Soaring Lab Cayley 4m F5J
Description
Soaring Lab's Cayley F5J is a very impressive high-performance 4m electric thermal soarer developed for F5J competition and serious thermal duration flying. Made by a highly regarded manufacturer in Ukraine, and with a superb glossy finish the Cayley excels in the competition environment while its pleasant handling and forgiving nature also make it a great choice for sports pilots who want to enjoy a top performing 4m glider. Already proving itself in competition, the Cayley is an excellent choice for modellers who want to have an outstanding thermal soarer without breaking the bank.With its refined low-drag airframe the Cayley has a great L/D to allow confident ranging to distant thermals, excellent climb performance even in marginal lift and a good high speed glide to allow return to the spot even against strong wind. The forgiving wing design and large control surfaces deliver great manoeuvrability and very precise handling on final approach, making 50 point spot landings routine.The Cayley F5J is made from high modulus carbon fibre and engineered for strength and aerodynamic efficiency. The two piece fuselage and four piece wing results in a compact model that is easy to transport and store. The fuselage incorporates a ballast tube to allow the model to be flown efficiently in the windy conditions now becoming more common, while also excelling in lighter conditions with the ballast removed.Some HyperFlight Cayley models are supplied with the IDS wing system installed for a clean, low-drag control setup. Servorahmen servo trays and IDS pushrods are perfectly installed in the wings. This massively reduces RC installation work and ensures correct linkage geometry.The model comes with a complete wiring harness with the plugs and sockets built into the wing root and fuselage sides. A set of 3D printed parts and servo tray (with 22x8mm servo apertures) allow the tail servos mounted in the front of the tailboom to be auto connected to the supplied receiver wiring harness when the tailboom is pushed in place. We recommend this is secured with clear tape, not glue.The model is supplied with two sets of wing joiners, allowing equivalent dihedral angles from 7.6° to 10.2°. See the table below for the EDA of each combination. The fuselage pushrods are ready installed and servo mounts and all linkages are included.Features
The Cayley is available in various carbon layups giving different structural strengths and weights so pilots can choose the airframe best suited to the flying conditions.Light
The Light layup is intended for the weakest conditions, where minimum sink and the ability to exploit very small or soft lift are most important. It is best suited to calm mornings, weak thermals and low-wind competition rounds where every gram matters. This is the version for pilots who want the lightest practical setup and maximum sensitivity in gentle air.Regular
The Regular layup offers a balance between low weight and greater everyday versatility. It is well suited to typical UK and European thermal conditions, where some penetration and energy retention are needed without giving away too much light-air performance. This version weighs approximately 70g more than the Light layup model. For many pilots, this is the most adaptable all-round choice.Strong
The Strong layup is intended for more demanding conditions, including breezier weather, stronger launches and pilots who prefer a more robust airframe. The additional structural margin makes it better suited to higher wind strengths and more aggressive flying, while still retaining the core thermal performance of the Cayley design. This version weighs approximately 250g more than the Regular layup modelLighter versions favour minimum sink and weak-lift efficiency, while the heavier versions offer improved penetration, energy retention and confidence in stronger air. The Cayley can also be ballasted, allowing the wing loading to be tuned further to suit the conditions on the day.(c) 2026 Neil Stainton.
- High performance competition proven F5J thermal soarer.
- Designed for both weak-lift performance and strong all-round competition handling.
- Quality wiring harness included.
- Two sets of wing joiners allow the lateral stability to be tuned to the pilots preference.
- Two piece fuselage and four piece wing for easy transport and storage.
- IDS system installed in wing for quick and easy RC installation and low drag (optional).
- Easy fuselage field assembly with auto connectors for minimum fuss.
The Cayley is available in various carbon layups giving different structural strengths and weights so pilots can choose the airframe best suited to the flying conditions.Light
The Light layup is intended for the weakest conditions, where minimum sink and the ability to exploit very small or soft lift are most important. It is best suited to calm mornings, weak thermals and low-wind competition rounds where every gram matters. This is the version for pilots who want the lightest practical setup and maximum sensitivity in gentle air.Regular
The Regular layup offers a balance between low weight and greater everyday versatility. It is well suited to typical UK and European thermal conditions, where some penetration and energy retention are needed without giving away too much light-air performance. This version weighs approximately 70g more than the Light layup model. For many pilots, this is the most adaptable all-round choice.Strong
The Strong layup is intended for more demanding conditions, including breezier weather, stronger launches and pilots who prefer a more robust airframe. The additional structural margin makes it better suited to higher wind strengths and more aggressive flying, while still retaining the core thermal performance of the Cayley design. This version weighs approximately 250g more than the Regular layup modelLighter versions favour minimum sink and weak-lift efficiency, while the heavier versions offer improved penetration, energy retention and confidence in stronger air. The Cayley can also be ballasted, allowing the wing loading to be tuned further to suit the conditions on the day.(c) 2026 Neil Stainton.
