| You've probably seen an rc plane plenty
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| | end of the price range will just get you
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| of times, but what about an rc
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| | a plastic toy! There's one in particular
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| paraglider? A model rc paraglider is
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| | that seems to be everywhere, and that's
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| usually powered.
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| | the Sky Surfer RC paraglider. The gondola
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| From a distance, all motorized
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| | and wing are plastic, the motor is
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| radio-controlled paragliders are
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| | electric and it needs fairly calm
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| basically the same thing. A canopy, with
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| | conditions.
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| radio gear and motor suspended below it.
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| | The prices for these models are in the
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| Doing aerial ballet, all slow and
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| | 10s of US dollars, particularly the
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| graceful. Well, graceful if the pilot has
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| | second hand ones on eBay!
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| a smooth touch on the controls, just like
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| | Serious Hobbyists
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| the real thing. Free flight models are
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| | Since the year 2000 or so, a few
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| also flown, mainly on slopes.
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| | hobbyists have been keen enough to
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| You can see that my definition of 'rc
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| | construct and fly their own RC
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| paraglider' is pretty broad. It includes
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| | paraglider. Most just use power kites
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| free flight RC model, RC skydivers,
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| | rigged with a container for the radio
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| powered RC and powered RC parachutes.
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| | gear. Plus a motor in some cases.
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| The Buzz
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| | There's at least one hobbyist whose
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| Now, these devices are guaranteed crowd
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| | designs fly well enough for him to sell
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| pleasers from what I've heard. Someone at
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| | them over the Web. He has been doing it
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| a trade show also observed that women in
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| | for many years, and has the satisfaction
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| particular seemed to like the slow-moving
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| | of knowing that many units hand made by
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| and graceful spectacle of these miniature
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| | himself are flying at various locations
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| flying machines!
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| | all around the world.
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| To sum it up, the buzz around various
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| | For those that are for sale, these model
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| kinds of flying forums on the Web backs
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| | aircraft are worth several hundred US
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| up the claim that flying an RC paraglider
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| | dollars.
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| is fun, downright easy and safe.
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| | Commercial Manufacturers
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| How Do They Fly?
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| | As of 2007, there are now a number of
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| Very similar to the full size in most
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| | companies producing very well designed
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| cases, with 2 primary controls. That is,
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| | and manufactured RC paragliders. They use
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| steering left/right, and power, from idle
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| | the latest kiting materials, such as
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| to full.
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| | rip-stop nylon for canopies and Kevlar
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| In the simplest models, steering is done
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| | for the lines.
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| purely by weight-shift. That is, by
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| | There is also a tendency to offer
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| pulling down on the lines on one side or
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| | aerial-photography as part of the
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| the other, the pilot or gondola weight is
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| | package. With these, high-quality
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| shifted to the left or right. The canopy
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| | photographic and/or video gear is
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| pretty much keeps the same shape while
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| | included in the retail price. Not
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| this is happening.
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| | surprisingly, these units currently sell
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| Performing climbs and descents is very
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| | for between 500 and 1500 or so US
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| very simple! The wings fly at almost
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| | dollars.
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| constant airspeed, so increasing power
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| | Who Flies These Things?
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| enough makes the model climb, while
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| | Compared to most model aircraft, the RC
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| decreasing power enough causes a descent.
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| | paraglider seems to appeal to a very wide
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| Somewhere in between, there lies a power
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| | range of people. Some groups that I found
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| setting which will maintain constant
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| | had a significant interest in these
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| height.
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| | models include pilots, r/c pilots, aerial
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| On more expensive models, the trailing
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| | photographers and kite fliers.
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| edges of the canopy can be pulled down,
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| | I might add that plenty of non-fliers,
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| one side at a time. This is rigged
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| | particularly women, might end up getting
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| similarly to the brakes on a full-size
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| | interested too. An RC paraglider is quite
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| paraglider.
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| | a contrast to your usual macho high-speed
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| Toys
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| | RC aircraft!
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| As with most model aircraft, the bottom
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