Don Johnstone wrote:
Eric

If you knew about some of the fields we have in the
UK you might not be so keen to haul something as heavy
as a 17 out of it.

I'm not keen on hauling anything out of a field anymore, which is one
reason I have a motorglider. If I had to haul gliders out, I'd like them
to be light, like a SparrowHawk (160 pounds) or a Russia (300 pounds).
Just watching the local ASW 17 go together strains my back.

Lifting a Ventus across a ditch
is one thing but doing that with a 17 is sure to strain
your farting clapper.

A 17 with a motor, I wish.

I've been to the UK and seen the fields! One look at the stone "hedges"
made me understand why you folks are so particular about field
selection, speed control on final, and the hazards of undershooting
("it's better to hit the far hedge slowly than the near hedge quickly").
I'd have to study the fields there very carefully, and brush up on my
field landing techniques to do it safely. Our fields are generally a
mile square and soft plowed dirt, so we're not very sharp at it - just
plunking it down almost anywhere works.

--
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA