Frequently Asked Questions
Look here for answers to all your F3K hand launch glider in South Africa questions.
If you have a question that is not answered below, please email us or ask it on the discussion forums.
Scroll down for the answers...
And visit the discussion forums too.
How much does an F3K glider cost?
New gliders cost in the region of R10,000. Second hand gliders cost anything from R2,000 (for an old bashed up one) to R5000 and upwards for one in decent condition.
Aside from the cost of the airframe - wing, fuselage, rudder and elevator - you need to factor in the cost of the other items needed. New models come as a set of parts and the model needs to be built up. To complete the model you will need servos, a radio receiver and a battery. And then you need your radio transmitter. Servos cost R500 upwards - you'll typically need 4 servos. A radio receiver costs R500 upwards. A battery costs R120 upwards. A radio transmitter costs R2,000 upwards. All of these prices will vary depending on the specification and brand of gear you are using.
Prices updated in 2018.
How do I get started flying F3K gliders?
We're really happy you've asked this question. We are always looking for new pilots. And we'd love to help you to get going.
Check out our Getting started page, as well as the discussion forums.
Are some F3K gliders better than others?
Short Answer : Yes. But we believe the best glider is the one you have ready to fly, regardless of its condition, age or pedigree.
Long answer...
The development of F3K gliders have progressed pretty quickly in the last few years as experience, designs, materials and construction methods have grown. Early gliders were heavier and launched lower and were made out of balsa and fibreglass. Current gliders are super-light, super-strong, high-tech machines made out of modern composite materials like kevlar and carbon fibre. You do have an advantage with a current generation glider. But one thing that is for certain, a 10 year old glider in the hands of a skilled, well-rounded pilot will beat the latest high-tech glider in the hands of a less skilled and less experienced pilot every time.
Our recommendation is to get the best glider you can afford, and then to work on your skills. If you need advice on which glider to get, get in touch with us.
Where can I buy an F3K glider in South Africa?
Al's Hobbies sell the Vladimir's Models gliders in South Africa - Contact Alan or Juanita at Al’s Hobbies - they have new Snipes in stock - Tel. 011-026-3313 / 011-892-1084 - www.alshobbies.co.za
Check out our forum for second hand models and other gear.
If you have any F3K gear for sale, please list it there or drop us an email to do that for you.
What gear do I need to fly a F3K glider?
As a minimum you will need:-
What are the membership fees and costs to fly F3K?
Informally - If you are going to fly by yourself as a 'Park Flyer' you just need the basic gear. But you are limited to where you can fly. In terms of the Recreational Aviation Administration of South Africa (RAASA), park flyers can only:-
Formally -If you are going to take your flying to the next level and fly formally at a club or SAMAA registered flying field, you:-
I only want to fly F3K gliders for fun - is this okay?
Yes, of course. (Though Craig doesn't think so).
And you can do it alone - I often fly alone as a kind of flying meditation. It's VERY relaxing (when you're past the crashing stage). It's just you, the outdoors and the invisible forces of nature.
But like many things in life, it's more fun if you do it with other people. You'll get hints and tips to improve your flying. You'll learn new things. You'll see how other pilots approach the various aspects and challenges. You'll get inspired. And if nothing else, you can steal their air reads and their thermals.
What happens if I crash my glider?
If you have a minor scrape or bash, it is often quickly and easily fixed with a bit of CA (aka superglue) and maybe a bit of fibreglass or carbon and some light sanding.
If you have a major incident like a fuselage snap or a wing break, these can be fixed too, though you will probably need some help. Ask for help - it's not as bad a situation as you may think it is.
And when your model is fixed, get back out to the field and fly again. It can be a bit daunting, but this is part of the game and never a show stopper.
Can you repair an F3K glider?
Yes.
These aren't throw away items. Most of the models you'll see at a local competition will have some battle scars. But they are out there competing.
Being able to repair your plane is a skill you will develop over time.
Where can I fly an F3K glider?
Check out our flying fields page.
How do I learn to fly an F3K glider?
Check out our Getting into F3K page.
What other kinds of remote control gliders and / or glider classes are there?
In South Africa these are the popular kinds and classes of remote control gliders...
