Back to Fatlion Home


Back to R/C Sailplane main page


Handlaunch sailplanes


Combat sailplanes


2 Meter, Standard, Open Class sailplanes 		Dominator Slope Racer



Slope sailplanes typically are medium to large sized planes that usually range in weight between 16 ounces up to several pounds. These planes were designed to fly on the slope, which generally means that they're built for speed or in some cases built for combat [read more about combat planes here]. Some slope planes look like fighter planes and others can have thin, razor-sharp wings.

Slope sailplanes are usually launched by tossing or throwing into the wind from the top of a slope. As the plane leaves your hand and enters the lift generated by the slope, the plane will either rise (if made to fly slower, usually by pulling back on the elevator "stick" to give it up elevator) or gain speed. On the slope or in a thermal, sailplanes are always moving down thru the air. If the air rises, either from the slope or thermal faster than the plane's descent rate, the plane will rise. Slope lift can be quite strong. Strong enough, in some cases, to fly planes designed for gas power (without the engine running) to fly quite comfortably. Some of those 'booming' days it feels as though you could fly your radio transmitter.

Most slopes are hills or cliffs where the wind strikes the surface of a slope and rises as it is forced upwards due to the shape of the hill. The wind should blow directly on to the face of the slope for maximum lift, and in fact, if the wind doesn't strike the hill "straight on", it can blow around the hill resulting in lots of wind but no lift. Another thing that can affect the lift on a slope is whether there is a mountain or other hill within a half of a mile or so in front of the slope. Instead of the air lifting as it reaches the slope, it has a tendency to rise and fall with turbulence and unpredictability. It can make it impossible to control your plane (or have any fun) while flying on this kind of slope. Another thing to note is the top of the slope: on top, just back from the edge of the hill, the lift sometimes stops abruptly or spin towards the ground causing turbulence and other "rotors" that can cause the plane to pitch wildly as it nears the ground or there sometimes is no lift at all. If you're shopping for a slope that no one flies on, it is better if there's a smoother, more rounded top (hopefully not covered by rocks either as the rocks have this ability to 'jump' in the way of a landing plane!).

Slope Diagram

On strong wind or strong lift days, it is not advisable to fly a lightweight trainer or a handlaunch as it can be very difficult to land such a plane and, in some cases, the plane can be wrecked even by experienced pilots due to the turbulence that can occur with such conditions, especially on the top of a slope (the 'rotor').

There is a type of slope soaring that has become very popular these days called 'Combat' slope. The goal of this 'sport' is to essentially knock your 'opponent' out of the air. You get 'points' for hits, but the goal is to knock 'em out-of-the-sky. There are companies that are now producing sailplanes specifically for this purpose as well. Click here to read all about Combat planes.



Here's a list of slope sailplanes:

