On Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:30:14 PM UTC-4, Jim M wrote:
I’m a new owner looking for some tips and tricks. Here’s a couple of questions for starters:

-What breaks first, and how do I fix it before that happens?
-Is there an easy way to replace the main wheel/brake with something better?
-I have two pitot sources, why?

Thanks!

Jim

Welcome to Russia-flying. Lotsa' fun to fly and easy to rig. (Other than taping the wing root fairings.)

If yours has the S-turns in the rudder cables, for the adjustment for different leg lengths, watch out, the cable tends to wear out there. On my glider it was replaced with straight cables.

The wheel brake on mine has little effect. I improved it a bit by tightening the cable. I think the next step will be to add shims onto the pin around which the brake shoes rotate. A thicker cable may help too, if it stretches less. I've also been told that the Black Forest Soaring Society fitted a disc brake on their Russia.

There was a Yahoo Group for Russia sailplanes, it moved to some other service when Yahoo pulled the plug, I forget where?