Foam Walkalong Glider

This instructable shows you how to make a walkalong glider by thermoforming a styrofoam sheet. The foam sheet used here was obtained from the Owens Corning Raft-R-Mate product available in the insulation department of most home building supply stores. Here's a video of the X-Surfer foam walkalong glider inside:

...and when there is no wind outside, here's a flight down the sidewalk:

It is reccomended that first timers start with the tumblewing walkalong glider design as it is much simpler to build and easier to fly because it is slower.

Step 1 Cut out the Pattern Outline of the Wings

First print out the half wing outline twice and cut each form. Turn one of the outlines upside down and tape the two pieces of paper together at the wing root. The resulting outline should have a wingspan of about 28cm (14 inches):

Comments

[i love aircraft]

can you make one with paper?

[ilpug]

Okay, way too many videos. Maybe you should have cut them together into one long movie?

anyway, great glider. i love these things. i wonder how large you could make one of these to scale and have it still work?

[walkalongaviation]

There is a jumbo design with videos of flights: https://sites.google.com/site/controllableslopesoaring/Home/windridercommercialwalkalongglider/buildyourown/jumbopt e.g.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzMy-TpPAGQ&

[mikeasaurus]

What fun, I love the concept! The type of foam used is genius, as is the method for forming the wing. The instructions were awesome, a bit heavy on the video though. Maybe just an edited video of the process, supplemented by a few pictures. Looks like a lot of fun to fly!

[walkalongaviation]

Glad you liked the concept. There are lighter foams available so this design is a compromise. It really flies too fast for my aging body and gets away from me often (nice aerobic workout, though). Between getting the weather right (no wind) and the glider trimmed properly and the effort and coordination involved, this glider probably looks like more fun to fly than it is (kind of like playing the violin). If a flying animal does not need flight for survival it quickly loses the ability to fly (like one generation or so). But hey, "everything is impossible until somebody does it". That's what makes the tumblewing so much better: able to turn on a dime, no weight and balance issues, able to be constructed and flown at a moments notice.

[kill1234]

Can you use the foam trays from supermarkets, like making each half of the wing on each tray, then fusing them together?

[masteruke]

the glider is nice however instructional needs to be worked on. For example it doesn't say how much angle should be put on the nose or on the wings etc. Maybe if he slowed down and explained the steps he took would help.

[toxicwolf]

ive used your design and put a motor on it it worked but i had to up scale it i also mounted a radio controll system

[fadey]

Cool man

[J-Five]

Cool, but when I saw the picture to get to this Instructable it looked like it was your tongue!!!

[cyuen]

The foam sheet is big....i dont know if i need that much...

[walkalongaviation]

With the pattern given, there should be enough sheet material for two gliders in the cutout resulting from this step. That way you can have your own pylon race with a friend!:

[frollard]

You should really add a video that shows a side-view during flight to help explain the updraft gliding concept. Really really cool!

[walkalongaviation]

There is a video showing both side and helmet cam views:

[zaphodikus]

Hmmm, definitely needs a better introduction. without one it's just a cool video. It's a bit like showing the end of the movie before the beginning. Seriously now, where do we go to learn how to debug our glider?

[walkalongaviation]

That's a really good idea. An intro video, like the following one:

and with tutorials for "debugging" the elevon system of flying wing control systems. Any collaborators out there?

[gelstudios]

call me crazy but i think that stuff is called depron foam, for those that want to skip the ironing step

[pineapplenewton]

whay do you always fly them with a piece of card bored

[walkalongaviation]

Very good question. The piece of cardboard is used as a controllable slope and makes wind which holds the glider up.

[rook999]

The sound in the video on step 2 sounds like it could be a great sound effect for a haunted house or for trick or treaters on Halloween.

[Magpie15]

The guy who originally invented these came to my school a while back... they were commercially marketed for a while. This looks fun, though. I was amazed by these little guys the first I saw them.

[mohnish]

awesome

[cogni]

That second video is fantastic. Awe-inspiring how long and smooth that glider goes.

[rimar2000]

S-pec-ta-cu-lar!!!

[rc jedi]

I fly r/c planes, but this is cool too. You put lots of time into the video instruction. excellent!

[Tape-structable]

I like how you made a video for every step! Makes it so much easier to understand, im a visual learner. Ill try this someday, but not soon though. Faved and 5/5.