Can G5 be used to learn thermal soaring?

Graystar

New member
Does RealFlight have the necessary functionality to learn how to hunt for thermals? And are the skills that I'd learn on G5 usable in the real world, or will they only be useful in the RealFlight world (like learning the controls of a game)?

Thanks for any insights on this.
 
I am not into gliders... one thing that I can suggest is that you search this site using "thermal soaring" as the search terms... G5 and G4 should not be all that different in this regard.. I did that search and came up with several threads that you can look at on this subject...

Good luck...
 
Yes you can practice thermal soaring in the sim. There are actually thermal settings in the airport editor.

One thing that is a drawback though is there is no high start or the ability to tow a glider into the air.

You can set the glider to start at a certain altitude and search for thermals from there.

Also you can put a invisible motor on the glider and do a hand launch to get to alt.

I fly slope but if I remember right you can actually make arrows visible so that you can see the thermals.
 
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12oclockhigh said:
one thing that I can suggest is that you search this site using "thermal soaring" as the search terms... G5 and G4 should not be all that different in this regard.. I did that search and came up with several threads that you can look at on this subject
Yes, I searched but none of those threads were really helpful.
 
tnorton12000 said:
One thing that is a drawback though is there is no high start
:eek: You've got to be kidding! No high-start?? Even my 12 year old Ambrosia RC AeroChopper simulator had a high-start! That makes so sense, especially since launching is a skill all its own.

That's quite a serious omission. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
Here is some thermal shots with the arrows showing.
A high start has been a long time request.
There is a fling glider available also.
 

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tnorton12000 said:
Here is some thermal shots with the arrows showing.
Thanks, that's pretty cool.

I notice you have sailplane in a window as well. I used to do that with the AeroChopper when the plane was just too far away.

Is there a way to set a miminum size of the plane in flight so you don't need to use that orientation window?
 
There are zoom options, I never use that small window but I was on the phone, flying and trying to get the pic.
 
tnorton12000 said:
There are zoom options, I never use that small window but I was on the phone, flying and trying to get the pic.
Thanks for the info. I just found the G5 manual on the RealFlight website and I'm looking it over now. Thanks again.
 
Cool, don't mind that it say's G4.5 on those screen-shots.

I have G5 also but G4.5 has all the Exp packs installed.
 
I think I might wait a bit until Tower has Aerofly 5 in stock, and buy that instead. It has hi-start and winch launching.

Thanks for the help.
 
Unless that's the only feature you care about, don't buy based only on that feature. You can always set your plane at a certain altitude and velocity when it spawns in RF. Make sure other important features aren't lacking in Aerofly.
 
Always wondered... is the "high start" just a bungie launch? I think that since a lot of glider pilots are using the folding prop electric motors for launching, winches and such are "old" technology. Don't mean to offend. There has been talk of having towed launches in Real Flight, but never got off the ground so to speak. The slope sites and ability to position the launch (Jeff's suggestion's :) ) really handle getting going. You would think that adding a winch would not be that big of a deal.

Graystar said:
I think I might wait a bit until Tower has Aerofly 5 in stock, and buy that instead. It has hi-start and winch launching.

Thanks for the help.
 
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discus launch

I would really enjoy the option of a high start or winch too; however in the meantime I can simply select the 'discus launch' option to get about 100 foot launch. (edit aircraft-launch method-discus launch)
 
12oclockhigh said:
Always wondered... is the "high start" just a bungie launch?
I've been away from sailplanes for a while, since my first attempts to learn many years ago. I've never heard the term "bungie" in relations to launching sailplanes, but I guess that could be another name for it.

A histart is a length of surgical tubing attached to a length of string. You stake one end to the ground and the other has a ring to attach to the plane (and a parachute to bring it down and automatically align you for launches into the wind.) You stretch it out, attach your plane, and let it go.

A histart can launch a sailplane as high as 500 ft. But to get that high requires skill in controlling the craft during the launch. If you try for too much you might get a "pop-off", where the histart slips off the plane. That can leave you in quite a precarious position if it happens immediately after launch.

Winch launches have additional perils. A powerful winch can fold the wings of a sailplane. Also, a plane can actually stall during launch, and the plane will be dragged through the air toward the winch.

Being able to experience pop-offs and launch stalls would be a great benefit to someone trying to learn how to launch sailplanes.
 
Graystar said:
:eek: You've got to be kidding! No high-start?? Even my 12 year old Ambrosia RC AeroChopper simulator had a high-start! That makes so sense, especially since launching is a skill all its own.

That's quite a serious omission. Thanks for pointing that out.
matcat said:
I would really enjoy the option of a high start or winch too; however in the meantime I can simply select the 'discus launch' option to get about 100 foot launch. (edit aircraft-launch method-discus launch)
I agree!!!
A Bungee (“high start") and/or a tow launch
Were probably the #1 request
in a thread called "Real Flight G5 Ideas”
before G5 came out (or even annouced):
https://forums.realflight.com/showthread.php?t=23609
How ever they chose to give us guns and missiles instead :eek: :mad:
not that I have anything against guns and missiles
I just think that they should have come second
to more usful items in an RC sim like a high start or a battey timer

I was the first but not the last in that request thread to ask for a tow/bungee
launch
Had I thought that they would give us combat Abilities
instead of a high start ......
I would never have also asked for a means of combat in G5......
like they say.......
"Be careful what you ask for"

oh well.....at least maybe It'll show up in G5.5 or G6 :rolleyes
 
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jeffpn said:
Unless that's the only feature you care about, don't buy based only on that feature.
That's sound advice. One would think that the developers of a simulator who made the effort to include hi-start, winch, and tow launching, and provide 10 sailplane models would place sailplane dynamics up there with powered airplane dynamics.

But making presumptions is usually a good way to get exactly what you don't want, so I'm asking about it the Aerofly forum over at RC Universe, Hopefully I'll get some definitive info.

One thing for sure we can all agree on...it sucks to drop 200 bucks on something and not be happy with your purchase.
 
It's the same 'ol story.....
except maybe in Europe....
us glider guys
seem to be the
"black sheep" in this hobby
(and in this sim) :confused: :(
 
Maj. Numbskully said:
.....except maybe in Europe....(
Well that's what I'm banking on, as Aerofly is developed in Germany, though...just like my guns...I like my software made in America ;)
 
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