Spare Time Soaring with the ASK21 [X-Plane]

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

Non-gliding folk: oh that sounds amazing, it must be so quiet and peaceful Vario: well hello there

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Indeed. I almost always fly the sim with headphones on, but when I was flying before the video I though “ahhh, I don’t need those”, and put them down on the desk, then turned the vario up so I could still hear it - Didn’t notice until the winch launch started! The “quiet” zone on the vario can be easily changed too.

[@henriksmids3134]

Flying the Bergfalke in the mid 90,s. This made me understand how much I miss it.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Ahh, the Bergfalke - the 4 is a beautiful aircraft! A much more elegant nose profile than the K.13. Yes the video made me realise how much it mess gliding too!

[@paulmartin5630]

Such a calm and informative narration, coupled with accurate and convincing flying skills. Very few sim gliding videos on KZbin exhibit even one of those properties. To find this, featuring both, is a delight. Thank you.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Glad you liked the video Paul. After a lot of procedural flying it's nice just to soar around for a while!

[@Sorarse]

Reminds me of the flights I did at Aboyne. Also makes me feel old, as all my competition flights were done with a barograph and camera on board.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

I've been to Aboyne in search of height badges three times, and each time I ended up with a week of easterlies and thermal conditions only. I did however do 5 thermally hours in one of Deeside's Puchacz, not the most comfortable aircraft!

[@davetearle364]

This and Chris Evan's vids have inspired and informed me. I'm practicing/learning around Peterborough, UK in Orbx TE scenery and I'm thinking of giving it a go for real, when things have settled down.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Glad you found the video inspiring. Gliding is one of the most enjoyable and affordable forms of flying - it was my entry to flying and I wish I still had the time to do more of it.

[@nokalamaduna2709]

I wish I could find some very nice words to describe the satisfaction that came out of watching this video, I didn't know much about gliding ever since I tried the gliding missions in FSX back in the days and I failed all of them :)

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

It’s just a different way to enjoy the sim. I hope the group on the .org forum does well as the idea of setting tasks for others then going exploring is really compelling.

[@rocketmandlgc]

@@ReflectedRealitySimulations you can also find us on facebook search for x-plane gliders or try this link facebook.com/groups/416567982493369/

[@VikingsFan27]

I made it all of 6minutes before I had to leave for work. Can't wait to finish the flight when I get home.

[@benspouse9840]

Very impressive! I had no idea that you could do this so accurately in X-Plane! I am looking forward to MSFS2020 and them bringing Gliders in there! The thermals soaring in that is going to be really impressive I think!

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Thanks Ben, yes ridge soaring is very possible. Thermal soaring also works but isn't tied into the cloud system yet so isn't as easy to soar - you randomly encounter thermals rather than hunting them out. I'm keen to see proper soaring in all simulators, as the effects are relevant for big aircraft too - you can really feel summer thermals in an A319! - but there are also dedicated soaring sims like Condor available.

[@chrisevans-nodd]

I love the video, fantastic stuff! I especially like the overwhelmingly positive response from your subscribers. Interesting that many have never thought to give gliding in X-Plane a proper go. Videos like this, are what's needed for sure.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Thanks for the inspiration Chris!

[@terjehelle]

Really nice video! Please make some more glider flight videos. Liked the way you learn us how you do it.

[@VikingsFan27]

I was able to finish the video. I have a feeling that soaring would be great fun. I downloaded that glider oh 6 to 8 months ago and have done a wee bit of flying in it but not much. I can assure you that my graphing at the end does not look anything like yours. Great video Graham. Keep'em coming!

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

You should see some of my real life thermal traces - not as tidy as a well rehearsed sim video ;-)

[@ThorNjord]

I started with gliders too. It’s a shame I don’t glide more in X-Plane. I’ll check out your links, thanks again!

[@thejoyofflying182]

One of the best (virtual) gliding footages on KZbin!

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Thanks, I try my best! I had a lot of fun making that video and the modified ASK-21 is really enjoyable.

[@amyinorbit]

That was very nice! Quite calming as well -- I definitely want to have a go at gliding in virtual Scotland now!

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Virtual Scotland gliding is a good idea, as is “Real Scotland “gliding! I did my 5 hour flight at Aboyne and the scenery is beautiful.

[@amyinorbit]

Reflected Reality Simulations Real Scotland gliding is the dream! Complicated on a student budget and no driving license however!

[@jonoseagull1677]

Hi there G! Really thoroughly enjoyed this video, you connected so many dots for me insofar as the process of gliding is concerned. Would definitely be in favour of some more content like this...Thank you!

[@ceegnz]

I'd never even thought about gliding before. I'm definitely going to have a go, and would love to see some more videos !

[@jetnoise6053]

Its a real shame: 116 views, only 17 Likes. Come on guys.!!!

