FES vs Gas Engine – Finding a Thermal?

At 18:09 25 August 2017, Steve Leonard wrote:
On Friday, August 25, 2017 at 11:00:09 AM UTC-5, Shaun Murdoch
wrote:


You could even imagine a "get me home" mode which tried to
maintain altitude by adjusting power - so you could slow in lift and
extend the range.


Best "get me home" mode is to shut off the motor and climb in the
lift.
:-)

Steve Leonard


:-)

Here in the UK, at the end of the day - when you need the FES, nature
isn't always enough... but it helps!

On Friday, August 25, 2017 at 2:00:07 PM UTC-5, Shaun Murdoch wrote:

:-)

Here in the UK, at the end of the day - when you need the FES, nature
isn't always enough... but it helps!

And sometimes, the FES isn't enough, either. Right, Tony? :-)

Steve Leonard

Twice in my FES career I have not been able to make it back home during a self retrieve. One after a self launch here in Kansas and the second turnpoint of a 300km triangle got washed out. The other time on the day of my day win last month in Hungary, where the last thermal of the day was 100km downwind of home.

Both times the FES got me to an airport where I was then able to get an Aerotow retrieve.

Alisport is working on an extra battery pack for the wings that will double the range and make it less likely that you will have the same experience as me

So, instead of, "the wind died" to a none sailplane pilot, you could say, "the battery died!"
Really leave them confused........;-)

BTW, great job by you and your team mates at that contest. Made us proud.

On Friday, August 25, 2017 at 5:28:52 PM UTC-4, Tony wrote:
Twice in my FES career I have not been able to make it back home
during a self retrieve....

Hasn't happened to me yet in Antares in over 1200 hours.
Did my first trailer retrieve recently in Uvalde; wall of water between
me and home, plus no confidence it would clear before dark...
Only once previously did I land out (again T-storms), but after the
storms passed I dried it off, took off, and flew home. Really annoyed
the other pilots that landed with me ;-)

Lowest I've ever had the battery pack was around 25% after
a long self-retrieve.

http://wingsandwheels.com/class/classified.php?id=685