On Fri, 4 Jun 2010 11:53:04 -0700 (PDT), Andy
wrote:

On Jun 4, 6:27*am, Andreas Maurer wrote:

As long as the IAS is below VA (in other words: in the green range of
the airspeed indicator), no control input at all can damage the glider

Are you sure about that? It was my understanding the Va is never
marked in the ASI and that the top of the green arc is the maximum
operating speed in rough air. Va may be lower than that.

You are absolutely correct - the maximum operating speed in rough air
might be different from Va.


But:
Usually (at least in German gliders) only Va is marked on the ASI (top
of the green arc).

Example ASK-21:
Va 180 kp/h (top of green arc)
Maximum operating speed in rough air 200 kp/h (not marked in ASI).

It might well be possible that it's different for other gliders, but
so far I cannot remember haviong flown one.