Radian XL 2.6m motor glider. Pre ordered mine! Update, got it and flight report
05-20-2016, 03:22 AM
#1
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Radian XL 2.6m motor glider. Pre ordered mine! Update, got it and flight report
So I placed my pre order for the new Radian XL 2.6 meter glider today. I tore my gentle lady up coming home from SEFF when I closed my camper slide out before moving the fuse. The whole tail got crushed. I may fix it eventually but couldn't pass on this.
This one looks like a winner!
http://www.horizonhobby.com/radian-xl-26m-efl5550
This one looks like a winner!
http://www.horizonhobby.com/radian-xl-26m-efl5550
Last edited by firemanbill; 07-03-2016 at 03:19 AM.
05-20-2016, 02:52 PM
#3
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102" wingspan. Yeah it's huge! Has spoilers built into the wing as well!
One of the aspects of this hobby that I really like, lazy summer days spent looking for thermals and hunting the wind. Good times
One of the aspects of this hobby that I really like, lazy summer days spent looking for thermals and hunting the wind. Good times
05-20-2016, 03:07 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by firemanbill
102" wingspan. Yeah it's huge! Has spoilers built into the wing as well!
One of the aspects of this hobby that I really like, lazy summer days spent looking for thermals and hunting the wind. Good times
One of the aspects of this hobby that I really like, lazy summer days spent looking for thermals and hunting the wind. Good times
I had the original one then got the Pro...hated it, sold it after two flights. I thought it was heavy, not responsive, and a dud. This new one though looks fantastic, can't wait to see it at the field.
05-20-2016, 03:38 PM
#5
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I have flown the original and loved it but never owned one. Bought my son the Pro for Christmas one year and it now sits in the corner of the shop collecting dust. A friend of mine from Germany GAVE me his as SEFF as no one would buy it from him.
Not sure how they could take something so right and ruin it like they did. They tried too much stuff on something that didn't need it, flaps, ailerons, and too many wires for such a small space!
I love my sailplanes and was crushed, (pun intended) when I destroyed the tail on my Gentle Lady. Hopefully these won't be too far out before they start shipping.
Not sure how they could take something so right and ruin it like they did. They tried too much stuff on something that didn't need it, flaps, ailerons, and too many wires for such a small space!
I love my sailplanes and was crushed, (pun intended) when I destroyed the tail on my Gentle Lady. Hopefully these won't be too far out before they start shipping.
05-28-2016, 01:45 PM
#7
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Should be a very nice glider. I still have my original Radian and it has never had a prang or incident in the years I have owned it. I now have RTH and an altimeter and battery monitor aboard. Feels like a new glider again... renewed interest and all that...
I tell a lie , I clipped a tree once and put a dent in the leading edge. Forgot about that it was so long ago.
I tell a lie , I clipped a tree once and put a dent in the leading edge. Forgot about that it was so long ago.
05-28-2016, 10:31 PM
#12
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Get up speed in a bit of a dive, Pull up and at the same time hard rudder. As the glider rolls over a touch of down elevator and release it as the plane rights itself.
I do it with my Radian and modified Phoenix.
I do it with my Radian and modified Phoenix.
06-06-2016, 09:19 PM
#13
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This looks like fun!
No where near as light a wing loading as the original Radian and heavier wing loading than the Radian Pro. At 12 oz per square foot she will be better in the wind but will not have the float of the original Radian. But it may carry it well on the wider wing.
No where near as light a wing loading as the original Radian and heavier wing loading than the Radian Pro. At 12 oz per square foot she will be better in the wind but will not have the float of the original Radian. But it may carry it well on the wider wing.
Last edited by AEAJR; 06-06-2016 at 09:55 PM.
06-07-2016, 01:53 AM
#14
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exactly what I was thinking Ed.
My Gentle Lady is very light and great for those soft floaty days. I think this one will do a lot better on some heavier winds days.
There is a place fairly close to me in the Pisgah National Forest where the whole top of the mountain is a grass field. Always pretty windy up there around 4600 ft elevation. Would be a hoot to take this up there.
My Gentle Lady is very light and great for those soft floaty days. I think this one will do a lot better on some heavier winds days.
