FAA to ground 80% of Glider Training Fleet... it's just a question of when

On Thursday, April 4, 2013 11:50:05 PM UTC-4, Eric Greenwell wrote:
On 4/4/2013 4:41 PM, GM wrote:

Please - someone explain to me why a manufacturer

like Windward Performance does not jump at the opportunity to build a

modern two-seat trainer rather than trying to compete with the latest

super orchid grown in Germany. I think something like this would

sell.



Let me explain...



I talked to Greg Cole of Windward performance today about this subject.

He thinks the ideal two-seat trainer...



+ should have good performance, significantly better than an ASK 21

+ be light weight (but rugged) with wing panels weighing less than 140

pounds each, so club members don't mind rigging it each weekend

+ have very nice handling



And ultimately, it should have a front mounted electric motor with a

folding propeller ("TFP" - tractor folding propeller). That would allow

it to use a car launch to 500', turn on the motor, and look for

thermals. No thermals? Climb with the motor.



When it lands, the battery can be exchanged for a fully charged one if

it needs recharging, and the depleted one put on charge (maybe you need

three batteries if the thermals are weak).



But even if a conventional towplane is used for the launch, the TFP lets

the student and instructor go soaring, even cross country, almost every

flight. Imagine how cool that is! Students would be much more enthused

about soaring if they actually got to do some soaring on every flight,

rather than being told "XC after you have your license", or "XC when you

have your own glider".



Whether it's car launch or towplane, the TFP would allow and encourage

more soaring, even XC, during instruction, and more XC when flown solo.

The light weight and easy rigging would subdue the concerns about

landing out (unlikely with the TFP), and the utilization of the glider

would be much higher than the typical heavy low/medium performance

two-seater.



Greg thinks it would sell, but bringing this glider (any glider!) to

market is very expensive. The full design, molds, production tooling,

and testing will easily exceed a million dollars (aka $1,000,000). So,

for Windward Performance to jump at this opportunity means coming up

with a lot of money. That will a lot easier to do if there are some

orders, so if you want one of these, or think you can find some money

for Windward, please call Greg Cole, and talk to him about it.



Get his contact details he



http://windward-performance.com/contact-us/



--

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to

email me)

No motors! That adds cost, complexity and training issues all out of proportion to any supposed benefit as a trainer. We need *trainers* and a safe, reliable, economical way to launch them. The PW-6 is the closest thing on the market.

Evan Ludeman / T8