Thermal Soaring

A Saturday Afternoon Thermal Competition

Silent Flight now has 2 areas on Site to Fly from, The Disused Runway where you can use the following frequencies: 56, 60, 66,74, 76, 78, 80, 88 & 90. Also, obviously 2.4 ghz is fine.
This area is primarily for Electric Models with Wheels and those that can land on a Concrete Runway.

The Alternate Site with the following Frequencies: 58, 62, 64, 68, 70, 72, 82, 84 & 86. Also, again obviously 2.4 ghz is fine, this has 2 areas, one for Electric Gliders and Models that can land on a fairly rough terrain also a grass area for Electric Models with Larger Wheels and the power to take off on a short runway.

Thermal Soaring Gliders:

Throughout the year the SMAC Silent Flight hold 16 Thermal, 8 Open and 8 2mtr Class, competitions. The models used for these competitions vary from the simplest all balsa built up rudder elevator machine to hi-tech all molded 6 or 8 function F3J type of device, but do not worry that the models you own are not up to the task, when the conditions are right every type of model has had success.
We have found that running these informal competitions brings flyers of all skill levels together and helps to promote our hobby and increases the overall piloting skill of participants.

Electric Thermal Soaring

Due to the fast growing interest in this type of model we now run an Electric League of 8 Competitions, which culminates in the presentation of league for electric thermal soaring models.
This consists of a series of competitions throughout the season and culminates in the presentation of a trophy presented in the name of a late member who was a pioneer of this discipline within the SMAC.

Days just don't get much better than this one.

Slope Soaring

Although Wroughton Airfield does not have a sufficient slope for this discipline, we do fly Slope Models from a variety of sites, Liddington Hill, Badbury Castle and Uffington WHite Horse Hill depending on the wind direction. This site is ideal for Large Scale Gliders, Sport, Competition and also those scale Jets and Warbirds but without any engines? That can't be right!

Slope Soaring is a unique discipline where you can fly anything and use the lift of the wind to fly at close quarters to see how you and your model reacts to the elements of the day.

Electric Sport And Scale

This is the fastest growing area of aero modeling on a world wide basis .
It is environmentally friendly i.e. there is no noise or atmospheric pollution involved.

Any model which can be powered by an internal combustion engine can be powered by some form of electric motor be that a simple brushed or a more advanced brushless set up which can now replace engines to 200cc petrol ones

Common conversions are to vintage models and trainers although nowadays electric power is starting to dominate international events e.g. at a recent aerobatic competition in the USA there were more electric than i.c. powered models
 
The Models in this class owned and flown by various members include a scale B25 by Colin Matthews   pictured below

if you have any questions or queries regarding any aspects of Silent Flight please Contact Alan Hanks 01793 826547