There is a place fairly close to me in the Pisgah National Forest where the whole top of the mountain is a grass field. Always pretty windy up there around 4600 ft elevation. Would be a hoot to take this up there.
06-22-2016, 11:48 AM
#18
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Join Date: Apr 2015
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Very excited about this one, the bigger the better especially if its easy to transport in a standard size car. I have a Radian Pro and my biggest issues with it are the fiddly wing servo wire installation and the relatively flimsy tail boom. For the latter I did buy carbon fibre strips to reinforce it but have still not gotten around to doing the job, however I might just sell it now and welcome the XL to my hangar.
06-22-2016, 12:45 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by dahawk
Those gliders are neck strainers ! Lol
Originally Posted by Swiss Flyer
Very excited about this one, the bigger the better especially if its easy to transport in a standard size car. I have a Radian Pro and my biggest issues with it are the fiddly wing servo wire installation and the relatively flimsy tail boom. For the latter I did buy carbon fibre strips to reinforce it but have still not gotten around to doing the job, however I might just sell it now and welcome the XL to my hangar.
Can't wait to get this one!
06-26-2016, 09:46 PM
#21
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Well crap...
It seems as if Horizon shipped my plane to my old address in Virginia!
Not their fault as it looks like I did not delete my old address in the system. I updated my profile and have ordered items from them since I moved here but for some reason this one got sent to the wrong place. It even showed the old address on my order. I guess having lived there for 17 years I didn't notice it was incorrect before shipping. It is on it's way back to them now as the new owners of our home refused delivery thank goodness.
Guess I'll be sorting things out with Horizon in the morning. I'm really bummed.
It seems as if Horizon shipped my plane to my old address in Virginia!
Not their fault as it looks like I did not delete my old address in the system. I updated my profile and have ordered items from them since I moved here but for some reason this one got sent to the wrong place. It even showed the old address on my order. I guess having lived there for 17 years I didn't notice it was incorrect before shipping.
It is on it's way back to them now as the new owners of our home refused delivery thank goodness. Guess I'll be sorting things out with Horizon in the morning. I'm really bummed.
07-03-2016, 02:30 AM
#22
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So I got the plane in yesterday afternoon. Took all of 10 minutes to from box to flight ready and super easy to assemble.
Took her out for the first flights today and wow, just wow. Plane flew perfectly off the firs hand launch. Plenty of power for an almost vertical climb as high as I wanted to take it. Floated liked I had hoped and I was even able to find a thermal or two even in the early morning cool air. The BL-10 motor, and all the other components seem to be a perfect fit so far. I was able to do at least 5 climb to altitude, and glide routines on the first pack, and it was only at 90% charge when I launched. Plenty of battery left after that and nothing even cloe to getting warm.
The flight characteristics are awesome and the AS3X should be able to hold her steady when thermal hunting. I didn't have any issue holding any line I wanted to hold with it.
On landing the spoilers are awesome as well. I brought it down and popped them up and it absolutely kills the lift allowing a nice short landing. After several tries and getting the fell for when to deploy them I was able to land it at my feet every time.
I am so stoked over this plane. Not many ARF's I ever called perfect... if ever. But this one damn near is.
Took her out for the first flights today and wow, just wow. Plane flew perfectly off the firs hand launch. Plenty of power for an almost vertical climb as high as I wanted to take it. Floated liked I had hoped and I was even able to find a thermal or two even in the early morning cool air. The BL-10 motor, and all the other components seem to be a perfect fit so far. I was able to do at least 5 climb to altitude, and glide routines on the first pack, and it was only at 90% charge when I launched. Plenty of battery left after that and nothing even cloe to getting warm.
The flight characteristics are awesome and the AS3X should be able to hold her steady when thermal hunting. I didn't have any issue holding any line I wanted to hold with it.
On landing the spoilers are awesome as well. I brought it down and popped them up and it absolutely kills the lift allowing a nice short landing. After several tries and getting the fell for when to deploy them I was able to land it at my feet every time.
I am so stoked over this plane. Not many ARF's I ever called perfect... if ever. But this one damn near is.
