balsa wood gliders are
among the simplest of model airplanes. Many of our earliest aviators built
gliders to learn about aerodynamics and gliders can teach you a lot too. But to
build a high performance glider that can win competitions is remarkably
challenging. To win an endurance flight contest you need to build a plane that
is light and strong, features well-formed flying surfaces and is appropriate to
your arm strength and abilities.
Find an appropriate plan. The glider you choose should be a proven design.
Most plans include the original builder's best flight times on them. If you are
a beginner, build a model suitable for beginners or you may have trouble making
your plane perform. See References for archives of glider plans.
Create templates. Photocopy the plan and glue it to a piece of tag board. Cut
out each part separately.
Place your templates on the appropriate sheets of balsa according to the
plan. Trace around each part with sharp pencil. Cut out the parts with a
modeling knife. Don't press too hard with the knife. Instead, take several
passes to cut through thick balsa.
Sand the flying surfaces. Sand the tail pieces smooth and then "feather" or
taper to the edges. Sand the wing surfaces to the airfoil shape provided on the
plan.
Create dihedral. The wing pieces will fit together at angles which force the
wingtips vtgpqhzlegz to be above the center of the wing. This is called dihedral
and gives the plane stability. To create a proper dihedral joint, sand the edge
of the wing part with a sanding block, propping the wing part at the proper
angle with a block.
Assemble the plane and glue pieces together. To keep the plane's weight down,
use as little glue as possible to create strong joints. Use weights to hold
pieces firmly together until the glue dries.
Apply sanding sealer. Sanding sealer will give the plane a smooth surface
which will help improve performance. Brush on a light coat of sanding sealer,
sand the plane with fine sandpaper, brush on another coat and sand lightly
again.
Spray paint the wingtips a fluorescent orange color so that when your plane
disappears into bushes or long grass you will be able to find it. Use a light
coat of paint to save weight.
Balance the plane. The plan should provide a center of gravity. Weight the
nose of the plane until it balances when you hold it at its center of
gravity.
Test fly and trim the plane. Glide the plane gently. Adjust the tail surfaces
by gently bending them until you achieve a flat glide that curves gently to the
right or left.
Trim the plane for endurance flying. Try launching the plane up and into the
wind. It should rise sharply, recover near the top of its climb and fly in a
circle back to the ground. Adjust the flight surfaces and balance until you
achieve an ideal flight. See References for tips.
If you want to know more about the lightweight balsa wood, the related
article comes from our website http://www.balsafactory.com/ .
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