"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
t...


Do you really think a ballasted SparrowHawk
would fly at 60 knots in Arizona conditions?

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Eric Greenwell USA

No, I think it would fly as fast as it could to escape the 10+ knots sink
between thermals and hit the ground before it got to the next one. Ballast
a Sparrowhawk? With what, an eyedropper?

I'm kidding, Eric, but small wings do work best in a narrower range of
thermal strengths and wing loading. In monster Southwest thermals, tight
turning radius is discounted since even the biggest and heaviest gliders can
center them. Big wings also provide the reach needed to get to the next
thermal that may be 20 miles away.

The Sparrowhawk will have a BIG advantage when the thermals are too small
for the bigger gliders to center them.

I like the idea of LIGHT gliders that are easy to rig but make them big and
strong to carry a lot of ballast. Contrary to conventional wisdom, wingspan
is the easiest and cheapest way to get more performance.

Bill Daniels