Cats wrote:
That would suggest to me also ruling out it being suitable for clubs,
though the SZD Junior has the fixed wheel but doesn't have a nose
wheel.

If a fixed wheel is specified it would be a very good idea to specify
its minimum size and require the axle to be on the glider's underside,
not internal. The latter would prevent really bad ideas such as a 95%
buried wheel from surfacing again.

I think that the design point to aim for is a glider that a newly
licensed pilot, who has done some XC in a club glider and wants a
glider to fly, would find roughly comparable to a Grob 102, Std
Cirrus, LS4.

Agreed. The sort of thing a new Silver pilot would be happy in. Easy to
fly, possibly with retractable gear and probably without water ballast.

Mention of a Grob reminds me that being easy to rig is a very useful
attribute as well. What I mean is that it doesn't require people with
the size & strength of a gorilla - it should be a reasonably easy rig
for two average women, without any fancy rigging aids.

That sounds like an updated Standard Libelle H.201B to me. Easy to fly,
good all-round vis and light to rig. I'm certain the airframe could be
brought up to modern standards without any weight increase and only
minor design changes would be needed to match contemporary expectations:

- revised brakes for those who don't like slipped approaches
- hinged canopy
- self-connecting ailerons to make the controls fully self-connecting.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |