stephanevdv wrote in message .. .
It strikes me as odd that the most vocal argument against the PW-5 seems
to be the "unconventional" aesthetics. Compared to some of the
Schweizer designs or old European mixed construction types, I can't see
the problem. If you compare it with our usual sleek plastic machines, I
agree the high tail boom and conventional tail seem strange, but there
is a logical explanation: a T-tail needs to have a much stronger tail
boom to absorb the torsion loads. To have a conventional tail with
sufficient ground clearance for field landings in crops, it has to be
high-mounted. This design feature thus helps to keep the price down.
Handsome is as handsome does, or?

Hmmm let me think....
Our club bounced forward and bought one of the first 50 or so PW5
because we thought the concept of the World Class was a good idea and
we should support it and enable our pilots to compete in such
competitions.
Very soon even the beginners realised that the PW5 was the poorest
winch launcher by far (average 1200feet instead of the 1500 with Ka8,
Ka6 or ASK23).
Around the same time the club in Innsbruck totalled two of theirs on
whinch launch and so for some strange reason nobody was really
interested in flying the thing any longer.
In it's second season someone landed in wheat only about 35" tall and
gone was the tail - that doesn't happen with a T-tail. The repair cost
almost as much as the new glider mainly because the spare parts are
where they make the money. The horiz. stabiliser alone cost about
$4500!
During the following season the sweet little thing flew another 50
hours, there where no comps held anywhere and so we sold it again.
And it happily lives in Belgium now. Hope it stays there.

Marcel