Sustainer/turbo gliders

On Saturday, April 4, 2015 at 1:08:53 AM UTC-4, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Was hoping to get comments regarding a glider with a sustainer engine. Would you buy another one, are you happy with the sustainer, do you wish you had gotten a motor glider, a pure glider, how do you fly differently, do you actually get more soaring in or less because of the extra weight......

do you use headsets for hearing protection with engine running... engine can achieve a positive rate of climb to what density altitude....? Am considering purchasing a glider with a sustainer and am looking for all information I can get. i am a Western USA pilot, but have flown in many parts of the country.

My partner and I flew down to see 5U's 2CXT and liked it so much the we bought a new one two and a half years ago. I can echo everything 5U said and add to it. I had a self-launcher and probably will never have another due to the extra weight and complexity. I did indeed spend 2x thinking about THAT engine, plus a moderate degree of frustration. Did i mention weight? Wing loading was high and it was awfully hard for me to rig and de-rig. The engine battery itself weighed a lot and was difficult to get to. As to technique, yes, of course you have a field picked out. But you don't think too much about "well I'm 1200', time to get out the engine. It's more like, hey, I've been in dead air for a good while, nothing looks promising, I still have good maneuvering height, but I'm not leaving this area where this good field is below me, I think I'll drop the gear (always do that), and start a pattern. Oh, now, by the way, I'll see if the engine will start. It has never failed me, and I start it at the beginning of almost every flight. Only if the engine will be on for more than two minutes do I use the little orange "ribbed" earplugs that shooters wear. At what alt did I start it? I honesty don't know, but I'd guess usually around 1000'. If I had promising lift ahead and in range of a good field, I'd go down a bit lower. If the field is an airport, I'd go even lower.
But here's the selling point: Compared to the way I used to fly pure sailplanes, I now leave the airport earlier, I fly farther away, I come back later, I fly on weaker days, and I don't worry about a crew. I am relaxed flying with a sustainer ...... there is less stress and worry. The higher price tag is so worth it! About the third time you use the engine for a retrieve you'll decide that it has paid for itself. There are a lot of great pilots who rarely land out and don't need an engine; I am not one of them.

I got tired of pulling out of fields .... been there, done that. Now I get home in time for dinner.