Gliders Rocket Gliders, Boost Gliders and related rockets I am hardly a glider guru, but I've collected several over the years, and managed to get most of them to glide.  My collection includes mostly rocket gliders - rockets that boost under rocket power, then glide back down for a safe landing.  In my case, these rocket gliders all eject their motors.  Some types of rocket gliders retain the motors, but none of that type are listed here. Another common type is called a boost glider.  It too is launched with rocket power, but then the glider separates from its booster pod.  The pod returns under parachute or streamer, like a conventional rocket, while the glider portion glides back in.  I have a few of these in my unbuilt pile that I haven't gotten around to yet.

This may be the best simple rocket glider in the industry.  The Edmonds Tinee has to be one of the easiest gliders to build and successfully fly.  For anyone just getting started with rocket gliders, I recommend this one.  It flies on mini motors and can be built in under an hour.

After the Tinee, the Edmonds Cici is my next recommended starter glider.  In some ways, it's sort of an upscale of the Tinee.  It uses a canard with the big wing in back, same as the Tinee.  But the Cici uses the larger 18mm motors, and can be flown on A-C impulse.

The Edmonds Geminee is comprised of a pair of tail-less gliders launched in tandem using a single mini motor.  The beauty of this arrangment is that the lift induced by each glider's elevators is cancelled out by the other, so the boost is nice and straight.  If you get one, make sure you have help flying it - if the gliders go in opposite directions, tracking gets very challenging.

This is another Edmonds twin glider, appropriately named the Twinsee.  It has a more conventional layout, and uses an 18mm motor to boost the pair.

This is one of the kewlest rocket gliders in the industry - it is staged!  After the 18mm booster motor burns out, the booster stage begins its glide back to earth while the upper stage climbs skyward during its motor burn then it too begins gliding back.  An extra set of eyes is a must for flying this awesome rocket.

These tail-less gliders are called Zoomies, but I just don't have the touch.  Mine have always been more like crashies than zoomies.  One even caught fire and burned when it crashed.  I built a replacement and later launched them on a booster (see L'il Dougie) whereupon one flew away and the other glide-crashed to the ground.

This rocket glider uses lifting body principles to fly.  Like the others here, it boosts under rocket power, then is supposed to glide home after the motor ejects.  But, getting these trimmed is kinda tricky.  It helps to have a glider guru alongside when you fly one. This one is based loosely on the Martin Marietta X-24A.

This is another lifting body based rocket glider.  It is based loosely on the Northrop HL-10.

This little glider was a free item with a purchase from www.rocket.aero . It's supposed to be hand launched, but I converted it for MicroMaxx  motors.  This is a good exercise for anyone trying to broaden their rocket glider skill set.

8-31-2010