![]() |
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
David Bingham wrote:
Sailplane Classes Initially I came to soaring via paragliders and then my wife suggested sailplanes (because she thought they were safer - maybe) and I have flown many different gliders and motorgliders (plus single engine power planes both tricycle and tail dragger types). I have ended up with a DG800B, a Lancair ES and a Stemme S10-VT with a SparrowHawk on order. I have noted the different classes, Std, Sports, World, Open etc with amusement. Are people serious? I have flown them all and all have minor advantages and disadvantages. The bottom line is nearly always "It's the pilot stupid". Subtle differences between say the most popular Std class gliders are so small its only the pilot who matters. Now I want to suggest that, in my humble opinion, the way the classes are currently set up by the SSA don't make any sense. Lets take a step back, reset our prejudices, and see if we can't make our grey matter operate at a higher level than usual. What do we know? Well actually quite a lot! A large heavy glider has a better Reynolds Number for lowering effective air resistance – suggests better L/D. All things being equal the L/D is improved by having a high wing aspect ratio. A smaller light glider will perform better in light conditions. Flaps marginally improve the extremes of the polar and so on and so on. I think when all is said and done the most significant parameter that affects the overall performance of a glider is its weight! So I propose that we consider just 3 classes of sailplanes based solely on their weights. Lets forget about wing spans, flaps and other enhancements. All 3 classes would be free to choose their own goodies as long as they kept to prescribed weight limits. Wouldn't this make glider design so much more fun? I propose that: Class 1 be limited to 70kilos maximum (plus safety equipment such as a ballistic parachute). Class 2 be limited to 250kilos max Class 3 be limited to 250kilos minimum Note that in theory a Class 1 type glider could, if suitably ballisted and structurally strong enough, be flown in all 3 classes. Innovations are usually assisted not by having strict rules such as today's strict glider classes but rather the freedom to exploit the limits of technology and the mind. Bert Rutan with Spaceship 1 was not encumbered by prejudices of what a space ship should look like according to NASA. He designed it to do a job. Likewise forget this nonsense about glider wingspan etc. Let the designers use modern materials for best advantage to push the state of art of sailplanes. My hat's off to people like Rutan and Greg Cole (SparrowHawk) who defy outdated traditions. If you don't believe me go and demo a SparrowHawk. Dave So what you're saying is, as I interpret it, "It's the pilot's wallet, stupid." It's not a bad idea, but some other constraint would be needed to limit the cost, or soaring competition will become as relevant to the regular sailplane pilot as F1 racing is to most car owners. Shawn |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
Shawn wrote in message ...
David Bingham wrote: Sailplane Classes Now I want to suggest that, in my humble opinion, the way the classes are currently set up by the SSA don't make any sense. Lets take a step back, reset our prejudices, and see if we can't make our grey matter operate at a higher level than usual. What do we know? Well actually quite a lot! A large heavy glider has a better Reynolds Number for lowering effective air resistance – suggests better L/D. All things being equal the L/D is improved by having a high wing aspect ratio. A smaller light glider will perform better in light conditions. Flaps marginally improve the extremes of the polar and so on and so on. I think when all is said and done the most significant parameter that affects the overall performance of a glider is its weight! So I propose that we consider just 3 classes of sailplanes based solely on their weights. Lets forget about wing spans, flaps and other enhancements. All 3 classes would be free to choose their own goodies as long as they kept to prescribed weight limits. Wouldn't this make glider design so much more fun? Dave So what you're saying is, as I interpret it, "It's the pilot's wallet, stupid." It's not a bad idea, but some other constraint would be needed to limit the cost, or soaring competition will become as relevant to the regular sailplane pilot as F1 racing is to most car owners. Shawn There is an often overlooked method to keep things affordable and still let individuals be creative and innovative. Racing is racing, be it gliders, autos, or pogo sticks and "claiming races" are one way to keep things cheap. For those not familiar with the concept here is how it works. Set a cash value, say $25,000, on the glider class. The top 3 finishers (not including first place) have the opportunity to purchase the glider that placed above them for the predetermined amount. In this case $25,000. A slight modification of this is that instead of an outright purchase the gliders are swapped, with a smaller cash fee paid to the winner loosing their glider. In this class the fee might be on the order of $3,000 to $5,000. If it turns out that it was the pilot, and not the glider, that was superior then at the next meet the original owner has a reasonable chance to redeem his glide, if they want to finish one spot back. If he still places ahead of his former mount then he has a fairly comparable glider - and some cash in his pocket. This works for other sports where there is a potential to dominate a class with nothing more than a fat wallet. The trick is to make the swap price steep enough to allow for some investment in "high tech" without the fear that you will only get one use of it, yet low enough that the average participant can come up with the cash when they see the need. =============== Leon McAtee |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Ultralight sailplane aerotow liability | Caracole | Soaring | 18 | April 1st 04 09:17 PM |
AL-12: New ultralight sailplane | ISoar | Soaring | 4 | March 24th 04 01:52 AM |
Any sailplane pilots? | Larry Dighera | Soaring | 99 | January 7th 04 03:46 AM |
An Historical Perspective on the Wright Accomplishment | Gary Osoba | Soaring | 5 | December 19th 03 12:35 AM |
Electro-self-launching sailplane | clement | Soaring | 5 | September 12th 03 05:03 AM |