Crunchy VTPR Rocks!

LQQK at this awesome shot of Le Sonic in total VTPR mode taken recently from a new video I filmed at Glider Point slope for the 2012 Slope Aerobatics contest. With the help of "video capture" techniques the Sonic and its pilot Mike Ball are displayed really doing it to it crunchy VTPR style!

As you are probably already aware we here at VTPR Aerobatics promote the really risky side of Slope VTPR perfectly willing to put our prized Sonic's and other crunchy ships in the danger zone for maximum thrill. We enjoy some of the foamy version models and they have served well training us towards this goal of crunchy VTPR. But the foamies just dont cut all of the mustard when it comes to beautiful, clean and risky VTPR. The payback is virtually no comparison. And thanks go to a handful of French pilots that have inspired myself and Mike to persue this dangerous yet fun style of RC aerobatics. There's no turning back...

See the video... Eric





STICTION "PSP" wooden VTPR Fun!

The STICTION 1.7m "PSP" is the second in the line of this size of wooden VTPR model. I'm very happy with its performance and durability. Weighing in at 25 ounces she has a 7.3 ounce wing loading on a SB96V/VS airfoil. We are finding the more we fly them they are great fun with no worries of breakage. This is good news for a woody now days and the stigma of crunchy fragility is pretty much gone! Larger than normal flight surfaces and its low mass construction are nice attributes allowing the pilot to fly worry free performing close to the ground aerobatics or fun fly with all kinds of control to the extreme. Like the prototype ZEPPELIN these aren't fast flyers but are highly maneuverable and inexpensive to construct. Give a woody PSP a try, you'll like it...

Good Lift...

LEROYER Flys Again!

Giullaume (William) Leroyer is one of the worlds top Voltige Totale and VTPR pilots. There are other videos of his masterful flying on this blog. I have had the priveledge of knowing him and his dad Michel through email while building my personal SONIC 2.5 glider. And I have grown to have great admiration for their flying and modeling skills but also their kind hearts and willingness to freely help me and others in modeling.

This is a brand new video Michel took of his son while on vacation in June flying some classic French VTPR on the coast of northern France after a 2 year layoff from flying anything RC. Here are his comments:

"After 2 years expatriated in CANADA for work, I've never touch a RC gliders, For my first return in town I was really excited to fly again with my old Sonic 2.50m, just to know if I lose my level in VTPR, Finally, with my father, we were near to the Menez-Hom in Bretagne and the weather was perfect for the spot called "Le chateau d'eau." All the feelings were there... RC gliders is like bicycle, you can't forget it... Sorry for the bad quality of the movie, I'm going to do my best in two years..."

As you can see this is some fantastic stuff in the higher air speed realms which Guillaume loves so much and he didnt miss a beat! We often talk about "slow and low" VTPR which we also see beautifully done by other great French pilots on the Menez-Hom slope. Guillaumes style is a little bit different utilizing the full speed range of his trusty blue-flame SONIC. He has admitted to me that he loves the faster elements of VTPR as it is more dangerous and allows more precise flight paths low to the ground with a composite model. Another way he puts it - "I like speed, I like to fly on the edge and touch the grass and to do that faster as possible because it will improve the challenges and reflexes..." To him and this author this style of VTPR is the ultimate in thrill, danger and satisfaction.

     

Hybrid AIR-100h progress

   

 

  

The new 3m hybrid project is underway again. Received the new wing and feather cores. They are EPS styrofoam. Wing root will be 10.5", tip 4.5" chord respectively. Single servo wing panels with 1/16" balsa skins. The decision is also made for the tail feather servos to be installed forward of the virticle fin within the tail boom. This will be especially challenging to balancing this glider with minimal nose weight. Final wing and joiner rod placement will be determined by the balance point when fully mocked up on the bench. Fun times are ahead!

3.5m Foam AIR-100

A great video of Ludo's large 3.5m Air-100 in EPP being flown in Brest France. Here are some of his notes to me recently about the fabrication. This model looks like a lot of fun with its gentle and majestic flight characteristics making it perfect for low & slow VTPR. The roll rate is very good and is able to fly in a very small box. Very durable making a nice recipe for ultimate fun in a BIG way.

