On Oct 4, 11:12 am, Vsoars wrote:
On Oct 4, 6:58 am, toad wrote:



On Oct 4, 5:38 am, Dan G wrote:

The World Class is a dead end, replaced by the highly successful Club
Class:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glider_...ses#Club_Class

The FAI should just let it quietly die. Back in 1989 there were no old
plastic gliders to populate what could be a "club class" and so a low-
cost "entry-level" design made sense, but nearly twenty years on
there's just no point in flying such a compromised aircraft as the
PW5. For a fraction of the cost of a new one, you can just pick up a
used Cirrus, Grob or Libelle and get a glider with considerably better
performance, and compete in the Club Class if you want to.

Dan

The PW5 as a world class glider is dead and will fade away. But a
cheaper one-design class is still a good idea. It might not ever
happen, but it's a good idea.

Todd

"Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

I know most of you want soaring to grow and know that the rising cost
of gliders threaten the sport. Don't you wonder why a few people are
trying to kill World Class? Perhaps these are some of the reasons:

Diminished impact. - A few pilots want to impress others with their
terrific flight. They may not want to share the glory with a person
flying a ship costing a fraction of what they spent. Recent World
records speak volumes about the PW 5's suitability for long tasks,
even over difficult terrain. We are just beginning to see what the
ship can do. Does the growing list of people who frequently fly 300K
or better threaten the justifications for spending huge sums of money
on other glass ships?

Not part of a close group- Even at contest, where protests abound, the
PW 5 group is enjoying themselves. The only thing that is not easy to
do with a PW 5 is come up with excuses for losing in a contest. It is
the pilot not the plane.

Safety. This sturdy, high winged, easy to fly ship makes land-outs
easy. A very ill-informed contributor to this group suggested that a
PW 5 couldn't deal with strong lift. I have flown in wave and in
thermals in Cal. City, Minden, and Parowan with confidence in a well-
tested design.

Makes the "club" less exclusive - I became a cross-county pilot and
fly in contests because I fly a ship I can afford. Modest initial
cost, inexpensive insurance, zero maintenance - all contribute to my
being able to fly all over the country.

I don't need to explain to you that one class design is the way to
build our sport. Look at one design sailboats. I have never heard a
J Boat owner berate a Sunfish enthusiast. Maybe it's because he/she
learned to sail in that boat. If the World Class loses its one design
status, we will be back to people buying their way into the winner's
circle.

Most of you don't feel threatened by the World Class glider. Why not
support the ideals that brought World Class into existence?

I don't know if this is directed at me, but I'll respond anyway.

I support most of the ideals of the World Class concept, except for
the "early solo" pilots part. But the specific design criteria that
resulted in the PW5's low performance is what killed the class, not
disdain from other pilots. When I've been to contests where there was
a PW5 flying, they did not seem to be having much fun, because they
landed out all the damn time.

People keep comparing to sailboat one design racing, but there is a
big difference between sailing a Sunfish in weak conditions and flying
a PW5 in weak conditions, the PW5 lands out and the Sunfish does NOT
sink. Avoiding landing out in weak conditions is why a minimum of
performance is needed.

The only way I can support the "World class" is to buy one myself or
with a club. But before I did this, the glider has to have enough
performance that I would have fun. So I express what I think should
be changed to allow this to happen. This doesn't mean that I am
threatened, but I feel the concept has not been well executed.

Todd Smith
Grob 102
3S