Stock Glider Catalogue

[KestrelAerospace]

Stock Glider Catalogue

Although KSP lacks wind and thermals, or indeed any means to actually maintain altitude in a glider without self-propelling, I have still found a tremendous amount of fun in building "sailplanes", aircraft with very low stall speeds and very good glide ratios. I think there's a lot of fun to be had in throwing them off cliffs and seeing how far it's possible to go, or what dangerous aerobatics you can perform. Thus, I present the Greenhayes Aircraft Glider Catalogue: four different sailplanes, each with their own handling characteristics and visual appeal. 

General Advice

As a rule of thumb, the best fun can be had when you launch your gliders off a large hill or mountain. A good starting point is the mountain range east of the Kerbal Space Centre - you can use the new "Set Position" cheat to place your craft on the perfect peak. 

All of the gliders in the catalogue come equipped with three glide extension rockets (or a reusable self-sustaining rocket on the "Stork"), mapped to the space bar. These are to be used at your leisure - to gain speed before maneuvering, or to gain a little bit of altitude and go further, or even to take off from level ground - the choice is yours. 

An important difference that the gliders show from normal KSP aircraft is their tandem landing gear - they will rest with one wingtip on the ground before takeoff. Thus, it is very important to keep the wings level on takeoff and landing, to avoid any crashes. Remember to start trying to level out as soon as your aircraft begins to move!

Greenhayes Model 16 "Cumulus"

 

The Cumulus is a fairly docile, easy-to-handle two-seater with three pairs of Glide Extension RocketsTM strapped to the side, so that you can get yourself out of a pickle, or self-launch in a hurry. Recommended for beginners and for long, calm flights. The wheels don't retract on this one - no need to remember to put the gear down.

Greenhayes Model 33 "Vulture"

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The Vulture is a single-seat, tailless glider with excellent acrobatic potential - it is highly maneuverable on the pitch axis, and will flip around quite easily due to its wing configuration. It is Be gentle on takeoff and particularly landing,  as the fragile fuselage is easily damaged.  Not recommended for beginners, but good fun in experienced hands. 

Greenhayes Model 05 "Seagull"

The Seagull is one of the first gliders built at Greenhayes, and its handling reflects its age - very stable, with a good glide ratio and a low top speed. The rudder on this glider is particularly powerful - use it in your aerobatics, or to keep your turns coordinated.

Greenhayes Model 15 "Stork"

The Stork is a durable, high-performance single-seat sailplane which can be put to just about any use the pilot wants. This is the only glider of the catalogue to feature permanent self-launch engines and flaps, allowing experienced pilots to control their approach speed and angle. Flaps are mapped to Action Group 1.

 

Download link for all four gliders:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10FbzVH22yt68R8dIGcphNB6VCL_8YvcM?usp=sharing

[Castille7]

These can be as relaxing to fly as the real ones it seems. I've built one in KSP the past and it felt that way. I've never flown one in RL but I'm sure it would be relaxing.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Castille7

[KestrelAerospace]

31 minutes ago, Castille7 said:

These can be as relaxing to fly as the real ones it seems. I've built one in KSP the past and it felt that way. I've never flown one in RL but I'm sure it would be relaxing.

It is - I greatly recommend gliding as a sport/pastime, the sense of freedom and escape you get from staying up in the air the way the birds do is fantastic. 

It can be more exciting than relaxing at first, especially if you get launched with a winch - it's a much faster takeoff than most light aircraft perform. If you've never flown in a glider, consider looking up if there's a club near you! It's a very cheap way of getting airborne and well worth your time.

[KestrelAerospace]

New glider!

Greenhayes Model 9 "Albatross"

The Albatross is a small, single-seat featherweight glider, ideal for advanced training or personal fun. Its small size allows it to squeeze through gaps in the mountainside that would be impassable with normal gliders, and its excellent control response means that sharp turns and aerobatics are a breeze.