On Jan 30, 6:06*pm, binks wrote:
I am looking to purchase my first glider. I have been looking at the
ASW20 and the LS6. Any suggestions on which glider would be the best
all around? I have heard that the LS6 has a narrow cockpit. I am 6'2"
200 lbs. and would be wearing a parachute. Also heard that the ASW20
can be a little unforgiving to the uninitiated in the spin department.
Both seem to have very similar performance data. *All that being said
it is appearing to me it may be Ford vs Chevy

Been away from the sport for a while. This is my first post since the
late 90s...

One day I traded my LS-6a for a friend's AS-W 20B for a day's flying.
He thought the '6 was "twitchy" and I thought the '20 was "heavy on
the controls". The '20 definitely had a lot more room in the cockpit
than the '6.

I agree with all that's been said regarding training and training for
the type of ship you'll be flying. I truly don't think it's wise for
an inexperienced pilot who's only flown the 2-33 to jump into such a
slick ship as either of the two you're considering. You will find
that it'll be off the runway before you know what's happening. It
will accelerate a lot quicker than you're used to, and will be a lot
less forgiving than a simpler ship.

It's not that either ship is hard to fly - in fact, both are easy.
The danger to a new pilot is the speed at which things change. Flaps
are not a problem if you know how to use them and where to set them
for the conditions of flight. Book knowledge is not enough - you have
to feel how to use them in tight situations.

My former partner was very experienced in gliders with about 500 hours
in our LS-6a. I watched him stall and spin at low altitude and
crash. Just a moment's inattention...

If you decide to get a flapped ship for your first glider, please pay
attention. Don't become complacent because it is easier to fly than a
2-33 (my opinion). If you fall asleep, it will bite you.

So, in answer to your original question about which is better... I'm
currently looking for my THIRD LS-6. I like the '6 so much that,
after the crash of my first, I found a new partner with one!