On 4/5/2013 4:24 AM, Evan Ludeman wrote:
No motors! That adds cost, complexity and training issues all out of
proportion to any supposed benefit as a trainer. We need *trainers*
and a safe, reliable, economical way to launch them. The PW-6 is the
closest thing on the market.

Greg's belief is we need *soaring* and *XC* trainers, not just
"trainers". He absolutely wants to avoid the cost, complexity and
training issues of the current gasoline engine systems, and that is why
he want to use a TFP system ("Tractor folding propeller" - same concept
as the FES, but that name belongs to another company). The cost,
complexity, and training issues are far smaller with an electric folding
propeller sustainer than gasoline sustainers, or self-launcher systems
like the ASK-21 Mi. Any instructor should be able to make good use of a
TFP after a few flights, and students could be ready to use it as well
by the time they are solo.

The TFP addresses the "safe, reliable, economical way" to launch the
glider, using a car launch to 500 feet.

I think training effectiveness would be increased if the instructor
could extend the flight with another climb instead of landing, and with
just a flick of a switch.

Think how exciting it would be for a student who isn't solo, but has
progressed to flying the glider for most of the flight, if part (or
all!) of the flight included real XC flying, beyond gliding range of the
airport? I think that would eliminate the huge "rubber band" effect most
solo students experience, and that continues to haunt them even when
they get their license.

That excitement would keep them coming back better than the typical
training program does now, don't you think?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)