hmjets

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YVNIWuLs_7E

erbroens

11 years ago some people said this kind of speeds were impossible...

nice video! thx for sharing

NICKELUP

My Feedback: (82)

Insane fast and amazing pilot skill. Unbelievable

lesterpk

Wont be long and jets will match the glider guys speeds ;-)

erh7771

My Feedback: (30)

That's crazy fast

Hmmm, mach .8 is the transonic band is around what... 550 at sea level "standard day"?

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004571.html

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

For those not familiar with the crazy guys who fly on the backside of hills in strong winds using unpowered gliders the current record stands at 505 mph set on the 22nd Nov 2014 at Weldon CA.

I have done a little dynamic soaring and the skill level required is high, at 505 mph very high.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Did I miss it ... Mach .8 at sea level works out to 505 MPH? What was this planed actually clocked at and how was it done? PLZ

rgburrill

505 MPH or even 460 MPH is absurd. A slope soarer is limited to slopes and runs out of steam pretty quickly in straight and level flight if away from the slope. A jet, on the other hand could do some significant damage to someone's property if it gets away from the pilot. There is a reason real airplanes have triple redundant flight controls.

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

I'd like to see the flight where the record was officially set. I looked it up and the official record is 439mph. Still crazy fast, reason I'd like to see that is from what I remember the flight has to be a racetrack pattern with minimal height variation. The flight in this video wouldn't qualify as a record setting flight.
The pilot skill is impressive no question.
Respect for this flight is right there with Shui's flight with the firebird for fastest conventionally configured RC jet. I'd love to see these 440mph speeds on a jet that can taxi out and taxi back on it's own now

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Come on now rgb: It wasn't even in the USA. More like some place that doesn't get all hung up on something someone else does because of that didn't think of it first or just doesn't posses the resources or skill to accomplish things like this. Records are there to be BROKEN. It's all part of life, Like stock cars going 230 or dragsters going 330+ in under 4 seconds in 1000' not even a full quarter mile any more. it seemed to be done out in the country under the safest of conditions. Yes things can go wrong and on occasion they do. If we all didn't tempt fate now and then what a dull hobby this would become sorta like "Lectric fomies". OOOH I'll get jumped for that one. Sorry but what the heck. have at it.

erh7771

My Feedback: (30)

+1, anyone goin over 150 mph should have to have a special AMA waiver...

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

What about an R/C "something" that could break the sound barrier. Now that would be something. Man over 1100 feet/second or 761.207 mph or 661.70 Kts at sea level. Just a little ofer 100 years ago it was believed that if a man traveled faster than 60 mph all the breath would be sucked out of his lungs ... To Go for Bigger Faster Higher it all in mans DNA.

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

While different flight patterns can be employed in dynamic soaring, the simplest example to explain the energy extraction mechanism is a closed loop across the boundary layer between two airmasses in relative movement. The gain in speed can be explained in terms of airspeed or groundspeed:

• The glider gains airspeed twice during the loop, when it pierces the boundary layer at an acute angle. Since the 180° turns retain most of the airspeed the glider completes the loop within the initial airmass at a higher airspeed.
• The gain in groundspeed occurs when the glider performs a 180° downwind turn within the moving airmass. Since the opposite 180° turn is done within the stationary airmass the groundspeed gain is not reversed.

The energy is extracted by reducing the velocity difference between the two airmasses during the 180° turns which accelerate air in opposite directions.

Baically you do oval circuits in the rotor higher on one leg and lower on the other. TOP TIP practice with a a fast faomie first.
https://youtu.be/hFPJ6DUAY10 On November 22nd, 2014 at around 2.30 pm local time, Bruce T. flew a new Dynamic Soaring world speed record of 505 mph (810 kph) at the hill in Weldon, CA. He used a Kinetic 130 sailplane ballasted to about 26 lbs. The wind was between 55 and gusts up to 65 mph and temperature was 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Henke Torphammar

Which speed did the glider record on the up wind run required for a record? :-)