Bruce Greeff wrote:
Any one with information on how many KA series gliders have failed
when inspected. Our club has a 100% fail rate - one Ask-8 four ribs
bad.

Only know of one other failure in the country though (a K7) so 2/24.
Still not a particularly good number, so I would like to do an
informal test. How many tested, of each type, and how many problems.

Bruce,
A bit more information is needed. "Four ribs bad" doesn't tell me
much.
Were they broken, delaminated from the skin, individual parts unglued
from each other, etc.
Also, the average weather conditions in which the glider(s) is/are
stored, and how stored: Assembled in a weatherproof hangar, packed in
a trailer, tied down outside etc.
There are a number of factors which need careful assessment for wooden
structures, the type of glue used being paramount, but the careful
storage of the glider is a big factor too. Over here in Oz there are
intense inspections of wooden gliders (and metal also) at 10 year
intervals throughout their lives, and I am sure there have been
numerous repairs carried out as a result of these inspections. The
details would be written up in the logbook for each aircraft, and a
summary would be lodged with the Gliding Federation airworthiness
group. I don't know of any statistical analysis of these reports, but
the general trend is enshrined in the "glider engineering" notes and
instructions for carrying out the 10 year surveys issued by the GFA.
In fact when a particular glider is due for a survey, the GFA issues
directives on particular aspects of the airfame it needs to be
particularly checked, and these would include known glue problems for
the type as well as past damage repair etc. for the particular glider.
I don't know the system of control of gliding in South Africa, but
such data may also be available there ?
Cheers, John G.