[@enzino237]

Gliding is something I would like to try, and if you fly gliders in real life, then some video series about it would be great. Learned a lot from your past videos whose content is put to use in real life by me, especially the descent ones.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Thanks Marco. I've been thinking about one or two gliding videos for something a bit more informal - we'll see what the future brings!

[@papah5552]

Fascinating Graeme, I've learned a lot from your video considering my starting point in terms of knowledge about to the sport was zero. I will definitely give this a go in X Plane. Thanks again.

[@icarus1273]

Beautiful video. Thank you so much ! I used to fly gliders in Lasham ; winch launch and aerotow. Fantastic facility and great instructors. Have you try Condor2 ? It is arguably the best glider simulator around, and there are lots of online competitions. The thermals model is very well designed and the gliders behaviour is very close to the real ones. The free scenary ( ALP2 ) is absolutely beautiful. I highly reccomand it. Thank you so much for the videos, inspiring as always.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

I had the original Condor, but not Condor 2. Have the improved the flight dynamics in Condor 2? I’ve never been to Lasham but really want to get back into gliding as I forgot how enjoyable it was!

[@icarus1273]

Condor2 is way better. Better graphics, flight dynamics, weather model. The free and commercial sceneries are really good. There are several videos of Condor with the Alps2 free scenery.....just beautiful. The level and quality of the gliders from an aesthetic point of view is more then ok, but definitely lower that any good add on you can get in xplane11. I wish the developers ( it is a very small team ) would triplicate the number of polygons and use PBR texturing ( I enjoy play around with Blender, Substance Painter, 3DCoat ), but I don’t think it will happen soon. I have lots of educational fun with Condor2. Also the glider’s competitions may helps to push pilot out of their comfort zone and improve their technique and strategy. Multiplayers support is strong and solid. Track IR is highly recommended. VR is supported but I still prefer a big monitor to a Oculus. Gliding is indeed wonderful. I saw videos from pilots flying in the Alps area and the whole experience is magical. Thanks again for the videos !!! Regards Michael

[@soaruk3697]

@@icarus1273 Trouble is there are not really many high level quality gliders/sailplanes in X-Plane , The 'atmospheric model' for X-plane is also very poor for gliding - not realistic at all - also many other things not realistic including winch, tow etc. despite plug- in's.

[@icarus1273]

@@soaruk3697 I totally agree. I love XPlane 11 and I am very happy to fly the TBM, IGEX 737 and the Airfoil C172 SP, but when it comes to gliding Condor2 is the way to go.

[@rocketmandlgc]

@@icarus1273 I would tend to disagree with most of this. For graphics ORBX true earth GB can't be beaten, ORBX US sceneries are being released and with tools like ortho4xp you can go to town and create your own tiles for anywhere you want. With the "Experimental flight Model" turned on (it's a tick box), the flight dynamics are now superior in X-Plane (just my opinion of course - judge for yourself) and of course with 11.50 and Vulkan/Metal, frame rates are vastly improved. The ASK21_NHAdrian model flies precisely to the polar and matches real world performance (much of the underlying physics work was done by a real world pilot B21 on the forum. Ditto the ASG29. And of course with the plugins developed by the X-Plane glider projects team (X-Winch, Towplane-X and Therm-X) , glider flying and launching is as close to reality as it is possible to get in a sim. There's even a plugin to retro-fit an audio vario (sound) to any older vintage glider without re-inventing the whole instrument panel. Granted - we still search for the holy grail (thermals under the cumulus) but we harangue LR almost weekly on this subject, but seriously? with a combination of "Real Weather" being turned on in conjunction with Therm-X, the weather model is pretty damned good. Marry that with Skymaxx Pro or Active sky and wow. If you haven't tried it, Therm-X calculates thermal height, strength and coverage based on the local METAR which it updates every 15 minutes. It even kills thermal activity when travelling over water. If you are using manually configured weather, you have the option to let Therm-X do the calcs for you are set your own using the usual sliders.

[@kennethnaunton3323]

Forgot how good it used to be when gliding from kinloss in mid 80s in K13 and K21

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Beautiful part of the world. I've done a little bit of flying from Aboyne, but didn't make it much further north than Easterton.

[@kennethnaunton3323]

@@ReflectedRealitySimulations When i was there some of the members used to go to aboyne for their x countries if i remember correctly. Kinloss was quite flat so very difficult to get lift unless you got thermals from the heat off the concrete. I was close to going solo and needed to do spins when i got posted and let it all lapse did some light aircraft flying but let that lapse as well.

[@jomckarth4836]

woooow best gliding vid ever seen! i must give it a try, using also x-plane but have no joystick yet. where is the location you have been flying? thank you.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Sorry for the delay replying, and thanks for the nice feedback. It's Oban, EGEO, on the west coast of Scotland.

[@richardv8416]

Thank you for a fantastic introduction to the world of gliding! It would be great if you could get round to making a set of tutorials on this neglected area of flying, please. Just out of interest, what XP control settings/response curves are you using for the ASK21?

