Best Overall Motorglider available today?

Now that this discussion is totally off in the weeds, I'm wondering
what the conclusion is?



On 9/15/20 11:48 AM, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Didn't want to hijack the current FES tread so I thought I'd start a new one.
This topic came up over dinner a couple of weeks ago.

When you add all the following into a pot and stir, whats the "Best"
Say for Western Great Basin flying.

I think it may be the Carat, but I don't know much about it.
CX thinks its the DG 800 series, but all I know is since he bought that thing its been a endless battle to keep it running. But it does climb well.

FACTORS

Reliability
Maintenance required to keep it running
XC flyability, performance and control feel
Storability
Rigging
Initial cost
High density climb performance
Range
Cockpit layout and seating
Parts availability
Insurance cost
Landing gear complexity
Overall quality
Nick
T

42.

Le vendredi 9 octobre 2020 Ã* 16:47:37 UTC+2, kinsell a écritÂ*:
Now that this discussion is totally off in the weeds, I'm wondering
what the conclusion is?

kinsell wrote on 10/9/2020 7:47 AM:
Now that this discussion is totally off in the* weeds, I'm wondering what the
conclusion is?



On 9/15/20 11:48 AM, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Didn't want to hijack the current FES tread so I thought I'd start a new one.
This topic came up over dinner a couple of weeks ago.

When you add all the following into a pot and stir, whats the "Best"
Say for Western Great Basin flying.

I think it may be the Carat, but I don't know much about it.
CX thinks its the DG 800 series, but all I know is since he bought that thing
its been a endless battle to keep it running.* But it does climb well.

FACTORS

Reliability
Maintenance required* to keep it running
XC flyability, performance and control feel
Storability
Rigging
Initial cost
High density climb performance
Range
Cockpit layout and seating
Parts availability
Insurance cost
Landing gear complexity
Overall quality
Nick
T


Well, the weeds were interesting at times :^)

I hope Nick will tell us _his_ conclusion, since he asked the question. Given his
list of unprioritized factors, the rest of us can't give him the answer. The
discussion illustrates there are many acceptable choices that you have to rank
using your priorities. It also illustrates how motorgliders have a much wider
appeal than 25 years ago, when I got my ASH26E. Back then, the discussion often
focused on whether they were "real" sailplanes; now it's about "which one should I
get". And some, no longer interested in the "real" sailplane argument, are now
eager to argue where to draw a line between "real" self-launchers and "just"
self-retrievers!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Friday, October 9, 2020 at 12:08:08 PM UTC-6, Eric Greenwell wrote:
kinsell wrote on 10/9/2020 7:47 AM:
Now that this discussion is totally off in the weeds, I'm wondering what the
conclusion is?



On 9/15/20 11:48 AM, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Didn't want to hijack the current FES tread so I thought I'd start a new one.
This topic came up over dinner a couple of weeks ago.

When you add all the following into a pot and stir, whats the "Best"
Say for Western Great Basin flying.

I think it may be the Carat, but I don't know much about it.
CX thinks its the DG 800 series, but all I know is since he bought that thing
its been a endless battle to keep it running. But it does climb well.

FACTORS

Reliability
Maintenance required to keep it running
XC flyability, performance and control feel
Storability
Rigging
Initial cost
High density climb performance
Range
Cockpit layout and seating
Parts availability
Insurance cost
Landing gear complexity
Overall quality
Nick
T


Well, the weeds were interesting at times :^)

Thank you to all that replied to this thread!
Given the above criteria I think probably the best value is the ASH 26E.
They seen to be fairly reliable, go great, service is available.
But a JFitch pointed out these things are expensive, by any benchmark.
Best Regards
Nick
T

What are the issues people are finding with the 31? I talked to a couple of owners that didn't like them and then moved on but never understood what the issues were.
Darren

Darren
I don't know but one of them might be a spouse who is ****ed at a .25 mil asset that sits unused 95-98% of the time.
Nick
T

On Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 5:15:13 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Darren
I don't know but one of them might be a spouse who is ****ed at a .25 mil asset that sits unused 95-98% of the time.
Nick
T
Nick,
This is US soaring problem.
Speed To Fly used in reverse.
If Duo is expensive you have to buy it by yourself.
If 1-26 is cheap we use club buying power.
Europe has this in reverse.
They sure miss something
Ryszard
ps. my favorite motor-glider is Arcus M,
engine is ****,
but glider is soo crazy good if you know how to use its "super glider" flaps,
and you can always find the listener to you long story on a long flight,
and if you old like me, somebody always will bring you home safe .
But It is so expensive, I would loose my wive if I would try to buy one.
Thank you Al and Nico for a chance.

If you own a glider as an investment, perhaps you should consider buying
the Brooklyn Bridge for diversification...

On 10/10/2020 3:15 PM, Nicholas Kennedy wrote:
Darren
I don't know but one of them might be a spouse who is ****ed at a .25 mil asset that sits unused 95-98% of the time.
Nick
T

--
Dan, 5J

I don’t think anyone mentioned the AS34ME. While not available yet, it sounds like it has good potential. The web site claims total of 9000+ feet of potential climb, or 2000 self launch and 75 miles range using it as a sustainer, which is pretty much double the FES capability.
I am not clear on the charging process. Since the batteries are in the wing, it sounds like you can’t recharge between flights without taking the wings apart?
Will be interesting to hear thoughts if this is a good candidate for best overall motorglider?

Ramy