Foamies or Parkflyers - these are the kind of gliders you can buy at your local hobby shop or online. They are often powered by an electric motor and are made of foam, though some have balsa construction. These foam motorised gliders are great to learn on - they are typically easy to fly and are very easy to repair. You can even build a foam glider with very little skill or complicated tools. Here is one example.
Although these gliders are not specifically made to fly in any specific competition class, some can be. For example, it is not uncommon to spot a Radian flying in an F5J - see below - competition. Or flying on a slope - see slope soaring below.
Slope Soarers - If a wind hits a hill it causes uplift, and it's possible to fly on this uplift. This kind of flying is popular at the coast, but also happens in-land if the geography and conditions are right.
There is a unique kind of slope soaring aerobatics called VTPR, or “Voltige Très Près du Relief” in French and “aerobatics very close to the ground”.
The FIA competition class for slope racing between two pylons is called F3F. It is fast and furious.
Another very fast slope soaring category is that of dynamic soaring where pilots utilise the different regions of the lift around a slope. They do repetitive runs, building up speed with each pass.
In South Africa there are coastal slopes in Durban, Hermanus, Cape Town (clubs here and here) with clubs at some of these locations. Inland, pilots fly at Witsieshoek (Drakensburg) and Tamatiberg (Volksrust), In Johannesburg, Northcliff Hill is good when a northerly is blowing.
Competitive thermal duration gliders - There are a few competitive classes of gliders flown in South Africa.
F5J is a relatively new class of electric-motor-powered gliders. The pilots launch under power of their electric motors for up to 30 seconds after which they hunt thermals to stay aloft. Their target is between 10 and 15 minutes (depending on the competition) after which they aim to land as close to a predefined landing spot as possible.
Scroll down for the answers...
And visit the discussion forums too.
How much does an F3K glider cost?
New gliders cost in the region of R10,000. Second hand gliders cost anything from R2,000 (for an old bashed up one) to R5000 and upwards for one in decent condition.
Aside from the cost of the airframe - wing, fuselage, rudder and elevator - you need to factor in the cost of the other items needed. New models come as a set of parts and the model needs to be built up. To complete the model you will need servos, a radio receiver and a battery. And then you need your radio transmitter. Servos cost R500 upwards - you'll typically need 4 servos. A radio receiver costs R500 upwards. A battery costs R120 upwards. A radio transmitter costs R2,000 upwards. All of these prices will vary depending on the specification and brand of gear you are using.
Prices updated in 2018.
How do I get started flying F3K gliders?
We're really happy you've asked this question. We are always looking for new pilots. And we'd love to help you to get going.
Check out our Getting started page, as well as the discussion forums.
Are some F3K gliders better than others?
Short Answer : Yes. But we believe the best glider is the one you have ready to fly, regardless of its condition, age or pedigree.
Long answer...
The development of F3K gliders have progressed pretty quickly in the last few years as experience, designs, materials and construction methods have grown. Early gliders were heavier and launched lower and were made out of balsa and fibreglass. Current gliders are super-light, super-strong, high-tech machines made out of modern composite materials like kevlar and carbon fibre. You do have an advantage with a current generation glider. But one thing that is for certain, a 10 year old glider in the hands of a skilled, well-rounded pilot will beat the latest high-tech glider in the hands of a less skilled and less experienced pilot every time.
Our recommendation is to get the best glider you can afford, and then to work on your skills. If you need advice on which glider to get, get in touch with us.
Where can I buy an F3K glider in South Africa?
Al's Hobbies sell the Vladimir's Models gliders in South Africa - Contact Alan or Juanita at Al’s Hobbies - they have new Snipes in stock - Tel. 011-026-3313 / 011-892-1084 - www.alshobbies.co.za
Check out our forum for second hand models and other gear.
If you have any F3K gear for sale, please list it there or drop us an email to do that for you.
What gear do I need to fly a F3K glider?
As a minimum you will need:-
- An F3K model glider- complete with servos, radio receiver and battery.
- A battery charger.
- A radio transmitter.
- Some basic tools and repair materials
- screwdrivers
- small pliers and tweezers
- CA glue
- craft knife
If you want more detail or if you want to compete seriously at national or international level check out our F3K gear page.
What are the membership fees and costs to fly F3K?
