Raptor Sunny Clouds

...a ray of sunshine

The weather this autumn and winter has been dreadfully windy, all the more remarkable given that this is usually the stillest time of the year and the opportunity I'd taken to fly off the lake in the still afternoons.

However, there have been a few occasions when the gusting northerly has abated and yielded bejewelled afternoons, like this one.

Heading down to my usual spot, lovely cumulus decorated the vivid blue sky, the dark grey of their undersides vividly contrasting with the sparkling white of their peaks. As on the best late-afternoons, the clear horizon allowed a full spread of lush, golden sunlight to drench the lush greenery of the fields and add a sense of magical perfection to the scene.

These are my favourite flying conditions, preferred to sunny mornings or even lovely sunrises, except for when I'm suddenly wanting to capture a special moment of exceptional light, or beautiful cloud formation, or ibis flying formation.

Fortunately, in some cases such as this, I don't need to worry as I've got the video running and I can enjoy the moment. Flying the Raptor now is lovely, my favourite being it's red and white wings contrasting vividly with the blue and greys of the sky as it sweeps past...

Raptor Glider 2000. Gorgeous Clouds.

...beautiful afternoon to be in the sky

I love clouds, especially crisp fresh clouds. Or wispy clouds driven by high chill winds. But especially good are those times when you're treated to a dramatic combination of developing clouds made more dramatic, in this case, by warm afternoon glow from the opposite horizon.

The conditions were windy and a little turbulent, as you might imagine, but nothing to deter the Raptor from having a bit of fun cruising around and surfing the breeze.

Fying with such gorgeous sky scenery is a real treat, and one of those occasions on which I'm so happy to be able to get something in the sky and be a part of nature's beautiful spectacle.

Raptor Sunset Criusing

...kept on getting better

Taking the Raptor into the hills for some late afternoon sloping ended prematurely as the breeze dropped off to nothing at the approach of evening.

So, making the most of what looked to be a lovely sunset, I set the Raptor to cruising down the ridge filming our disappearing star.

It turned out to be one of those surprise sunsets which start of a little dull and then develop as the sun clears the low cloud.

As such, I kept the raptor flying laps up and down, only turning it in when the sun was just a glimmer on the horizon...

Raptor D-Box Pro 2000. Scenic Afternoon Flight.

...perfect afternoon to fly

Some afternoons are just great for getting the glider out, especially when a beautiful blue sky is dotted with fluffy cumulus pointing out potential lift spots.

A few times I've had some luck with the Phoenix and the Raptor. In fact I've even managed to get some lift flying here in the venerable Floater Jet!

There was one minor glitch; the props didn't fold and so continued windmilling whenever I had turned the power off. This, I think, was a remnant of the recent beach sloping, with some grit remaining in the prop holding up the works. 

This particular afternoon I didn't have much luck thermalling despite the beautiful conditions, but it was a scenic flight nonetheless. Part of the problem is the lit is better higher but at the same time it's harder to assess what's happening from the ground the higher you get.

And, when I've got my mobius FPV system fully sorted, I'm hoping to get it onto the Raptor so that I can try thermalling from first-person view, which should be fun...

Raptor at the Beach Again

...good wind & good lift

Today I returned to the beach again for the third time to slope soar the Raptor. While he wind direction and strength on the first two occasions was a little weak and misdirected, this time everything was good; 30-40kmh southwesterly coming straight onto the dunes.

In fact, walking down from one car park, the wind at the top was that brisk it had me wondering how I was actually going to get the Raptor down to the beach without it taking flight involuntarily.

Fortunately, I found another path that wandered down through the dune growth, providing a sheltered entry onto the beach. The Raptor prepped, I spun the prop up and waited a little hesitantly for a drop in the wind.

Hoisting the Raptor up, it climbed steeply before levelling it off and steering it onto the dunes. The lift was much stronger than before and, after a little trimming, got the Raptor floating motionless above the bank.

Not that it was as peaceful as it appeared; rather I was on high alert, making sure the Raptor didn’t drop a wing and get blown down. At some stages the Raptor, with flaps on, was actually drifting downwind so I was having to switch between flying clean and with flaps, and trimming the elevator up & down to suit as well.

