On Aug 20, 10:27*am, John Cochrane
wrote:
On Aug 20, 9:41*am, Tim Taylor wrote:

On Aug 20, 8:34*am, Steve Koerner wrote:

Considering only the 12 competition days that all three classes were scored...

The average winning speed in 18m class was 148.9kph (92.5mph).

In 15m, the average winner was 4.6% slower than 18m at 142.0kph (88.2mph).

Open class winner was 0.8% faster than 18m on average at 150.1kph (93..3mph).

Isn't it interesting that all of that new technology in open class had so little actual benefit in the final analysis?

But how do the prices of the gliders compare? *We are pricing the
majority of pilots out of the market for a minor gain in performance.

The real advantage of open class is not in booming weather, it's when
the weather gets weak and a 60:1 glide takes you over fields full of
landed-out 15 meter gliders. Bigger gliders also can carry motors and
still get light wingloadings when times get tough. The amazing part of
flying in Uvalde is no 2 knot days.

Anyway, "we" aren't pricing pilots out of anything. The manufacturers
have made available a wide variety of contest worthy gliders, from the
PW5, to standard, 15, 18, duo, and open. You can buy fly and compete
at the world level in any of these you'd like. The interesting fact is
that pilots are voting with their wallets for the very best, despite
astronomical cost. PW5 class died from lack of interest, and no new
standard or 15 meter gliders are being produced. This is entirely by
the choice of pilots, not some amorphous "we" behind the scenes.

John Cochrane


John,

I think the variable you are missing in the current purchasing
behavior is uncertainty. I am not sure if it is implicit or explicit
but the IGC has left the Standard and 15M class with an unknown
future. It was assumed that one of the classes would be phased out
with the creation of the 18M class. Without a clear plan why would
anyone buy a new glider for a class that you are not sure will exist
in a few years.

If the IGC would clearly define the future for the classes then both
the manufactures and potential customers could decide to support new
gliders specifically designed for the classes. Right now the only
sure class is the 18M so that is what is being built. The next
generation of 15M specific glider would be under 500 pounds empty (the
Duck Hawk has already shown that) if there was a clear statement that
the class will still exist.

Tim