Novice

Intermediate

  • Aerofoam "F-15 Eagle" 40" span, combat fighter
  • Aerofoam "F4U Corsair" 49" span, combat fighter
  • Aerofoam "Avro Vulcan Bomber" 34.5" span (EPP Pibros)
  • Anabat "A-10 Warthog" 48" span, white foam construction
  • Anabat "Aerobat" 48" span, white foam construction
  • Anabat "Combat Pair" 48" span, white foam construction, two planes in one box
  • Art Hobby "Timon" 75.2" span, 80% RTF (a large handlaunch)
  • Art Hobby "Boar 2M" 78.7" span, 80% RTF (also thermal duration)
  • Art Hobby "Serenity 2.5M" 98.4" span, 80% RTF F3F
  • Art Hobby "Velvia" 78.7" span, 80% RTF, F3B (multi-task)
  • Art Hobby "Velvia-C" 78.7" span, 80% RTF, F3B (conventional tail)
  • Art Hobby "Velvia-FV" 78.7" span, 80% RTF, F3B (flaps)
  • Art Hobby "Velvia-FC" 78.7" span, 80% RTF, F3B (flaps, conventional tail)
  • BASH Enterprises "MONGO Sr." 96" giant flying wing
  • Birdworks "Avenger" - flying wing 48"
  • Birdworks "Geek" - flying wing 34"
  • Birdworks "Mog" - flying wing 47"
  • Birdworks "R/C Gull" - Seagull look-alike 41"
  • Birdworks "Zipper" - flying wing 48"
  • Bowman's "Scooter" - 36" EPP fun flyer
  • Bowman's "Comanche" - 48" EPP dynamic/combat sloper
  • Bowman's "Sonic" - 48" EPP wing for combat and more
  • Canterbury Sailplanes "Arrow" 54" span, all EPP New!
  • Canterbury Sailplanes "Dart" 39" span, all EPP New!
  • Canterbury Sailplanes "Eraser 60" 60" span, all EPP
  • Canterbury Sailplanes "PC9" 48" span, EPP fighter
  • Canterbury Sailplanes "Prima" 118" span, also Thermal Duration New!
  • Dynaflite "Talon" 50"
  • GWS "BN2 Islander" 36.6" span, white foam construction
  • GWS "F3A Formosa" 35.4" span, white foam construction
  • GWS "Funny Park" 33.5" span, white foam construction
  • GWS "Slow Stick" 46.3" span, white foam construction
  • Hobby-Lobby "EasyGlider" 71" ARF
  • ICare "Nemesis" 60" span, ARF molded construction
  • ICare "Ocelot" 58" span, ARF molded construction racer
  • ICare "The Bizz" 48" span, EPP/Blue foam flying wing
  • International Electric Models "Taipan" White foam flying wing
  • MM Glider Tech "Sorceress"
  • Mountain Toys "Beech 17 Staggerwing" 48" span, EPP construction
  • Mountain Toys "B-29 Super Fortress" 52" span, EPP construction (out of production!)
  • Mountain Toys "P-38 Lightning" 52" span, EPP construction
  • Mountain Toys "B-24 Liberator" 52" span, EPP construction
  • North County Flying Machines "Moth" 48" span, EPP flying wing
  • North County Flying Machines "M60" 60" span, EPP construction, DS flying wing
  • North County Flying Machines "Bluto" 56" span, EPP construction, flying wing
  • NSP "ASK 21 Mini" 59" span, semi-scale
  • NSP "ASW 27 2M" 82" span, semi-scale, molded
  • NSP "ASW 28 2M" 82" span, semi-scale, molded
  • NSP "Avocet C" 60" composite ARF
  • NSP "Bird DS" 58.3" span, carbon vacuum wings New!
  • NSP "Destiny" 54" span, molded near-RTF
  • NSP "Epsilon 1.5" 58.5" span, molded racer
  • NSP "Epsilon 2M" 78.5" span, molded racer
  • NSP "Filip 2M Slope" 78.8" span, ARF
  • NSP "Filip RG Slope" 60" span, ARF
  • NSP "Filip Slope" 60" span, ARF
  • NSP "Fredy" 60" span, molded V or T tail
  • NSP "Gabby" 78.8" span, molded V 2 meter New!
  • NSP "JW" 54" span, flying wing
  • NSP "KA-6" 78.5" span, semi-scale
  • NSP "Nano Floh" 31" span, mini-sloper
  • NSP "Opus 100" 100" span, kevlar/carbon New!
  • NSP "Shark" 60" span, standard construction
  • NSP "Shark ARF" 60" span, standard construction ARF
  • NSP "Sparrow C" 66" span, composite racer
  • NSP "Sparrow 66" 66" span, composite racer
  • NSP "Sparrowhawk C" 80" span, composite racer
  • NSP "Swallow" 81" span, molded composite racer
  • Polecat Aero "Hammerhead" slope racer
  • RC Direct "Opus W" 74.5" span, molded, hi performance racer
  • RnR "Revolution" 60" span, molded composite
  • RPV Industries "Cyclone" 60" span, all EPP slope racer (where's Rick Powers?)
  • Windrider "Queen Bee" 100" span, all EPP large flying wing New!
  • Windrider "A388 Airliner 1.8M" 72" span, EPS ARF New!
  • Windrider "Bat" 54" EPP flying wing New!
  • Windrider "Bee" 48" EPP flying wing New!
  • Windrider "Easy Pro" 55" span, ailerons, all EPP construction
  • WingWarrior "Scrappy" 36" span, all EPP flying wing
  • WingWarrior "RidgeRunner/SlopeSlayer" 48" span, all EPP flying wing
  • WingWarrior "Slope Raider" 48" span, all EPP flying wing
  • WingWarrior "Slope Zipper" 36" span, all EPP flying wing

Advanced/ Contest/ Not For Beginners

  • Airtech "Passion" 95.5" span, F3F slope racer
  • Art Hobby "Sierra 2.5M" 98.4" span, molded composite F3F/F3B
  • Hobby-Lobby "Whisper" 78" span, molded ARF
  • ICare "Eraser" 124" span, ARF molded construction
  • ICare "Hades" 110" span, ARF molded construction
  • ICare "Hera" 122" span, ARF molded construction
  • ICare "Kulbutin" 71.5" span, ARF fiberglass semi-scale
  • ICare "Nyx" 126" span, ARF kevlar/carbon construction
  • Maple Leaf Design "Image" 78.8" span, molded 2M ARF (I have one)
  • NSP "Banana" 57" molded ARF
  • NSP "Cohen DS" 114" span, molded Dynamic Soarer
  • NSP "Cohen F3F" 114" span, molded F3F
  • NSP "Dominator" 60" span racer
  • NSP "Epsilon 1.5" 58.5" span racer New!
  • NSP "Epsilon 2M" 78.5" span racer New!
  • NSP "Erwin 3M" 119" span, specialty construction New!
  • NSP "Flash 2" 60" span, ARF
  • NSP "Lynx" 80" span, molded racer
  • NSP "Lynx DS" 80" span, molded racer for dynamic soaring New!
  • NSP "Mini-Dragon" 60" span, molded DS racer
  • NSP "Shredder" 80" span, pitcheron, near-ARF
  • NSP "Snipe C" 72" span, wingeron racer, composite construction
  • NSP "Storm" 127" span, F3B, F3F racer, composite construction New!
  • RnR "Eagle SS" 112.5" span, F3B
  • RnR "Millennium" 123" span, thermal duration
  • RnR "Synergy III" 170" span, F3B

Slope Scale / Power Slope Scale/ Mini Warbirds

Exotic Slope Aircraft (just not your normal sloper)

  • Pterotec "Eudimorphodon" 39.4" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Dimorphodon" 55.1" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Campylognathoides" 71" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Rhamphorhynchus" 71" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Pteranodon" 79" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Tapejara" 59" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Phobetor" 66.2" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur
  • Pterotec "Dsungaripterus" 126" span, kevlar/carbon flying dinosaur

Combat

Combat planes are now here




R/C Sailplanes  | |   Slope  | |   Handlaunch  | |   Other


Go to top of page




© 1997-2008 Randy Carr

Last Modified: February 11, 2008