RC Plane With A Difference - An RC Paraglider!

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