On Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 4:30:05 AM UTC-8, James Thomson wrote:
At 08:39 19 November 2019, wrote:


FYI, Kestrels VNE is 250kts.

Vne for Kestrel is 250 kph, 135 knots. Metrication still causing
confusion...

Ouch, that would be a typo... Which you correctly caught... VNE is indeed 250kph or 156.55 mph... My point is still valid, a lot of darn bird for the buck... Kestrels walk away from a lot of birds, when soaring in similar conditions.

Few planes are even close to the Kestrels handicap at .88, most costing significantly more--not $20,000, and $30,000 fully restored with an amazing trailer.

A pilot interested in competition has to start ponying up hundreds of thousands to get close or under it. I more than understand I will not be in first place--but also understand I will be six or fifth place... Maybe fourth or third on a great day.

John Firth words say it all...

Proof of the pudding, on a good but not exceptional Ontario day, I passed
the 500KM mark past TP 2 in 4 1/2 hrs. For a 1970s design it was pretty good.

John Firth