soaring into the future

Brad wrote:
The up-front tooling costs to use automated processes would be way to
costly, at least for a small company to bootstrap itself into this
biz. IMHO.

I'd say that a big part of the necessary innovation will be in figuring
out how to fabricate low cost equipment and tooling that can automate
some aspects of the production process without breaking the bank. Given
commodity availability of laser-based precision 3D locating devices,
servos and associated controllers, plus ubiquitous computers, the main
thing that seems to missing is rethinking the nature of the tooling one
uses for these processes.

By the way, one of the classic arguments against the PW-5 and similar
"low end" gliders, was that it was possible to obtain decent used
gliders with greater performance for the same price. Unfortunately (or
fortunately, if you have one to sell) here in the US the supply of
decent used gliders in the $20K to $30K range has pretty much dried up.
This appears to be due to a combination of market forces, as the sky
high price of new gliders has increased the demand and price for the 10
to 15 year old gliders that used to be the "bread and butter" of the
market. The owners of decent 15 to 20 year old gliders appear to be
holding onto what they have, as they can't be replaced for a reasonable
price. Plus, every US gliderport has a number of 25+ year old glass
gliders rotting in trailers, as it is no longer economical to refinish
them...

Marc

There are many existing and potential soaring pilots who consider
$25000 a HUGE amount of money. Until people start talking about a
rugged 2 seat primary and XC trainer for under $15k with a
complimentary single seat XC capable machine for under $10k brand new,
this is just an academic exercise. Of course anything new would have
to be crashworthy, BRS, auto hookups, tough enough to land off field,
aerodynamic trailer and maybe even self launch too.

I may be crazy but you just wait and see. Until the above comes along
it's going to be business as usual.

I hate the 2-33 as much as the next guy but man those Schweizers
really had some things figured out. Without them I bet soaring would
have died in the US. Now we need the next generation of practical
innovations and solid leadership.

The Sparrow Hawk is awesome but it costs too freeking much! The Hart
Aero Turkey Vulture trainer is affordable but what a turkey! I don't
have the answers but I believe we have the materials and tools and
knowlede to synthesize some answers that are better than another
$25000 piece of glass. Come on! Think outside the freeking box! And
NO I don't want to see any stupid flying wing canard ultralight dacron
honeycomb cheese sandwich vacuum ziploc bagged ASW point zero two five
thousand glass cockpit modern marvel. Give me a simple solid safe
metal, wood or glass glider that doesn't cost a fortune.

MM