Easily single rigged gliders

I owned an L-33 which was a great flyer and did well tied out assembled
for a year in South Florida rains. It took time to tie it up and put on
wing and fin covers. Wings weren't particularly heavy (130 lbs IIRC?).
I put it together about 20 times and I never found it easy getting the
pins in the spars.

I have helped people assemble a number of different gliders at the club
I fly. I agree that with a one-man rigging aid most modern 15 meter
gliders are relatively easy - once you get a system down. My Discus B
is, I believe, the easiest glider to rig at our club. Ventii, ASW-20
and ASW-27 almost as easy. I still enjoy having help with the wings.
With 2 people it takes just 2 minutes to put them in. Just one pin. By
myself with the rigging aid it takes me about 10 minutes for the wings.
Fussing to get the tip height right.

I like the Sparrowhawk and would like to hear first hand accounts of its
ease of assembly.

On a hot summer day when you are trying to get a couple of hours flying
in before it overdevelops, ease of assembly is a big factor for older
pilots.

J.A.M. wrote:

Easy rig and derig IMHO is just any modern glider with automatic hookups,
and a riggin aid as the Cobra or similar. I fly an ASW 24 and it's very
simple and foolproof to rig. The only con is that you have to haul the wings
yourself, which is solved by the Cobra rigging aid some of the pilots I know
have. Really easy. Discus, Ventus, ASW-27 / 28 and so on are just as easy.
Not intending to open the can of worms again, but if I were you I woudn't
buy a PW-5 or a Russia (not flown that one though). Buy a 15m or standar
glass instead.

good flying!

"Ray Lovinggood" escribió en el mensaje
...


Bill,

I hope you don't mind if I throw in a third choice:
The LET Solo L-33.

It's all metal which permits you to tie it down fully
assembled rather than pulling it out of the trailer
each day and assembling it.

When it comes to assembly-disassembly, it may have
a disadvantage. The wings are not heavy, and the person
on the tip isn't struggling. However, the spars are
shorter than the typical 15m fiberglass glider and
the short spars make it a bit more of a hassle to hold
the 'heavy' end of the wing. It really helps to have
someone on the trailing edge at the butt rib to help
rotate the wing from vertical to horizontal and assist
in moving the wing in/out of the fuselage. Either
that, or have gorilla-length arms.

It is a nice flying gliders that many in our club enjoy.
My early years in gliders was limited to Schweizers
and Blaniks and I was not impressed with their lack
of cockpit sealing: they tended to be noisy. Not
so our club's Solo. It's canopy and cockpit make a
nice, quiet environment to sit in. It is quieter in
the cockpit than my LS1-d.

As with the PW-5 and Russia you mentioned, it too has
a fixed landing gear.

Our club's has a CG hook and a nose (actually, more
of a 'chin') hook.

Leaving it assembled might entice you to fly it more
often than if it were in the trailer needed rigging/derigging
for each flight.

Just something to consider.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA



At 13:00 01 December 2004, Bill Alexander wrote:


I am returning to gliding shortly and am considering
buying either a PW5 or a Russia. Being of advanced
years i am looking for ease of assembly. Any pros or
cons please.

Bill Alexander