On Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 2:18:49 PM UTC-7, wrote:
The advantage of an Experimental glider, is that the owner can do whatever he likes to it. The disadvantage of an Experimental glider, is that the previous owner did whatever he liked to it.


This is one of the most common misunderstandings in US soaring activity.
Sentence One is wrong.
You must read the FAA-issued Operating Limitations for any individual machine to know what may be done by whom to the machine.

Sentence Two is likely correct, multiplied and compounded by each owner since the import. This is the result of the American assertion of "I bought it. It's mine, I can do what I want with it."

That view might apply to cars, motorcycles, jet skis and multiple other toys, but it doesn't apply well to aviation machines.

If you plan to buy a used sailplane in the US, please get a glider-experienced A & P or IA to assist you with a paperwork read through (at the least) before you buy a pig-in-a-poke.

Cindy B