On Aug 6, 1:18*pm, Grider Pirate wrote:
On Aug 4, 7:06*pm, son_of_flubber wrote:

I've had great fun flying an SGS 1-26 in New England. *What's a 1-26 like in the stronger conditions that are more typical 'out west' (say Moriarty New Mexico). *I'd especially like to hear from anyone who has flown the 1-26 both east and west USA.

I've kept the 1-26 up for nice long flights close to the airport in very light lift on days when the "high performance guys" don't even bother to assemble. *On a decent day, it goes right up to cloud base and stays there for mild cross-country. *If you have to land out, you can do it in the available postage-stamp-sized sloping fields.

The weak point is of course 'penetration' as the sink increases rapidly with airspeed. *All and all it's a great fun ship (for what it is).

How does a SGS 1-26 do in stronger conditions with higher cloud bases that I would expect to find in 'Soaring Nirvana' 'out west'?

Flying a 1-26 ANYWHERE is a good time! *I really like a 1-26 when we
have rough air. *1-26's really DON'T climb as well as many gliders,
but they are darn sure very nimble. When the thermals are strong but
really thin, a 1-26 will out-climb the majority of gliders. For fun
local flying, a 1-26 is my favorite!

The last time I flew a 1-26, in the early 80's, it was at Moriarty
and a very strong day. I remember the vario pegged and the sound of
sand in the thermal striking the bottom of the wing as it rushed up to
16,000 feet msl. I also remember flying through powerful thermals at
cruising speed and getting beat up with those short unbending metal
wings. My hat is off to those rugged 1-26 drivers, they are tough
guys.