On Monday, April 9, 2018 at 8:27:05 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Looking for advice on the 304 cz 17. Is this too much glider for a lower time pilot. Total 200 hours gliders, recent experience 1-36, Grob 103 and a few hrs in Grob 102. (Comfortable, no pio, no bounces, good airspeed control in all three). Considering a 304cz17 but definitely looking for additional advice and opinions. I have a couple hundred hrs power twenty plus years ago. No competition goals, looking for easy to fly, easy assembly.



In my opinion, there's no better flapped gliders than the Mosquito/304 series for relatively low time pilots. They are perfectly suitable for pleasure and badge/record flying, and they are quite competitive in Sports/club class if you decide you want to race.

One of my club's instructors has a 304CZ-17. It is docile enough that he has let a couple of our soloed junior pilots fly it. These were 16-17 year-olds with maybe 80 hours flying time. Both had time in our two place glass and both had flown the club's Standard Cirrus (all flying tail). Both flew the 304 like they had been flying it forever.

I have a few flights in a Mosquito and a 304CZ (essentially the same glider with minor changes). Thoroughly beautiful ships to fly. No bad habits in my estimation. Roomy, comfortable, easy to fly. They are not quite as stable as some later ships, but that just means that they retain some of the Libelle's ability to communicate what the air is doing. You will want a thorough briefing on the behavior of the trailing edge divebrake/flap system. It is a VERY effective system, but just a little different than the usual divebrake setup.

The 304 also retains the easy Glasflugel assembly with the tool to pull the wings together, although unlike the Libelle, the wings are HEAVY. Not LS-3 heavy, but noticeable. Also notable: Mosquitoes and 304's were the first gliders to have the automatic control hookups common in nearly all new gliders.

Oh, one caveat if you think you might consider a Mosquito or original 304, the factory finish on the Mosquitoes and original 304's craze and go to pieces (unlike the Libelles). The 304CZ's appear to have a much more durable finish.

Fly safe,

WB