My 1961 KA6CR

[Gliderman]

One bit of electronic wizardry I've already fitted is Skylaunch launch assistant transmitter, it turns on when the airspeed exceeds 30 knots and transmits for 90 seconds, essentially it gives the winch your airspeed.

The max winch launch speed of my glider is 60 knots, so it's handy to have.

http://www.skylaunch.com/launchassistant.php">http://www.skylaunch.com/launchassistant.php

I do get better launches with it than without (I've tried both ways). It's plumbed into the pitot tube and the static vents with my air speed indicator.



If you're interested in trying gliding, go on here: https://www.gliding.co.uk/club-finder/">https://www.gliding.co.uk/club-finder/ it'll show you your nearest club.

[Baron von Lotsov]

Cool. You might find the electronic wizardry can give you extra performance.



It all sounds great fun. I mean far more fun than participating  in a knitting group or similar, which is what they do in these parts.

[Gliderman]

A few things.

I'm just getting used to flying it, you may have noticed the yaw string in my video, it's supposed to be in the middle.



The soaring season is almost over. The soaring flights I have had in it have been in extremely weak lift, less than 1/4 of a knot upwards in some cases, the highest I've been able to take it so far is 2800ft, and that's not enough for cross country flying. The electric vario I have has a threshold control on which it makes it super sensitive to lift and I've been able to stay up with less than a fraction of a knot to play with. Despite it's age, that instrument is really good kit.



I own a newer vario, an MNAV50 a sort of glide computer thing that does McCready calculations, but the existing vario is as good as any I've ever flown with, and I've flown with a lot, including the latest kit from LXNav so I might save the other vario for a future project.



When the weather and I am ready for cross country flights I'm going to beef up the avionics and put in electronic conspicuity a digital artificial horizon and GPS gear.

[Baron von Lotsov]

Well, when I was a divemaster the boat driver whose boat we used to charter had a mentality summarised as "Navigate the old school way but keep a GPS unit handy".

Ah, like was with British industry and the trusted AVO meter. .

[johnofgwent]

I used to know some pilots who flew 70s planes, but they were keen with the screwdriver and beefed them up with GPS and the like. It didn't spoil the fun, but just meant they know where they were.



Luddite technology is not cool. i know it is on Youtube, but it's the wrong mindset, like it is to see the Victorians as no more the workhouse fascists. Our country thinks going backwards is cool in all things. I don't and I use the BME280 myself. It's an excellent bit of German technology. It's often used in drones.

Well, when I was a divemaster the boat driver whose boat we used to charter had a mentality summarised as "Navigate the old school way but keep a GPS unit handy".

[Baron von Lotsov]

Baron, FFS it's a glider from the last century.



I still recall my only flight in a 1980s twin seater. Instructor at the back and me having a go... Damn good fun.

I used to know some pilots who flew 70s planes, but they were keen with the screwdriver and beefed them up with GPS and the like. It didn't spoil the fun, but just meant they know where they were.



Luddite technology is not cool. i know it is on Youtube, but it's the wrong mindset, like it is to see the Victorians as no more the workhouse fascists. Our country thinks going backwards is cool in all things. I don't and I use the BME280 myself. It's an excellent bit of German technology. It's often used in drones.

[johnofgwent]

You people are so last century.



This is what you need.



https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/products/all_products/bme280">https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/pro ... cts/bme280">https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/products/all_products/bme280

Baron, FFS it's a glider from the last century.



I still recall my only flight in a 1980s twin seater. Instructor at the back and me having a go... Damn good fun.

[Gliderman]

You might be impressed by the open vario project then:-

https://www.openvario.org/doku.php">https://www.openvario.org/doku.php

[Baron von Lotsov]

The whining noise was made by a device called a Variometer, an electronic vertical speed indicator which makes a high pitched noise if you're in lift and a low pitched noise if you're in sink. At the back of the cockpit, behind the seat is an old thermos flask with a tube in it connected to the instrument, as the glider goes up, pressure in the flask reduces, as it goes down pressure increases.

You people are so last century.



This is what you need.



https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/products/all_products/bme280">https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/pro ... cts/bme280">https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/bst/products/all_products/bme280

[Gliderman]

Thanks, they're lovely gliders to fly, but as they're wood and fabric, there have been some glue issues with the type and mine was no exception.

Some have been scrapped.

I'm lucky as one of my friends is an inspector with his own workshop and taught me how to restore it.



Eventually I'm hoping take it to vintage glider rallies like this one was:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zGlEiAHUF4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zGlEiAHUF4

[Borchester]

That is beautiful.



I hate even getting on a step ladder to reach a not very high shelf, but even I can see that was beautiful.

[Gliderman]

The whining noise was made by a device called a Variometer, an electronic vertical speed indicator which makes a high pitched noise if you're in lift and a low pitched noise if you're in sink. At the back of the cockpit, behind the seat is an old thermos flask with a tube in it connected to the instrument, as the glider goes up, pressure in the flask reduces, as it goes down pressure increases.

[Barry]

Great video!The sounds in the video surprised me. Obviously the rushing of the wind. Is there electronic equipment on board to detect thermals, etc? What was making the whining noise?

[Gliderman]

Thank you, glad you like it

[papasmurf]