So successful but not exactly peaceful! And then the landing; because my radio doesn’t have enough mixes to set up the ailerons as spoilers, I again had to zigzag the Raptor up and down the beach to loose height, before eventually nosing it in foe a sand-covered landing.

I really need to get another radio…

Raptor D-Box Pro 2000. Sunset in the Hills

...a beautiful afternoon

A brisk breeze saw me back in the hills for another attempt at slope soaring, this time on a westerly breeze. However a shift in direction after a short while had me lying on the ridge watching the clouds form and drift across the sky, powered by the breeze.

Fortunately the disruptive northerly had soon blown itself out, leaving a picturesque afternoon with the sun starting to dip. With no lift to be had, I nevertheless decided to get the Raptor for some leisurely cruising while enjoying the spectacle of a lovely sunset.

Flying on the ridge gives a three-dimensional aspect not normally experienced, flying the Raptor up the hill or floating it over the crest and down the other side. So, despite the soaring being a bit disappointing, the afternoon’s flying was beautiful...

Raptor Glider D-Box Pro 2000. Hill Sloping.

...a beautiful afternoon with a view

Having managed some soaring at the seaside, I turned my attention to the nearest inland sloping spot; a set of ridges about half an hour’s drive away. These ridges provide lift in a variety of directions, but today it was blowing southerly. The location for southerly lift is a little tight on landing space and has trees about which makes things a little less relaxed, however I wasn't going to let that put me off.

I launched the Raptor into the strong southerly under power, just to be sure, and was soon getting reasonable lift. Some sections of the ridge were better than others, the far end seeming to be poor and the narrow clear section right in front providing the best lift.

Once I'd trimmed the Raptor to slow it down a little it was performing pretty well, until eventually the breeze ebbed away and I resorted to sending the Raptor on lazy missions away from the ridge over the picturesque farmlands until the battery ran low...

Raptor Glider 2000 D-Box Pro. Slope Soaring at the Beach.

...finally getting the Raptor sloping

Slope soaring is something I've wanted to do for a while but the lack of nearby locations has been a bit of a damper. However, I finally decided on an excursion to the beach, a well-rated spot for getting lift from the ocean breeze rising over the scrub-covered dunes.

The promised southerly wind unfortunately had an easterly component which meant less lift from the south easterly beachline, however I was determined to have a go anyway on the understanding that it wasn’t going to be ideal.

The most confronting feature doing this for the first time is, of course, the wind; I would normally never consider getting the Raptor out in this kind of wind and yet, here I was. This location flies from the beach, so I launched the raptor under power to make sure it didn't end up in the surf.

Climbing into the strong breeze, around 30km/h, the Raptor rose sharply. After getting a bit of a feel for the wind I eased the Raptor towards the dunes and some lift.

The other interesting thing is, of course, the wind; I had barely settled the Raptor in when I was dropping the flaps more and trimming it up to slow it down. And wishing the wind was a little stronger. And this is with a slow glider!

The sloping was challenging and fun, although the oblique wind angle meant I had to resort to occasional power-boosts to get the Raptor up again. Nevertheless, it was a good first try, a proof of concept…

Raptor Glider D-Box Pro 2000. 5 Star Morning

...gentle flying on a beautiful morning

Winter mornings are often dull and overcast, sometimes with drizzle, mist or rain. However, on occasion, they deliver outstanding sunrises and, on this occasion, a five-star morning with mist, pretty clouds, sun, blue skies and no wind.

I haven't been flying in the mornings lately as sunrise around the solstice comes too late. However, having missed my alarm on this particular morning, I assed the field with sky alight with the sun about to rise.

With the Raptor on board this was like receiving a written invitation, so I headed to the field. The cold winter morning air makes the Raptor extra floaty, so that with flaps down it approaches so slowly as to appear in slow motion.

And, with no turbulence, one is able to make low passes and low turns in absolute confidence, adding to the tranquil mood of the morning...

Raptor Glider D-Box Pro 2000. Afternoon Cruise.

...a pleasant afternoon out

Sunday afternoon turned out sunny and mild, a nice opportunity to take the Raptor for a leisurely cruise around the field. With the local venue busy, I headed for a field at which I'd previously considered flying but never got around to going there.

The field had had the grass cut back for some reason, leaving it with an interesting geometric finish, combined with its contrasting brown colour would make an excellent spot for a first FPV flight; you'd easily be able to find where home was!

Getting the Raptor out, I installed the Mobius atop the fuselage and sent the big glider soaring skywards. There northerly wind was quite mild but choppy, making the flight a little interesting when the Raptor approached ground level and curtailed most low and slow flying, which is can be the most fun.

Nevertheless it was a lovely afternoon to be out, and floating a slow glider around is likewise a suitably relaxing occupation. The most anxious bit was a brief inverted flight towards the end when, pushing the Raptor in an inverted pull-out, I realised there was insufficient charge in battery to execute this power-sapping manoeuvre.

Rolling the Raptor out, I pulled up steeply and came awkwardly close to a flood light pole, hitting which would definitely have ruined a lovely afternoon outing...

R2Hobbies Raptor D-Box Pro 2000 Glider in the Hills.

...a lovely flight in beautiful surroundings

Having an opportunity to get into the hills I decided to pack the Raptor in the hope that I might be able to find a good spot to have a go at slope soaring, a sadly outstanding item on the RC list of things I want to do.

As it worked out I wasn't able yo find a suitable slope, however I did manage to get the Raptor out for a fly.

Having finished an enjoyable walk to a hilltop with a beautiful scenic lookout, I found a spot flat enough to get the Raptor landed. It was a beautiful afternoon with clear skies and barely a breath of wind. And, with hills in the background and rows of brilliant green pine saplings in the foreground, it was a beautiful setting.

Flying the Raptor here was actually great fun, with the thinner air meaning it flew flatter and faster, and enjoying the sun glinting off its long wings as it soared and turned in the cool afternoon air.

The awkward bit was the landing; the field wasn't all that flat and I was without flaps as the switch on my radio was broken. Also, the fluffy little saplings turned out to be much more solid than I thought, knocking one of the Raptor's tailplanes loose on landing...

R2 Hobbies Raptor Glider D-Box Pro. First Flight with Wingtip Camera.

...got there eventually



For some while, after having seen footage of wingtip cameras, I've been meaning to give this a go on one of my planes. The plane I'd choose would be the Raptor glider, given its very large wing area meaning it wouldn't be likely to miss a bit of lift from the spot occupied by the Mobius, and also it being very stable.



There was a catch however, given that I most often fly it in the morning when the grass is saturated with dew and, being a glider, the wingtips drag through the grass, meaning that the Mobius was likely to get a soaking.

However, having dallied about this for some time, I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try regardless. As regards the yaw and roll likely as a result of the bluff form of the Mobius on the wingtip, I decided on two clicks each of right rudder and aileron and, as regards keeping the Mobius dry, the mitigation was to land the Raptor as slowly as possible, with flaps deployed, and then use full right aileron as it was coming to a standstill to keep the left wingtip off the wet grass.



Throwing the Raptor into the air I was amazed that the few clicks of trim were sufficient to keep it flying straight, at least at low speed, so I was soon able to fly it with confidence that nothing untoward was going to happen. It turns out that the angle at which I set the Mobius was a little too forward-pointing so that the tail is lost from the view, which is a pity as it's nice to see the controls at work during the flight.



Nevertheless you get to see the aileron twitching right next to the camera, and the view is great, especially during loops and sharp turns, the latter particularly at low altitude as towards the end of the flight.



And so to the final hurdle; I brought the Raptor is super-slow, touched it down and hit full right aileron to keep the Mobius up as long as possible. The extra mass meant that, eventually, the camera touched the grass.



Running to retrieve it, I picked up the glider to check the Mobius; it was completely covered in dew. I gave it a quick dry-off and then stuck it atop the air vent as I drove to work, and then parked it at the back of my computer to dry out in the warm breeze. Finally, plugging it in, revealed that fortunately the Mobius was no worse for wear...