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When you fly your brand new sailplane, you want to be able to concentrate on having fun. And you can, because we've produced a novice sailplane kit that's clearly the best in its category. Nature's Kestrel is one of North America's smallest soaring birds, the easiest to tame and one of the most beautiful in flight. For the RC soaring beginner, the NSP Kestrel is it for performance.
Five elements which highlight the Kestrel are: laser cut parts for accuracy second to none, S3021 airfoil for great thermalling, elliptical tips (for reduced drag), low wingloading (for low sinkrate), and long tail moment (for smooth pitch response).
NSP's Kestrel is a unique, easy-to-fly sport/beginner/competition glider that uses rudder, elevator, and spoilers in a polyhedral configuration. The Kestrel has many features which we feel take it a step above all the other gliders in its class. For example: the wing uses a constant chord ending in an elliptical tip, and has a wide chord similar to many standard class gliders. The planform results in reduced drag at the tip and the wide chord allows the wing to operate at higher Reynolds Numbers, reducing profile drag and increasing lift. The fuselage was designed thin and long, again to reduce profile drag, yet it provides enough room for a standard radio. Additionally, the long fuselage helps to smooth out pitch response and is highly resistant to gusts near the ground, both very helpful to the less experienced pilot.
A good first competition glider, the Kestrel has all the attributes a first-timer needs: low sinkrate, hands-off launch, flat glide, and rock steady approach with no tendency to fall off at the tip. The S3021 airfoil has a very wide speed range and a good floating glide. The fuselage is longer than the average two meter sailplane. Add light wingloading and generous dihedral, and you have a very easy-to-fly sailplane.
Laser cut parts for provide perfect fittings. Built-up balsa was never this easy! The fuselage construction is built-up balsa and light ply, making it strong and light. The nose is basswood for impact resistance. The wing uses balsa ribs and a strong spruce-balsa spar with wide shear webs and D-tube construction. The kit quality is superb, the hardware package is complete, and all wood parts are machine cut. A detailed set of plans includes a separate sheet for installation of the spoilers and an illustrated instruction manual. This design also provides a breakdown feature at the root that is very easy to build and use, allowing the Kestrel to be transported with ease. The wing attachment uses two nylon bolts with clips that tie the two wing halves together.
Usually a beginner sailplane is good for learning, and that's about it, but the Kestrel far exceeds the performance expectations of a novice sailplane. We have found in the Kestrel a greater potential, allowing the pilot to stay with this sailplane longer and learn more. Approaches are slow and easily controlled, with a glide usually reserved for high performance gliders. Spoilers are very effective with little tendency for the glider to pitch over, due to its long tail moment. Whatever level you're at, novice to expert, you'll delight in the Kestrel's performance. So start right: find out for yourself that confidence and ease is not reserved for the high-performance competition pilot.
Sal Says:
This is without a doubt the best performing and flying beginner/novice sailplane I have ever flown - very smooth flying, very easy to land, and very responsive to lift. The Kestrel goes up on a high start like it's on a rail, and launches higher than any two meter I've tried. It'll fly quite slowly, but give it a little nose down input and it begins to speed up while retaining a flat glide and displaying none of the squirrelly pitch tendencies of other shorter tailed gliders.
CD Says:
I love mine! As a rank beginner in RC flying, I find my Kestrel is sooooo forgiving.
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