I know the comparison of ASH 26 VS DG 800's has been done, but now that DG has come out with a DG 808C I was wondering what self launching guys think? The new 808C allows wing loading of up to 10.2 Lbs compared to 9.2 for the ASH 26? The new DG also has NOAH exit assist and stall warning plus...

All things being equal (delivery time, price, etc.) which glider would you choose and why? Is there a performance difference, quality difference, ergonomics, etc.? The comparision should take into account 15 meter and 18 meter performance, strong weather and weak weather performance.

There are 3 nice ASW27's for sale, all at reduced prices in the Wings and Wheels website. We 3 owners are mystified at the seeming lack of interest in this ship. Two of us are no longer flying thanks to Father Time and we're throwing in lots of soaring related "goodies" with your...

Interesting situation that we are all faced with the last few weeks, things are more serious than we ever expected. I was having a great discussion last evening with my family member who is an Infectious Disease MD, the discussion was eye opening! This is a game changer, and China has much to blame...

The Spanish authorities have now published their report on the accident to the UK registered Nimbus 4DT which crashed on 31st July 2000 near Toledo, one of the British crew was killed. The Spanish report in English translation may be found...

I'm looking for a glider for cross country in the $25k range. I'd like to get a flapped 15 meter, and have been doing a lot of searching and reading on the groups and have kind of narrowed my decision down to an ASW20 or LS3a I have about 200 hours in gliders all glass, but never anything with...

Someone must have already compared the safety of these tow launch methods. What do the statistics show is the safer method of launch? Aero tow seems to involve more inherent dangers to me. For one thing, there is just more time for things to go wrong. What could be more dangerous than to tie...

This past year, I have stuck to a policy of making all thermal turns to the right only. The airport I fly out of has left turns in the pattern. My idea is I am developing the habit of turning slow to the right only. All left turns are made at higher pattern speeds. With the condition I am just...

Time to change the subject line? I have been thinking about the hard deck idea. Possibly fine in flat land soaring but I am not sure it adds much when ridge flying. I perceive another problem: Turbos are even more dangerous near the ground than pure gliders. I may be happy in my 27 at 500ft but...

Our club has a winch that has not been used for fifteen years. When we moved to a public airport there was not the logistics to run a winch operation. So there it sat. At the last BoD meeting it was decided to take it to the scrap metal yard and see what we can get for it. But I made the tragic...

I know this has come up before in RAS. But thought I would bring up the subject again. For a club looking at long term projections, which at some point will include either sticking a "new" engine on a Pawnee or getting rid of it, does it make sense to start evaluating getting a 2 place motorglider...

Didn't want to hijack the current FES tread so I thought I'd start a new one. This topic came up over dinner a couple of weeks ago. When you add all the following into a pot and stir, whats the "Best" Say for Western Great Basin flying. I think it may be the Carat, but I don't know much about...

This is a test to see if it works. Abnd it's end of season, so we need to know if the Minimoa or the ASW-20 is best looking sailplane. Maybe the DG-800?

Has anyone been thankful that they have had FLARM? And do the same people have a transponder? How many people fly with FLARM or Transponder? Let's hear about the close calls, or potential close calls, or even the peace of mind of awareness.

How do these two gliders compare to one another? Is there a Discus 2x? How does the original compare in todays competition world, LS8, Discus 2, ASW-28. Does the oringinal Discus give away any performance to the current crop of gliders. Interesting to note that the LS8 is an LS6 with fixed...

The U.S. is moving towards recognizing the Club Class in 2013. A poll has been created to validate interest in establishing FAI (IGC) rules / tasking philosophy in this new class. If approved the U.S. Club Class would be the ONLY U.S. racing class under FAI (IGC) racing rules. Please sign the...

On Sep 10, 12:28Â*pm, Cloudstreet Journal wrote: 

I want to offer this letter of thanks to the soaring community for the opportunity to serve the readers of Soaring Magazine. During my tenure with the Soaring Society, I have designed 221 issues of Soaring, 20 Soaring...

After a fatal accident in Austria LET issued a Mandatory Bulletin: http://www.let.cz/files/bulletines/MB_L13_109a_english.pdf EASA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/easa_ad_2010_0119_E.pdf

This was copied from rec.outdoors.fishing.bass. It sounds like the very same things that we talk about when we discuss the decline of our sport. I am not saying it has answers, but it is...

Looking for a set of Duster Plans? Here is your big chance! Jeff Johnson of Poteau, Oklahoma is selling a complete set of original blue line construction drawings for the Thor BJ-1b Duster wooden sailplane, serial 334. Several times a year someone emails around asking where they might obtain a...