Multiplex Blizzard: Slope Soaring

I recently purchased a multiplex blizzard and have been flying it as a powered glider at Baylands Park in Sunnyvale, CA. I've been wanting to go sloping for over a month and a friend of mine took me today. It was finally windy, not raining, and not a workday. After a 15-minute hike to the top of a hill at Coyote Hills Park in Fremont, CA I was ready to go. This short video documents the Blizzard's ability to take the 15mph slope conditions and a new slope pilot! After this video was shot, i was flying in 20mph wind without trouble. I think that much more than 25mph would be tough for this plane, as it's fairly light.

The plane flew well and was a lot of fun to land. I have about 10mm of up spoiler dialed in for landings, which helps to bring this thing down. It does not penetrate the wind as well as the composite ships, BUT is a bit slower and (i assume) easier to land than they are. Also, being made of foam, it's tough and easier to repair than a composite ship.

You might catch in the video that the plane has a folding prop. It certainly does. Until that day, i've flown it as a powered glider. It runs a 300W system with a 11x6 prop and a 3S 2200 lipo. I get 10 minutes of powered flight as a "normal" airplane. If i do full power climb outs and then glide without any lift, i get 30 minutes. If i slope soar.... my frozen hands were the limit. I flew for over two hours today on the slope. I did switch batteries after 1 hour, but both my packs came down with 4.1V per cell left. I can easily fly for 2 hours on one pack, since the motor sits unused the whole time i fly slope.

Trying slope was a blast. Landings are certainly the most challenging and you'll never get more flight time out of a pack than the free lift provided by a hill and some wind.

UPDATE - While the plane flew ok in 20mph wind, i had a chance to fly it at 25-35mph last weekend. It flew ok at 25mph wind with 4oz of extra ballast. Once the winds got above 30mph, more lead was needed. I finally settled on 10oz of lead! The Blizzard flew well in 35mph wind with that extra weight on board.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• multiplex
• blizzard
• slope
• soaring
• sloping
• hondahirny

[avalanchewholesaleco]

Considering one myself. How hard is the Blizzard to land? It looks rather fast, even while soaring. Do you feel landing to be difficult?

[hondahirny]

It was a bit at first. My first flights were under electric power on a grass field. It's the fastest landing plane i've ever had, but i got used to it. It lands nicely with the spoilers up.

[fasterharderstronger]

@hondahirny

hi, i have a multiplex easy glider electric and i have never used the flaps on it. u said u put your flaps up, i always had the impresion that the flaps had to go down, to create more lift and slow you down

[hondahirny]

@fasterharderstronger

Yes, flaps increase lift and drag, making it easier for planes to slow down and land safely. The easy glider and the blizzard do not have flaps. They only have ailerons. If you use the ailerons as flaps (down position) you will increase the angle of attack on the wing more on the outside than near the wing root. This will cause tip stalling at slow speeds. You can however raise your ailerons as spoilers. This is safe to do and still helps with landing.

[drakept]

Nice! I'm considering buying one but I dind't know they could soar well. Seems they actually do :)

[hondahirny]

They do pretty well. It might be a bit fast for thermals, but i think it offers a good balance of speed and "floatyness" :)

[fgroen1225]

Awesome video. Have just built one myself, and am waiting anxiously to get it out. Will be flying it powered because I'm in flat Holland. Will see how it reacts to thermals this summer.

[evilsnuffalupagus]

she flies nice on the slope.