C O M B A T W I N G
How to Fly.
On This Page:
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Choosing Your Location​​
Learning to Fly
Choosing Your Location
The first thing you need to do before you can fly your glider is look for locations in your area with the right landscape and wind conditions.

​Slope Soaring.
(non-powered flight)

If you own a Comp 44 your glider relies on an updraft in order to fly. You can use the updraft from wind on a cliff or hill or you can look for thermals.

​Hills & cliffs are the most popular locations to fly a glider. A hill with the right updraft is easier to find and has more consistent lift. Ideally the wind direction should be perpendicular or within a 45° angle of the face of the hill.
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The hill will also need to have a reasonably large, flat area before it (ocean facing hills are usually the best). Large objects in front of your hill like a building or another hill will block the breeze and you won't have enough lift to fly.

The height of the hill you need will depend on the amount of wind. A light breeze requires a large, steep hill and in stronger winds you can fly on surprisingly small hills.


​Thermals form when air on the ground level is heated by the sun and begins to rise. Strong thermals generally occur in mountainous or desert areas. When you see birds spiraling upward they are riding a thermal and this can be a good way of spotting them.
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Powered Flight
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A powered glider like our Fatboy Electric is excellent for low wind conditions. The best place to take it is the park as it does best with low turbulence (caused by objects on the ground like hills and trees). One you are confident flying it in a flat area you can take it just about anywhere!
Learning to Fly
​Slope Soaring.
(non-powered flight)

Before you launch your glider it's important to understand how the wind will hold it aloft. The diagram below shows how the wind behaves on a hill.













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The best place to fly your glider is in the airstream. This is also known as the lift zone. The size of this zone varies depending on the wind speed and size & steepness of your hill.


Launching Your Glider
Before launching your glider test your radio. If your elevons are moving erratically without your input it usually means someone else is using the same channel. Simply switch to a different channel.

To launch the glider hold your radio in one hand with your thumb on the elevator. Hold the nose of the glider in your other hand and throw it as straight and level as you can into the wind. Use the elevator to level out your glider.


Basic Flight
​When you point into the wind your glider will slow but gain height. When you point away from the wind you will speed up and lose height. When learning it's best to practice gentle turns by flying backwards and forwards along the face of the hill, keeping your glider as level as possible.

The best way to understand how your glider behaves in the wind is through practice. Eventually it will be second nature and you can try doing tricks. You don't have to worry about crashing a Fatboy glider as they can survive speeds of up to 60km/h without any damage.
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Stalling
If you point your gliding upwards it will lose lift and stall. This will send you into a dive (don't worry you can recover from a dive). When learning you should aim to keep your glider level. This way you will gradually gain height.

More experienced pilots intentionally stall in order to perform tricks like a spiraling dive or a fast turn.
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Landing
Sticking a good landing takes practice. When you're learning the easiest way to land is to bring the glider in as low as you can to the place you want to land and then nose down. The durability of a Fatboy glider means it is unlikely to be damaged and you're less likely to lose your plane.

As you become more competent you can try a more gentle landing or even catching the glider. Making a smooth landing is one of the hardest tricks you can do so it takes some practice!

Powered Flight
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Flying a Fatboy Electric is fairly simple when compared to a Comp 4 as you don't need to understand how to manouvre in lift generated by wind.


Launching
To launch your glider check your controls first. Make sure your motor and elevons are working correctly. If your elevons are moving by themselves you are usually using the same radio channel as someone else. Simple swap to another channel.

Hold your radio in one hand and hold your glider on the underside near the nose. Ease on the power and throw your plane at a slightly upward angle. To speed up, gradually increase power to the prop. Be gentle with your controls as rapid acceleration will cause the plan to flip. This gives you lots of options for fun tricks when you feel more competent but it's best to go slowly as a beginner.


Flying
Flying your glider is simple. Power to the prop will give you lift and your elevons let you turn, nose up and nose down. Practice flying level and doing gentle turns. When you feel more confident you can get more adventurous. The Fatboy electric is capable of tight barrel rolls, dives and loop the loops (to name a few).
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Stalling
If you point your gliding upwards it will lose lift and stall. Electric gliders are harder to stall than non-powered craft but if you fly upwards too steeply they will still stall. This will send you into a dive (don't worry you can recover from a dive). When learning you should aim to keep your glider level. Height can be gained gradually by flying at an angle.

More experienced pilots intentionally stall in order to perform tricks like a spiraling dive or a fast turn.


Landing
For a beginner the easiest way to land your plane is to go as near the ground as you can and nose down. Fatboy gliders are durable and are unlikely to damaged.

As you become more competent you can try smoothly landing your plane or even catching it!