Controllable slope soaring

Person flying a Walkalong glider by controllable-slope soaring.

Controllable-slope soaring is a type of slope soaring where a slope is made to follow the airplane in gliding flight, both sustaining and controlling the airplane's trajectory by modifying the wind in the vicinity of the airplane. A controllable slope is any object which can be used to affect the air under the airplane: a piece of cardboard, your hands or even your head. The controllable slope is usually manipulated by a person following the glider in flight (please see photo at right). Controllable-slope soaring allows a glider to achieve sustained flight without the need for an onboard aircraft engine or onboard flight control system.

See also

• Gliding flight
• Orographic lift
• Soaring
• ridge lift
• walkalong glider
• Human-powered aircraft

External links

• Method of Flying Toy Airplane and Means Therefor
• PBS Scientific American Frontiers Free Flight episode with Walkalong Glider
• Principles of Flying Walkalong Gliders Using Controllable Slope Soaring (Jersey Shores Middle School Students)
• Controllable-Slope Soaring: suitable aircraft and videos