Volantex ASW-28 Glider Maiden 

I used to fly full size gliders (ask21 mostly) and this reminds me very much of what it was like to fly that. You really had to push it down to land, and use your air brakes to spoil lift (unfortunately these don’t have those). In the turns you really do have to use a lot of rudder to keep it coordinated unlike a powered plane. I’m definitely going to have to pick one of these up myself soon. The vario sound brings back memories.

What you need to get it down is 'Crow braking' Create a mix so that when you deploy full down flap, you then simultaneously add up aileron (say 35%) to both sides. This still leaves sufficient aileron authority but brings it down sharply! You may also wish to add a little down elevator to the mix as flaps tend to raise the nose. You can add this mix to a slider, so you can 'cosy' it in.

I like my ASW28, I’ve had it for about 5 years now and experienced up to 4 hour long thermal flights with it, using the motor to launch only. Modified it for FPV with head tracker cam and using a ground tracking system have done up to 20 km out and return and triangle courses. Can’t say what altitudes I’ve experienced :-)

I'm glad you enjoyed it, there's only one thing better than a glider and that's another one. Good review

Good to see you flew it. Brings smiles to my face.

Great to see you enjoying the experience of soaring flight with your new ASW28. Gliding is a whole different ball game from powered flight and is very addictive - beware. A few suggestions to increase the fun factor and your flying pleasure. Try mixing in a touch of elevator compensation with throttle as most gliders pitch up with increased power and pitch down when power is reduced. This can be managed by holding in down or up elevator as required but is easier with a mix. Dont need a lot and you will have to play around with it to find the optimum mix for the glider/motor/centre of gravity position. You definitely need to use rudder in turns to compensate for the adverse yaw of those long thin wings - ideally done with rudder stick - but again you can set up as an aileron to rudder mix. I have mine on a switch so I can disable it if needed as there are times when the mix is not desirable, such as on final approach or during aerotowing. Use of airbrakes if you have them or 45 degrees plus of flaps will increase drag and so steepen the descent and get the glider on the ground sooner if desired. You may want to close the airbrakes or flaps just before touch down to make for a smoother arrival. Elevator compensation when the airbrakes or flaps are deployed and retracted may be needed as there can be a tendency for some gliders to 'balloon' and go nose high and stall or go nose low and dive. Try the flaps or airbrakes at a good height first to see which applies and then programme in some up or down elevator accordingly. Finally resist the temptation to use the motor too often when flying and practice circling instead! You flew straight through several small thermals during your flights which could have been used to gain height for free. Looking forward to seeing more gliders reviewed on RCVR.

Great flight nice review thanks mate

So I found my way back here while thinking about getting a glider. I like this one and the Phoenix series.

Great flight John man of many talents flying and playing the Tonnet at the same time lol loved the review Keep them coming take care

Hey John, great video and lots of great responses. Mine showed up this week and will be putting together this weekend. Really looking forward to my maiden. Like the “crow braking” idea. Jim

Hmm, maybe a catch net to bring 'er in? lol...Love that model!

A great glider that flies gracefully. I use 4S, 1300mAh and it is sensational. You need flaps n elevator compensation for it. Have fun

Hey nice flt one thing I learned from an old timer on gliders is on takeoff to do a zig zag (left then right) pattern to altitude into the wind so that you dont loose lift if you go dwnwind then turn back into the wind, as he said to me is dwnwind is for landing. I've used that ever since & its the best advice I'll pass on, landings you'll work on the set up. Happy flying

I liked the video! I got one used a while back and finely got it figured out. It had a Hitec Flash 8 radio with it and I had trouble with it. Maybe take it on it's maiden this weekend. I had to mute your video because your radio was driving me crazy.

I have one of these and the Volantex 759-2 both are extremely fun and relaxing to fly I don't use stabilization it just doesn't need it.

Now that was different. Cool, but different. AirHammer out!!

Not bad for your first time I think you might be ready for your first helicopter

at 13:22 when you say there's a little bit of up the thermal was coming off the dark trees and slightly over your field mid field would drop Alt slightly up wind and maintain Alt down wind until far left over the trees again but over the field line revers if wind reverses

Sweet glider. Let's see it with some L.E.D'S flying at night! WS2812, 5050 SMD W/ WS2811 IC Built in144 RGB LEDs per meter $20 on banggood. Runs on 5v. Thanks for the great videos!

they are a graceful glider, quite efficient and yet have a good turn of speed. Flaps definitely required to bring it in. Volantex make great gliders, I have the Phoenix 1600 and it's my absolute favourite as it will thermal and slope soar yet is very quick and aerobatic still, and on full throttle it will climb almost vertically. I refurb'ed my old balsa 2 channel 2 meter glider I built back in 1997 with 9gm servos and a 2212 EMAX motor and flew it yesterday....its going to be a great calm weather thermaller but it's nowhere near as smooth as these modern Volantex designs.

If you want to control the sometimes annoying Vario beeping, add some logical switches so that the vario is only on when certain parameters are met. For example, vario is off when VSpd > 2m/sec, which would eliminate it going crazy when you are climbing under power. I also have two more logical switches to create a "dead band", so in relatively neutral lift (e.g. between -1.5 m/sec and +.6 m/sec for my scale sailplanes), the vario doesn't beep. When it's quiet, you know you're just generally cruising along at minimum sink rate. I also have the LS's linked to a three position physical switch so that I can have vario off, vario behaving as described above, or vario always on. Vario is a great thermalling tool, but it can drive you crazy :-) Enjoy your glider and that vario will help you have some great long thermalling flights!

Great video, looks and sounds like you where having a blast.. Do you have your battery readings? I would guess you can get very long flight times.. Just wondering about what you got on the battery..

These powered 'gliders' are rigged for beginners, so they climb on power and wallow a bit on the glide, so it's useful to mix some elevator trim. I also mix rudder to aileron and have that switchable. You get used to beeping vario ...

I programmed the flaps to also go up and act like spoilers which works good to lose altitude.

I have a Radian. Haven’t flown in years but similar to this, it never wanted to come down to land! So much fun, think I’ll buy one of these. Needs 6 ch. radio?

Where can I get the reviver battery and charger?

Will the radiomaster ts16 work with the new frsky archer gr8 reciever with vario I just ordered my ts16 the open tx is a little scary so I will gratefully be watching all your videos

Is good only under engine power.on free flight is not efficent as multiplex

How about a ts16 open tx snippet on flaperons set up using the radiothere are videos on this but they use companion I have a couple of large sailplanes without spoilers or flaps and sometimes its hard to get them on the ground thanks Jeremy

I have only flown drones. I want to get in to winged. Is this a easy to learn?

Hi John I bought e the G-RX8 reciever but cannot get it bind to my tx16s . I have to use the non EU firmware I think FCC. Living in South Africa Can you maybe give me a link of which firmware to use I have been on Frskys webpage but I don't know which one to download Please

what is the propulsion system used?

You hand throw this yourself at some point? These volantex gliders are easy as pie to hand chuck. Check out my Volantex Phoenix 2000mm videos for a different perspective. Nick

What is that tone sound thing mean?

Wait, spectrum didn’t work the first time. Noooo.

Sieht der etwas mit dem Maulkorb über den Augen

The whole America is fighting China while the RC industry promotes all Chinese. I get weird vibes LOL.