Earlier, "Tanel" wrote:

...So the designer manufactures wing and fuselage
moulds to all producers who are able to manufacture
by licence exactly the same world class glider.

My thoughts exactly. It shouldn't matter much what is under the skin,
just the exterior profiles. Different manufacturers could offer
exterior finishes, treatments, interior enhacements, amenities, and
levels of completion according to what their customers are willing to
pay. They could use internal structures commensurate with their skills
and competencies. But the ships would all have the same shapes, and
would all perform about the same.

I would further postulate a monoclass that allows freedom of exterior
profile in some areas of potential development. Specifically, I'd like
to see the outboard 200mm of wing span implemented at the
participants' option. That would allow for continued development of
winglet design, and also for expression of individuality. It would
also, to some tiny degree, allow for optimization for different
conditions. And the participant could even extend the span at that
point to improve their ship's performance for non-competition events.

And, responding to Mark Boyd's question from another thread, I believe
that the cost difference between 13m and 15m is certainly measurable
(all other things being equal, of course), but that with modern
commercially-available materials the difference is not prohibitvely
great, and that 15m is as good a monoclass span as any. My old HP-11
(1960 technology, 50-foot span, poorly sealed) had about the same
general performance as a PW-5, and there was many, many a time that I
wished for a few more points of glide to make the difference between
driving home and driving it home.

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24