christchurch and district model flying club

Alula by andrew tubb

About a year ago, I saw my first ALULA.  I now can’t remember where, but I was ‘bitten ‘.

Since seeing my 1^st, I’ve often considered purchasing one, but was put off by the cost and probable import duty.  I was fortunate to find some-one on the internet selling ALULA’s on the BMFA website, and the guy was based in Bristol.

A phone call and email or two later and £65  poorer, I was pleased to be the owner of a small well made box and a small parts count later a lovely little glider.

The instructions are a little unspecific in places, but that could just  be me.  The parts count is 20.

I had bought the recommended spray adhesive, 3M77, and at 10 quid a can, it’s worth it compared to the normal carpet spray type adhesive.

There is very little to the ‘build’ of the Alula. A little thin cyano and spray adhesive, and you’re almost done. The only exception is the epoxy that is suggested as one method of joining the wing panels.

Being careful to follow the recommendations and set the correct dihedral.

One way that had been suggested to stop the thin carbon pushrods from flexing was to glue some balsa along them. I chose not to, and I also chose to run the pushrods inside the pod fuz instead of outside, negating the channels that the instructions suggest.  I did this by working out the pushrod runs, and using a soldering iron, cut grooves with the hot tip.

I’m surprised that mine finished with an AUW of 175gms although the instructions suggest 125gms. Don’t know where the heck I got the extra odd 50gms from, but it doesn’t seem to have done any harm.

Set up lots of expo and dual rates.  I’ve still got some tweeking to do, but the model flies well at the moment.  It is incredibly responsive and very hard to stall. If it does stall the recovery is quick and straight, just let it fly forward and do your best to leave the controls alone. As soon as the speed builds up, the little beauty is back up there with the best of them.

You can ballast the ALULA up with a couple of pennies,, but the only time I’ve been out flying with it, and it needed pennies, I had none, so I’ve yet to fly with it at fuller potential.

All in all a smashing little model with some very odd enhancements that give it it’s charm and marvellous flight characteristics, well worth the investment.

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