Which Tow Vehicle

Dan G wrote:
Crash-worthiness and energy absorbtion is ENTIRELY down to design, not
material.

The major glider manufacturers don't agree with this: take look at the
cockpit of a Schleicher glider, for example, and see how little of it is
carbon fiber. Aramids and glass fiber absorb energy better than carbon
fiber, and so a designer will use them if it is possible.

Nonetheless, it is wrong to claim (as did Tom G) that a steel structure
is always better than one of aluminum or composite, as the design can
compensate for properties of the other materials.


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org