Dream-Flight R/C Glider Designs :: Fun, simple, and affordable R/C soaring for all skill levels!

Alula R/C Hand-Launched Glider
The original forward-swept "fly anywhere" R/C glider! This organic design is a light and buoyant flier. The unique and refined bird-inspired wing design facilitates the sidearm launch method and maintains maneuverability, even at very low airspeeds. New molded ARCEL foam airframe provides a stiff and lightweight structure and makes assembly a snap. We call this our "urban glider", due to its ability to soar in the most unconventional of locations. No high-starts, motors, or spinning propellors required... just fling and fly. Its as close to an R/C boomerang as it gets!

*Kit Price: $68.00
Now accepting orders. Lead time: 14 working days.

Add-on Kit for Alula with Couplers and Magnets for Three Piece Wing Option (read below for more info)
Price: $7.50
Add-on kit includes magnets, aluminum couplers, and hex key. Adds 8 grams (0.25Oz) weight to basic design, but ensures secure attachment of removeable wing panels during launch. We recommend this option to die-hard travelers only. For minimum weight and best light air performance, the basic kit is best.
Glider designed by Michael Richter, 2009Alula Glider Specifications:
Flight Characteristics: Light and buoyant flier for flatland and small slopes.
Wingspan: 35.4 in (900mm)
Wing area: 259 sq.in (16.7 sq.dm)
Weight range: 5.5 - 6 oz (156-170 gm)
Wing Loading: 3.2-3.3 oz/sq.ft (9.3-10.2 gm/sq.dm)
Wind Range: 0-15 mph
Skill level: Novice to expert
Kit building time: 1 - 2 hours
Minimum radio requirements: 2 channel, elevon mixing with dual rates and/or ATV (Adjustable Throw Volume), sub-micro radio components (see below for details).


*Kit requires assembly. Kit Includes complete hardware package for basic lightweight assembly. Radio gear, tools, and adhesives not included. Read below for more info.















All foam airframes are white foam. Colors shown are for demonstration only.
New Kit Features:
  • Durable, quality molded ARCEL™ foam airframe manufactured in the USA! Ensures fast, consistent, and easy assembly. No covering material required. What is ARCELL foam and why did we use it instead of EPP? Read below.
  • Alula-evo Kit ContentsThermo-formed belly skid for landing protection.
  • Quick-assembly kit can be built in one evening with little glue. Say goodbye to the taping blues!
  • Modular airframe can be built as one piece for maximum durability or collapsible with our original magnet lock system for easy travel and storage.
  • Integrally molded control surfaces for minimum weight and building ease.
  • New wing design with fully encapsulated carbon-fiber joiner rod and easy-install carbon-fiber wing spars.
  • Further refined design
  • Complete hardware package includes ultra-light linkages, carbon-fiber pushrods, decals, and more!
  • Detailed construction manual (of course, if you've built a few of these, you may not even need it!)

Items required for completion:

Qty. Item Details Availability
1 R/C Transmitter Elevon or V-Tail mixing and adjustable rates (i.e. control throws). Hitec Neon single stick radio with ATV upgrade is a good entry-level transmitter. N/A
2 Sub-micro Servos Blue-Bird BMS-306BB or similar size/weight servos. Purchase
1 Micro Receiver Mikro5 Receiver for economy and minimal weight. Purchase
1 Rechargeable 4.8V Battery Pack 4.8V 300mAh 1/3AA-size NiMH pack or equivalent. Purchase
1 Thin instant adhesive CA glue (cyanoacrylate) Purchase
N/A Optional Paint Use paint sparingly to keep the weight down. We like Tamiya's Color For Plastics TS series spray paints in small 100mL cans (less waste). Great colors and available at most hobby shops that carry R/C Car accessories. Safe for ARCEL. Acrylic paints and permanent markers can also be used for easy decoration. N/A
N/A Tools and Extras Painter's masking tape
Sharp Scissors
Sharp hobby knife or razor blade
Small screw drivers
Coins and/or small weights for balancing glider
Sanding block and sandpaper (220-320 grit)
N/A
What is ARCEL™ foam and why did we use it for the Alula instead of EPP (expanded polyproylene)?

What is it? ARCEL™ foam is a blend of polyethylene and polystyrene foam. The polyethylene provides toughness and the polystyrene adds a greater amount of rigidity and stability than that of EPP (for a given density).

ARCEL is not brittle like pure polystyrene and will not flake off. While ARCEL may not have the same "bounce" quality and dent resistance of EPP, its superior stiffness and stability allow us to achieve a delicate and refined "no covering required" design that is ultralight, yet rigid and stable enough to withstand many sidearm launches.

Why? While we think there is no substitute for EPP in "rough and tumble" type gliders that see alot of abuse on the slope (like the Weasel), ARCEL made more sense for the Alula given the glider's thin wing and low weight design requirements. A few other benefits of using ARCEL are its paintability and sandability, which allows one to sand away the small surface vent marks resulting from the molding process (for cleaner looking and more aerodynamic surfaces).
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