Category sport model rockets with a soft wing (S10) is divided into four classes. The most common is the class Ѕ10А. Requirements for models are as follows: maximum total impulse MRD — 2,5 researcher, the starting mass of not less than 18 but not more than 60 g. the Maximum flight time in a round is 180 sec (3 min).
Competition for the duration of the flight of model rockets with a soft wing include the launching only single-stage models and their return to the ground in stable gliding flight, performed on the unit with a soft aerodynamic surfaces. The separation of the parts of the structure or the ejection of the spent casing of the engine is not allowed.
Aerodynamic surface creating a lifting force must be made of soft materials (cloth, paper, film, etc.). Details of frame models of this category (ribs, edges, etc.) can be made of any material.
To maintain the required flight path models category S10 you can use the remote control.
For the first time the rocket plane with a soft wing I saw in 1965 at the Moscow regional competition “the rocket”. Was then simplified the requirements for such models and was not dividing them into “soft” and “hard”. And those and others were one category — “raketoplana”. I must admit that the successful flights of raketoplana with a soft wing at the time was not yet.
And in 1967, also at the regional competitions, was presented already about a dozen models of raketoplana “soft” design. Moreover, different schemes like hang gliders and performed according to the scheme “duck”. But the basis and the other was the device proposed in the late 50-ies of Australian of Italian descent, Francis Rogallo in the construction of gliders. And today, all flying models with a soft covering only as “the wing of Rogallo” and do not call.
It is a similar model with soft wing, made by the scheme “duck”, let in 1968 to George Yakovlev to become a winner of all-Union competition of rocketmodeler-students in the class of raketoplana.
At first glance it may seem that “soft” rocket plane — a simple model. But the practice suggests otherwise. To make a model of this design to fly is not only good, but steadily — task with many unknowns. And only when in 1978 the competition in Czechoslovakia for the first time presented a similar raketoplana our athletes successfully made a speech — he won team and individual competition Yury Soldatov became the champion, and Oleg Belous took the second place, the interest appeared. Less than three months, and at the world Championships in Bulgaria, with “soft” raketoplana already played three teams.
With the introduction of models such as “wing, Rogallo” in a separate category (S10) major competition at them is not carried out. And tightening of additional technical requirements (the impossibility of separation of the elements) has complicated the work on such models. Because created earlier raketoplan was container. When we go to competitions, I’ve met models with “soft” wing, performed together with the body of the rocket. But to compete at a high level, these structures can not yet.