Thermal right, land left

Uri Saovray wrote:
Speaking of simple warning devices:
How about a simple hookup to a horn which is activated when the
airbrakes are opened while the towhook is engaged (i.e. open spoilers
during tow)?
A microswitch on the airbrake levers would be the no-brainer part.
What about the towhook? Magnetic sensor? where? How? Other ideas?
Uri

This would be an easy addition to the typical gear warning system, with
the new switch simply over-riding the gear switch. Fixed gear gliders
would need to add a spoiler switch and warning buzzer.

Pilots concerned about warning proliferation could consider using a
voice chip to speak "Spoilers" and "Gear" for the two alerts, instead of
a buzzer. Voice chips are cheap and simple to use these days.
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

So if we agree this is a good idea, my main question is the design of
the tow sensor:
1) It must be robust
2) It must not interfere with the hook mechanism (open spoilers AND
can't release???)
3) If it is magnetic - will it interfere with the compass? Does
anybody care?
4) A Large magnet at the end of the tow rope - will it survive the
fall to the ground (either on winch or from the tug
Ideas?

Uri
Eric Greenwell wrote in message ...
Uri Saovray wrote:
Speaking of simple warning devices:
How about a simple hookup to a horn which is activated when the
airbrakes are opened while the towhook is engaged (i.e. open spoilers
during tow)?
A microswitch on the airbrake levers would be the no-brainer part.
What about the towhook? Magnetic sensor? where? How? Other ideas?
Uri

This would be an easy addition to the typical gear warning system, with
the new switch simply over-riding the gear switch. Fixed gear gliders
would need to add a spoiler switch and warning buzzer.

Pilots concerned about warning proliferation could consider using a
voice chip to speak "Spoilers" and "Gear" for the two alerts, instead of
a buzzer. Voice chips are cheap and simple to use these days.

Hi Robert,

Read the story at http://home.wxs.nl/~kpt9/gear.htm and you may have second
thoughts.

Karel, NL

"Robertmudd1u" schreef in bericht
...
Gear up (soaring): set it a little below normal thermalling speed (about
46 knot setting works on my glider with my 302).

Gear down (landing): set it a little below the typical pattern speed
(about 50 knots would work on my glider).


Some may think this a cheap shot, but what the heck.

Believe it or not some pilots fly gliders with fixed gear. They even fly
them
X-C and make land outs. They even stall/spin them.

Too many people in this sport think you need ALL the bells and whistles
and a
$100,000+ glider to be a "real" glider pilot. That attitude is hurting us.

Robert Mudd

Hi Robert,

Read the story at http://home.wxs.nl/~kpt9/gear.htm and you may have second
thoughts.

Karel, NL


Sorry Karel, I am missing your point. I did not say such systems were not a
good idea just that they need to be designed for fixed gear glider too, and not
be expensive. On my retractable gear glider I do have a warning horn for
airbrake and landing gear.

The information in your link is interesting, Ia m sure some will find the
schematic valuable. I sure saved it.

Robert Mudd

Hi again Robert.
Read your thread not good enough I guess. Sorry for that.
Nice to understand that you are using yourself an airbrake/gear warning
system.
Indeed a warning system for unlocked or extended airbrakes on fixed gear
gliders would do a good job too.

Karel, NL


"Robertmudd1u" schreef in bericht
...
Hi Robert,

Read the story at http://home.wxs.nl/~kpt9/gear.htm and you may have
second
thoughts.

Karel, NL


Sorry Karel, I am missing your point. I did not say such systems were not
a
good idea just that they need to be designed for fixed gear glider too,
and not
be expensive. On my retractable gear glider I do have a warning horn for
airbrake and landing gear.

The information in your link is interesting, Ia m sure some will find the
schematic valuable. I sure saved it.

Robert Mudd

On 3/14/04 6:54 AM, in article ,
"Robertmudd1u" wrote:

Too many people in this sport think you need ALL the bells and whistles and a
$100,000+ glider to be a "real" glider pilot. That attitude is hurting us.

Right on! And exactly why we get so many arrogant and ultimately ignorant
remarks concerning the so-called inadequacies of the PW-5. Clearly, too many
people don't understand the concept of competition. It is not about what you
show up with on the trailer, but about what you can do with it in the air.
Neither the choice of the PW-5 nor the parameters established for the WC
Glider selection process are the source of the problem.

The "Mine is bigger than yours," syndrome will ruin the World Class just as
it has ruined other forms of vehicle-based competition. Classes which were
originally established to facilitate development of skill and commitment to
a sport at reasonable cost are falling prey to the "too much money and not
enough character" syndrome on every side. The bitter and unreasoning
criticisms of the PW-5 on this forum are clear evidence of the kind of
distorted personalities which are behind this unfortunate phenomenon.

People who are real competitors are competitive on skateboards, lawnmowers,
1-26s, or jet fighters, and using the excuse that the equipment is not up to
your exalted standards is, on its face, little more than a childish excuse
for personal inadequacy.


Jack

On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 07:12:18 GMT, Jack wrote:

Right on! And exactly why we get so many arrogant and ultimately ignorant
remarks concerning the so-called inadequacies of the PW-5. Clearly, too many
people don't understand the concept of competition.

Gliding is not about competition.
Gliding is about having fun.

As others have pointed out before, I don't have fun to spent my
hard-earned money on a Ka-6 performing glider instead of a beautiful
ASW-20.

Not to mention that I don't have fun to fly such a thing after I'm
used to the performance of a 40+ L/D.




Bye
Andreas

On 3/15/04 10:16 AM, in article ,
"Andreas Maurer" wrote:

Gliding is about having fun.

...I don't have fun to fly such a thing after I'm
used to the performance of a 40+ L/D.

Good for you. I'm sure we have no argument on that score.


Jack

I think you are missing the point that most people
have made about the PW5, those that aren't ignorant
anyway. The point is that it does not perform well
enough to justify the price tag. I cannot understand
the mentality of people who would rather fork out £20k+
for a sailplane with the performance only slightly
better than a K6e when they could get a second hand
LS4 or ASW20 for the same or less money! I would have
thought that a one-type class based on an existing
design (which could be very cheaply put back into production)
would make far more sense. After all, some of us can't
even afford a brand new PW5, but can afford an old
ratty ASW20 or LS4.
This is not about elitism in terms of money, its about
common sense and value for money. The PW5 has an abundance
of neither.
LS4 for the world class!

Jon Meyer wrote:

I cannot understand
the mentality of people who would rather fork out £20k+
for a sailplane with the performance only slightly
better than a K6e when they could get a second hand
LS4 or ASW20 for the same or less money!

While I agree that LS4 for the world class might have been the best
solution (provided production plans were made available to any builder
anywhere in the world), there are many countries mostly outside Europe
where good, used gliders are not available today, and importing from
Europe is not economical because of huge taxes and duties.

The PW5 isn't an appealing glider, but it's today the only
certificated glider you can build anywhere in the world. We must think
world-wise if we want to create an opportunity for development of the
sport.

Aldo Cernezzi