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Thanks Richard, yes gliding could do with a bit more exposure. Maybe X-Plane 12 will have a weather engine that links thermals and clouds to make it a bit more enjoyable. I tend to have a little bit of artificial stab on yaw for gliders as the real yaw control is mostly done by feel, which is hard in the sim. Otherwise it’s mostly linear, maybe 5/10% of curve on pitch to compensate for the shorter deflection on my T16000 than the real things.

[@richardv8416]

@@ReflectedRealitySimulations Thanks ever so much for the reply! Your control setting advice gives me the information that I need to have another go at gliding. It is much appreciated!

[@totoritko]

Great stuff and wholeheartedly agree that the X-Plane atmospheric model needs work. On hot days, the atmosphere is WAY too still. I should be being kicked around on approach by thermals, not just get a serene, smooth gliding experience like the air is just a rigid block sitting still all the time.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Yes it’s a lot of fun, and a bit of an antidote to automation-heavy procedural flying. The worldwide scenery and adaptability of X-Plane are awesome, but it lacks a few things for “proper” soaring. Soaring is very much a competitive sport, or at least a group flying activity. Ridge lift is OK, and with set weather conditions is repeatable for multiple players, but the random nature of thermals is another matter. If you see another aircraft circling you head over there to use the same lift, but with XP no guarantee that thermal will be there. Thermal creation based on temperature and ground parameters rather than random coverage would be a good start. Creating clouds based on air mass properties and perhaps allowing weather to be “injected” into X-Plane from an external source would be a even better. Maybe XP12!

[@rocketmandlgc]

Try the THERM-X plugin (same group that brought out X-Winch and Towplane-X) It adds realistic thermals to X-Plane's real weather engine (which isn't really real weather)

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Will take a look at THERM-X, thanks.

[@michalesniak7012]

I actually quite enjoyed it... I've never done gliding neither in real life nor in X-plane... Would you consider a tutorial for beginners like me?

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Hi Michal, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it - there’s a channel “Chris Evans - NODD” where he does a lot of videos on setting up X-Plane for soaring - Well worth checking out.

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

Giving a K21 the registration G-CRRS (Cirrus) is just being mean to it ;)

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Oh the K21 doesn’t have anything to be ashamed of, probably the best training glider in the world for the past 40 years. A Duo is much more capable for sure and at the other end the K13 seems to be very nearly immortal, but the K21 does everything well, and is much much more comfortable than the Puchacz.

[@soaruk3697]

@@ReflectedRealitySimulations well they've sold over a 1000 so can't be too bad - but much prefer the Puchacz a far more effective teaching tool…..

[@apivovarov2]

10 gbp is less than 12 usd. forget about 15

[@soaruk3697]

Trouble is there are not really many high level quality gliders/sailplanes in X-Plane, the 'atmospheric model' for X-plane is also very very poor - not realistic at all - also many other things not realistic including winch, tow etc., despite the plug- in's that have been developed. FSX /P3D gliding with Cumulus and Winch X, and all the gliders available is still way better than X-plane, but Condor 2 is best -that's why R/L sailplane pilots including a lot of 'champion' pilots use it despite the poorer graphics -but still not a patch on the real thing...… I'm hoping Microsoft might have a much better atmospheric model - but the lack of a sailplane in FS2020 probably indicates it hasn't.

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Indeed, I agree X-Plane has a long way to go for gliding. As I said I haven’t tried Condor 2, but I had a go on the BGA Simulator with Condor, and while being fun, was fairly average from a handling perspective. I think I tried Cumulus for FS2004, but can’t remember much about it. However, my aim with this video was to introduce non-Gliding pilots to the joy of soaring, with a free aircraft for a simulator they already own - that’s a much easier “sell” than another €60 sim product. Maybe if enough people get into it there will be the impetus to improve the sim.

[@soaruk3697]

@@ReflectedRealitySimulations Well there has a been a group already doing that for well over a year - hence some of the plug-ins - as I said its not even near FSX standards yet.. .…..if your serious about gliding Condor 2 is the best....

[@ReflectedRealitySimulations]

Yes in fact it was Chris Evans’ videos that introduced me to this model and plugin in the first place. My channel tends to reach X-Plane Airliner and GA pilots, and I was simply trying to add some more exposure to gliding. I’m sorry if you feel that has been counter productive. I would agree that a dedicated sim like Condor will obviously be better for soaring, much like DCS is better for combat - but I don’t get into “this sim vs that sim” arguments - I just enjoy flying!

[@rocketmandlgc]

For information, I specifically asked the question of the MS2020 dev team whether their wonderful depiction of cumulus forming were being fed by thermal updrafts. Sadly - they'd never heard of thermal updrafts and were "going to investigate" - So I wouldn't hold your breath I would take issue with your comments about winch and tow. Have you actually tried X-Winch and Towplane-X ?