I guess I'll go against the grain, here. The 1-26 is, indeed, easy to fly, easy to tiedown outside, competitive within the 1-26 class, and safe (though, like most gliders, it will spin), etc. It's less expense and holds its value well. And you won't sweat a few minor scratches and even dents.

It's also easy to land off the airport, which is great because that's what you'll be doing frequently if you start flying cross country in it. You do learn a lot. But it can be a frustrating learning curve. It's also not as quick to rig/derig as more modern glass sailplanes often are so those unscheduled landings can be a little more work.

In a higher-performance glider, miss a thermal and you're slow. In a 1-26, miss a thermal and you're likely on the ground. Yes, the really good 1-26 pilots know how to make the glider do some remarkable things. But the average pilot can get discouraged after repeated landings, off and on the airport..

I flew and competed in a 1-26 for some years after solo and I did learn a lot that transferred over to higher-performance gliders. But unlike some pilots (1-26 maestro Ron Schwartz comes to mind) I was never tempted to fly it again after I made the switch.

There used to be 1-26 classes even at local contests (and there probably still are). But the big one of the year is the 1-26 national contest, which--like the other classes--rotates around the country. So unlike the FAI classes, there aren't a series of regional championships that are potentially closer to home in those years when the national contest is on the other side of the country. That's relevant only if you think you might be interested in competition.

The 1-26 is a nice first step. And for many it's an ideal glider. But like everything else in life, it's not perfect.

Chip Bearden