The Aero-Glide UltraBatics prototype demonstrating the elusive RUDDER FLIP!

The Aero-Glide UltraBatics Slope Glider Prototype from surfimp on Vimeo.

This is the Aero-Glide UltraBatics prototype. It is a collaboration between Michael Richter and myself, Steve Lange.

With the goal of successfully performing the first “rudder flip” (a 360* rotation in the yaw axis), I started working on a pod-and-boom aerobatics glider prototype called Le Cygne in March 2012. Shortly thereafter, I began collaborating with Michael on this design, which he built using input from me as well as his own ideas.

The Aero-Glide has a fully symmetrical fuselage pod based on the Alula fin. It uses a full flying stabilizer and full flying rudder each capable of 180* rotation, allowing it to do flips in both pitch and yaw – the latter being an heretofore elusive move, to the best of our knowledge having never been performed before on the slope.

The stab and rudder are controlled by Henderson Pulleys, invented by our good friend and collaborator Dawson Henderson from Flagstaff, Arizona.

The Aero-Glide also owes a deep inspiration to the ultralight aerobatics pioneering of Peter Richner, upon whose innovative ultralight construction techniques the UltraBatics movement was founded.

Initial impressions of the Aero-Glide are extremely positive: as shown, knife edge performance is excellent, and the core goal of the design, performing a rudder flip, is also successfully demonstrated. It’s fast in light lift and very smooth… overall this is a great start!!