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Earlier, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Many people say they would be delighted to have a glider with the performance of an LS4. Yes, I'm trying to sell them on the HP-24 or its unflapped sister. Also, it's worth considering that the nicest thing about the LS-4 isn't necessarily its very decent performance, but rather its very, very sweet handling. The LS-4 is definitely the nicest-flying ship I've ever flown to date. I think that that low-workload handling is one of the things that helps bring out the best in pilots, and is the greater part of what has made the LS-4 so good and so popular. This performance can now be achieved with a smaller span glider of 13 M or less. I consider that an extremly debatable proposition. I'll wait to see a stub ship consistently beat an LS-4 in unhandicapped, nationals-level competition before I abandon my grain of salt. There seems to be something about having a little span that always makes you want a little more... Can you guess at the cost reduction that would be possible with a 12 or 13 meter glider compared to the 15M LS4? My guess is "relatively small" in an overall sense. Smaller factory, I think that facility size and overhead costs are more closely linked to product complexity and throughput than to span. The place where stubbies really shine is where people have to work on them in their own garages. I've had many people ask about glider kits that they can build in a 24-foot garage. less materials, Theoretically so. But in order to bring that 13m ship closer to your goal of 15m-type performance, you have to make it lighter per unit of area than a 15m ship. And that means more costly materials and processes. That's one of the reasons why Sparrowhawks go for $193 per pound versus about $100 per pound for a new-run LS-4. less labor (especially if hand finishing is needed) Yes, that's where there might be a direct area-balanced reduction (It's also one of the big reasons I'm developing a "some assembly required" glider). It's also the area where I think glider manufacturing would benefit most from capital investment in tooling and machinery that reduces the hand labor. smaller trailer, lower shipping costs (RO-RO is by volume, I think). All good points as well. But they also might suggest that there might be economic benefits to greater geographical diversity of manufacturing. In sum, I do think it would be great if there were more soaring pilots and soaring clubs that were satisfied with the performance they can get out of 13m or so. And I agree that, all things being equal, smaller gliders are less expensive than large gliders to manufacture, own, and operate. Unfortunately, all thing _aren't_ equal. I think that the unscalable aspects (specifically the pilot and their physiological requirements) will continue to drive a market that favor gliders greater than 13m for the general market. The one somewhat-troubling exception that occurs to me is full-on, no-holds-barred competition. I believe that where the stakes are high, there can be competitive advantage in a light, very small glider of 15m or slightly less. What we're talking about is a glider for a 5'2" pilot of about 108 lbs who doesn't mind launching at 11 lbs/ft^2 in a machine that provides about as much crash protection as a motorcycle racing suit. In the current market, where soaring competitors pay their own way, I don't see a huge demand for a ship like that, simply because of the self-selection of contest pilots, and their relatively strong interest in their own health and well-being. But in some possible future, we might encounter a market in which the driving economic force comes from outside the ranks of pilots, and in which competition pilots are specifically selected for their size as well as their skill, determination, and risk adversity (or lack thereof). I think I won't bet on it, but others might. Thanks, and best regards to all Bob K. http://www.hpaircraft.com/hp-24 |
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