Caractéristiques :

envergure : 350 cm (environ)
longueur : 180 cm
profils : SB 98 VR/VS
masse : 3500g

Each wing half is 183 cm long (2 times the length of the loaves of EPP at GTI) and two 8mm carbon tube spars of D4 in to reinforce the intrados and the extrados. The trailing edge is cut so that its thickness is 3mm => just stick to it a flat carbon 3x1mm to stiffen the BDF and the fin. The whole is coated with liquid adhesive neoprene tape and taped to armed (roll width 400 mm: as you say he should not be missed when installing the tape ...)

The fuselage is also full EPP / carbon => 20kg/m3 density well enough given the present volume. The general form is made ​​with hot wire and then rounding are made with a cutter and coarse sanding block. Finally, a key wing carbon rod of 12 mm can be mounted quickly and easily all (not even the wings restraint, nipples centering at the trailing edge returning to strength ...

 

Classic Menez-Hom VTPR

.Video courtesy Poedras Pierre-Louis

Some great fun yet dangerous VTPR flying in classic Menez-Hom flying site fashion. Some of the composite planes flying here are the Sonic, Excalibur, Limande, Twister and more. All 2.5 meter size. Take special note how all the pilots line up and take turns doing their thing trying to match or out do their mates. More importantly there are no foam planes present. A sign of true and ultimate no holds barred VTPR! You get a real sense of friendship and a challenging experience versus just flying back and forth or alone in the sky speeding around aimlessly. VTPR truly is thee most comprehensive and fun flying style on the slope.

VTPR Fun-Fly, 2012

Video of some of the flying and photos of last weeks VTPR Recontre. We had a small turnout but loads of fun. The "limbo" was especially a great time with the lightweight PSP's. Had a real laugh and the planes got a real workout. No damage, just pure fun! Until next time, enjoy. EJ

SoCal VTPR Recontre - June 16, 2012

The 2nd Annual SoCal VTPR meeting is on this weekend at Glider Point, Yorba Linda CA. A slope with every type of topography for maximum VTPR flying. Weather is looking good with SW winds and cool air predicted for an afternoon of lots of FUN. This year we are having a "limbo session" beneath a 20ft span ribbon that is adjustable from 10ft and lower. There will be much "overland VTPR" flying within inches of the ground. Full frontal "on the edge" flying again within inches with fiberglass, wooden, foam and PSP purpose designed VTPR models up to 2.5 meter span. This year promises to be loads of fun for those who attend and spectate.  VTPR by its nature always has a surprise or two no matter the field of flyers. A great photo op for sure. Stay tuned for the coverage here next week... EJ

Crash & Fly woodies

Had a great day with Vol-Lent and discovered just how durable this plane is. By pilot error we learned the low mass inertia component of this design really supported its survival after a very hard crash. Also a unique lightweight and robust wing construction and CF tail boom performed flawlesly upon impact. Within 5 minutes I was able to fly it again with no issues.

Through this unique design wood aerobatic models can now be constructed in such a way that nearly equals the durability of a foamie! This is quite a leap from the old way of construction that for years has left wood designs in the dust but now you can re-enter the woodie VTPR world again with full confidence and great aerobatic and ground contact performance.

Team Black Sheep USA - Monument Valley

Had to post this incredible FPV (first person view) video of some amazing flying and editing! A fantastic experience of a few minutes of very beautiful landscape and close encounters of the sandstone buttes up to 1000ft above the valley floor of famous Monument Valley in Utah. Team Black Sheep has really outdone themselves with this one. Video editing done by aufmschlau.ch productions.

For those not familiar, first-person view (FPV) flight is a type of remote-control (RC) flying that has grown in popularity in recent years. It involves mounting a small video camera and analog television transmitter on an RC aircraft and flying by means of a live video down-link, commonly displayed on video goggles or a portable LCD screen. When flying FPV, the pilot sees from the aircraft's perspective, and does not even have to look at the model. As a result, FPV aircraft can be flown well beyond visual range, limited only by the range of the remote control and video transmitter. (source wikipedia)