Ever wondered what goes into setting up a top-level F5J competition glider?
In this special episode I spend nearly 45 minutes with Mike Van Erp, who takes us through his F5J model in detail, explains how an F5J glider works, gives tips on catching a thermal and the competition rules.
After the workshop chat we head to the field where Mike demonstrates the model in the air, giving you a great look at what an F5J glider is capable of.
This video was filmed just before Interglide 2026, so keep an eye out for my upcoming event coverage featuring some of Europe’s best F5J pilots.
Whether you’re completely new to thermal soaring or already fly F5J, there’s plenty to learn from Mike’s experience.
If you’d like to learn more about F5J, competitions, technical articles and the UK soaring community, I highly recommend visiting the British Association of Radio Control Soarers (BARCS). Their website is an excellent resource for pilots of all experience levels.
Useful links:
* BARCS – https://www.barcs.co.uk
* Interglide – https://www.interglide.co.uk
👍 If you enjoy this video, please Like, Subscribe and leave a comment—I’d love to hear your experiences with F5J or any questions you have.
#F5J #ThermalSoaring #RCGliders #Gliders #ModelFlying #BMFA #BARCS #Interglide #ETHOS #FrSky #RCFlying #Soaring #CompetitionFlying #MattTakharRC
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Hi, I'm Matt when I’m not busy working my 'day job' in tech I like to spend time doing my main hobby which is all things related to radio controlled aircraft.
On this channel you will find videos of plane builds, , model shows, flights, crashes (hopefully not many) and tutorials.
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