Buying LS3a or ASW20a? ~$25k cross country glider. Which one and why?

Originally Posted by KarlBoutin

One remark I would like to make to Micheal N. that has not been made so far on this thread as to do with the 3000 hrs inspection that a certified A/C might require. In the cohort of gliders that you are considering (70s - 80s) you may find A/C getting close to this milestone. This may have to be considered in your purchase decision.

In my case, getting the inspection and maintenance for a life extension to 6000 hrs was a "piece of cake". That was due in part because of the great maintenance job that the two previous owners did on our ASW-20 (wink,wink, THX Uli), and also for the great engineering and support from AS. The few pieces that we had to change (rudder cable, forward and aft carry-through pins, rudder bottom hinge) were easy to obtain, relatively inexpensive and a charm to install. A member at my club, who also had to get the 6000 hrs life extension for his non-AS german glider would have a completely different and more expensive story to tell.

My point, for Micheal N., is not to do any "my glider vs your glider" bashing, but to point out that this may be an important variable to add in your purchase equation. As a first owner, you should be aware of this.

As for the "Jesus Flaps"... they are a lot of fun but you have to used with care. Only deploy when you know you are making the field. I have read, I believe in the POH, that the ASW-20 with full spoilers and the "JF" gets an incredible 4:1 glide ratio. From the cockpit, this almost look like going straight down :-0


On Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:48:53 UTC-4, wrote:
I have about 3,000 hours on various ASWs incl. ASW 20, 20B,(both without winglets) and now ASW 27. I found the ASW 20 to be a wonderful machine, but, as others have said, the full landing flap has to be used carefully. My brother was more of an S-H man having owned a Standard Cirrus, Mini-Nimbus and then a Ventus B. He did very well with them in competitions. Finally, he bought a share in an ASW 20C. After his first flight his only comment was " now I know why you guys did so well in the ASW 20s". He found the handling to be quite a bit better than that of the Ventus B. I also found that the ASW 20B and Ventus B were equals in almost all conditions but the ASW had the handling edge.

Lurker for a while as well as a new 20a driver . I was dying to try the flaps I heard about so much . I did a test pattern at 2,000 ft to familiarize myself with the descent angle . And Damn for me it's like being back in a 1-26 with the spoilers out save for better visibility over the nose . I tossed in a slip as well but it didn't seem to make much difference . I pulled spoilers in and flared a bit higher as I had 3/4 of a 2000' runway and stopped in 600' after touchdown without brakes . I can honestly say knowing the option is there for an off field landing helps reduce stress. But as others noted make sure you have the field made and only use them when on final .