World Championship gliders

I stand corrected. 10-20 years. Impressive that the V2 has been competitive for so long. Regardless of specific competitive lifespan of each design, at current its only a matter of time before each design gets leapfrogged (and made obsolete in 15/18 or even standard). If the strength of the economy or popularity of the sport improves (often linked) under the current model, the pace of new designs leapfrogging eachother would increase significantly.

Do we really need a new 15 meter glider with 1-2% more performance (Duckhawk goal)? Do we really need a new 18 meter glider with 1-2% more performance which makes everything else on the market basically obsolete (Ventus 3)? Perhaps the leap in performance could be even more than 2%?

I am happy buying a new 29 or V2, ESPECIALLY IF I knew that it was going to be competitive for a long period in the future. But right now, buying a new 29 or V2 is unwise until we know what the Ventus 3 is capable of doing.... I actually wanted to buy a new glider at the beginning of this season and passed.

This current marketplace and international organization mindset in the sport of soaring is very interesting...

The only fact is that the sport is slowly shrinking, new glider sales are slowing and new glider prices are rapidly increasing. Hmmm, where have I seen this before?

Sean



On Thursday, August 7, 2014 4:02:07 AM UTC-4, Ventus_a wrote:
Sean Fidler;887505 Wrote:

True but your one design glider would be competitive for many years.

Currently your looking at 5-10 years before it becomes obsolete.



That may well prove to be the case but the Ventus 2 first won a worlds

in 1995 (15m) and still figures prominently even today. There have been

incremental improvements for sure but it's fundamentally the same

glider.



Colin









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Ventus_a