETA" - 169" span, (4.3m) sailplane

Electric Sailplanes (a selection of electric planes similar to sailplanes):

All Skill Levels

  • Dynaflite "Butterfly" - 99" span, trainer kit (not really electric)
  • Great Planes "Spectra Electric Sailplane" entry-level, built-up kit
  • Hobby King "Bixler 2" - 78" span, glider/electric EPO (for beginners)
  • Horizon Hobby "Night Radian" - 78" span, motor glider with night lights!
  • Horizon Hobby "UMX Radian BNF" - 30" span, lightweight motor glider
  • Horizon Hobby"Conscendo" - 59" span, motor glider
  • Herr/ Sig "Rally XP" - 48" span, built-up kit
  • I-Care "Autogyro Rainbow" - 42.5" AutoGyro Rotor Electric
  • Soaring USA "Ariane F5D" - 37.8" F5D or small sport motor glider
  • Soaring USA "Sport 2.3" - 93" built-up, fiberglass fuselage, motor glider
  • Trick R/C's "Zagi 33" - 33" span, EPP electric flying wing
  • Trick R/C's "Zagi HP" - 48" span, EPP electric flying wing
  • Trick R/C's "Zagi HP 60" - 60" span, EPP electric flying wing

Ornithopters (flapping bird-like planes):

Intermediate/Advanced (not for beginners!)

Other Stuff