Schweizer 1-26 question

Gee this is almost a trolling question ... but I will take it seriously -- yes, you can have a lot of fun in a 1-26. How much fun you will have depends on your attitude ... and also where you soar.

They are NOT a good sailplane anywhere the winds are strong; you sure don't go upwind well in a 1-26, nor penetrate through sink. This means that some of the "best" soaring areas in the American Southwest are actually pretty scary in a 1-26. They are well suited to areas where the conditions are milder -- they climb well in weak lift.

There's a common 1-26 joke that goes "Flying a 1-26 is great, you meet so many nice new farming friends! " 1-26s do land off-field very well.

Another inexpensive glider to consider is the Ka-6 ... better performance than a 1-26 -- it is wood and fabric and requires more care and better storage.