Informally - If you are going to fly by yourself as a 'Park Flyer' you just need the basic gear. But you are limited to where you can fly. In terms of the Recreational Aviation Administration of South Africa (RAASA), park flyers can only:-
- fly aircraft weighing less than 1 kg - which is far over the weight of an F3K model - and
- using an open frequency band for control - which includes all modern radio control systems.
- Park flyers must not fly their aircraft higher than 150 feet - this is an issue once you develop a half-decent launch,
- within 5 nautical miles of an airfield and
- their aircraft must remain within visual line of sight.
Formally -If you are going to take your flying to the next level and fly formally at a club or SAMAA registered flying field, you:-
- will need to join SAMAA (South African Model Aircraft Association. You can find the annual fees here. You can join online here.
- will need to join a club - find the club listing here.
- If you want to fly in MGA (Model Gliding Association of South Africa) competitions, you will need to join the MGA too.
Aside from these costs, and your gear costs, there are the other obvious costs like that of travelling costs to and from the flying field, etc.
I only want to fly F3K gliders for fun - is this okay?
Yes, of course. (Though Craig doesn't think so).
And you can do it alone - I often fly alone as a kind of flying meditation. It's VERY relaxing (when you're past the crashing stage). It's just you, the outdoors and the invisible forces of nature.
But like many things in life, it's more fun if you do it with other people. You'll get hints and tips to improve your flying. You'll learn new things. You'll see how other pilots approach the various aspects and challenges. You'll get inspired. And if nothing else, you can steal their air reads and their thermals.
What happens if I crash my glider?
If you have a minor scrape or bash, it is often quickly and easily fixed with a bit of CA (aka superglue) and maybe a bit of fibreglass or carbon and some light sanding.
If you have a major incident like a fuselage snap or a wing break, these can be fixed too, though you will probably need some help. Ask for help - it's not as bad a situation as you may think it is.
And when your model is fixed, get back out to the field and fly again. It can be a bit daunting, but this is part of the game and never a show stopper.
Can you repair an F3K glider?
Yes.
These aren't throw away items. Most of the models you'll see at a local competition will have some battle scars. But they are out there competing.
Being able to repair your plane is a skill you will develop over time.
Where can I fly an F3K glider?
Check out our flying fields page.
How do I learn to fly an F3K glider?
Check out our Getting into F3K page.
What other kinds of remote control gliders and / or glider classes are there?
In South Africa these are the popular kinds and classes of remote control gliders...
Foamies or Parkflyers - these are the kind of gliders you can buy at your local hobby shop or online. They are often powered by an electric motor and are made of foam, though some have balsa construction. These foam motorised gliders are great to learn on - they are typically easy to fly and are very easy to repair. You can even build a foam glider with very little skill or complicated tools. Here is one example.
Although these gliders are not specifically made to fly in any specific competition class, some can be. For example, it is not uncommon to spot a Radian flying in an F5J - see below - competition. Or flying on a slope - see slope soaring below.
Slope Soarers - If a wind hits a hill it causes uplift, and it's possible to fly on this uplift. This kind of flying is popular at the coast, but also happens in-land if the geography and conditions are right.
Pilots will often slope soar with foam models due to the roughness of landings in high winds and the resilience of the models, but it can done with large scale composite-contruction models too.
The FIA competition class for slope racing between two pylons is called F3F. It is fast and furious.
Another very fast slope soaring category is that of dynamic soaring where pilots utilise the different regions of the lift around a slope. They do repetitive runs, building up speed with each pass.
In South Africa there are coastal slopes in Durban, Hermanus, Cape Town (clubs here and here) with clubs at some of these locations. Inland, pilots fly at Witsieshoek (Drakensburg) and Tamatiberg (Volksrust), In Johannesburg, Northcliff Hill is good when a northerly is blowing.
Competitive thermal duration gliders - There are a few competitive classes of gliders flown in South Africa.
F5J is a relatively new class of electric-motor-powered gliders. The pilots launch under power of their electric motors for up to 30 seconds after which they hunt thermals to stay aloft. Their target is between 10 and 15 minutes (depending on the competition) after which they aim to land as close to a predefined landing spot as possible.
*** Work in progress ***