| Cayley F5J Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wing span | 4.0 m | 156 in |
| Wing area | 76.4 dm2 | 1184 sq in |
| Length inc spinner | 173 cm | 68.1 in |
| Flying weight from | 1122 g | 39.6 oz |
| Wing loading | 14.7 g/dm | 4.8 oz/sq ft |
| Aspect ratio | 20.6 | |
| Wing airfoil | SoaringLab23 | |
| EDA (dihedral) | 7.6º to 10.2º | |
| Spinner Diameter | 30 mm | |
| Centre of Gravity | 92 - 97 mm from wing leading edge | |
| Controls | Rudder, elevator, ailerons, flap, throttle | |
| Recommended RC | |
|---|---|
| Rudder & elevator servos | Blue Bird BMS-A10H, Blue Bird BMS-A12H, MKS HV70H, MKS HS75H |
| Aileron servos (to match IDS fitted) | Blue Bird BMS-125WV, MKS HV6120 |
| Flap servos (to match IDS fitted) | Blue Bird BMS-125WV, MKS HV6130 |
| Receiver | 7 channel receiver to match your transmitter |
| Powertrain Recommendation 1 | |
|---|---|
| Motor | XPower F2919/10 Light |
| Spinner | 32mm Dualsky Spinner for 5mm shafts, 32mm GM F5J Spinner, 5mm Split Collet for GM Spinners |
| 3S LiPo prop | GM 10x6, CN 10x6, Dualsky 10x7 |
| ESC | Dualsky SUMMIT 60 SLIM 6V SBEC, Dualsky SUMMIT 60 SLIM 8V SBEC, YGE 65LVT |
| Battery | GnB 850 mAh 3S LiPo |
| Powertrain Recommendation 2 | |
|---|---|
| Motor | XPower F2925/8 Windy |
| Spinner | 32mm Dualsky Spinner for 5mm shafts, 32mm GM F5J Spinner, 5mm Split Collet for GM Spinners |
| 3S LiPo prop | GM 11x6, CN 11x8 |
| 4S LiPo prop | CN 9x7, GM 10x5, GM 10x6 |
| ESC | Dualsky SUMMIT 60 SLIM 6V SBEC, Dualsky SUMMIT 60 SLIM 8V SBEC, YGE 65LVT |
| Battery | GnB 850 mAh 3S or 4S LiPo |
| Cayley Equivalent Dihedral Angles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Equivalent Dihedral Angle (EDA) | Root joiner angle | Tip joiner angle |
| 7.6° | 3° | 6° |
| 8.6° | 4° | 6° |
| 9.2° (recommended) | 3° | 8° |
| 10.2° | 4° | 8° |
| Cayley F5J Light Layup Typical Weights | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fuse front | 93 g | 3.3 oz |
| Tailboom | 53 g | 1.9 oz |
| Wing centre panels | 335 g | 11.8 oz |
| Wing tips | 225 g | 8.0 oz |
| Tailplane | 33 g | 1.2 oz |
| Fin | 28 g | 1.0 oz |
| Accessories | 38 g | 1.3 oz |
| Total structure | 845 g | 29.8 oz |
| Receiver | 8 g | 0.3 oz |
| Rudder servo | 8 g | 0.3 oz |
| Elevator servo | 8 g | 0.3 oz |
| Wing servos (4) | 44 g | 1.6 oz |
| Speed control | 33 g | 1.2 oz |
| Motor | 83 g | 2.9 oz |
| Prop & spinner | 18 g | 0.6 oz |
| Battery | 75 g | 2.6 oz |
| Flying weight | 1122 g | 39.6 oz |
Reviews 2
Mike Jones
United Kingdom
Soaring Lab Cayley 4m F5J
The Cayley arrived in double quick time from Hyperflight on the allotted day.
Hyperflight advertised it as IDS ready, it was not, I was given the opportunity to return the kit or be supplied with 4 IDS kits FOC to install myself, I took this option.
I advise anyone who has not previously installed IDS to purchase a Cayley making sure they get one with IDS pre fitted. I watched the videos and read all the instructions I could find and still made lots of mistakes, I'm OK to do this now.
The Cayley building instructions were not good but after myself and another builder asked Steve at Soaring Lab many questions he has now re written the instructions.
I struggled assembling this aircraft even though I have been aeromodelling for 50 plus years and built and designed many aircraft.
The Cayley is a joy to fly and my second flight resulted in reaching 1500ft with little effort.
I look forward to competing in my area F5J championship with it.
Rob Morgan
New Zealand
Great low wind/light air plane
Although not purchased through HyperFlight (lots of other stuff is), my Stadard layup Cayley (weight 1270g RTF) is excellent in calmer conditions. The Light layup version could be even better. I have been flying mine in NZ for 6 months and it behaves well. It compares well with my 1380g Sensor which is also good in windier weather. The well printed servo tray and 2 part fuse work well. Also the built-in wing servo mounts and IDS linkages are excellent. All F5J models are quite costly but I have had hours of great flying with the Cayley, so compared to your average NZ$800 foamy they are good value.
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