IGC Actions- New Glider Class/Microlift

Bill Daniels wrote:

Low wing loading gliders working the same environment have the same problem
moving upwind as the birds but lack the land and re-launch capability. At
200', it's easy to get out of range of a suitable landing spot.

THis is very dependent on where you fly. How about Kansas? Or here in
Eastern Washington State, were the fields are a mile square, half of
them fallow, half of the other half in low crops, and cover hundreds of
square miles at a stretch. They are prolific producers of low lift on
many days.

The low
wing loading buys you the option of working microlift but it requires that
you operate in a hostile environment where options are limited.

Not! See above.

At 200 feet
with approximately one foot per second sink rate, you are three minutes from
a forced landing if microlift fails.

I think you grab should hold of this microlift idea because the gliders
are ideal candidates for one of your preferred launch methods: winch
launching. THese gliders require only a small, low powered winch, and to
low altitudes (500', say). An airport isn't required.
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA