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#1
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Bob wrote:
Another thing, K-8's sell from 1500€ (2000$). These planes are still flyable and have pased inspection in the last year as here in Germany all planes get inspected yearly by the LVB. I checked about shipping on 2 months ago and was quoted a price of 2000€ from Bremerhaven to Charleston. K8s are fun to fly, but very dispiriting if you have any headwind at all. If you have USD10-20k to spend, and want to do any more than soar locally around your home airfield, then glass is the only way to go IMHO. I've had fun flying a K6, in which you can do good XC flying, but this also becomes too tiring for a new XC pilot - serious XC in a K6 is for the more experienced pilot. The advantage of anything with a claimed 38:1 L/D or better (Astir, ASW15, Libelle, etc) is that you can fly into wind and sample more than one or two potential thermals. With the K6, K8 and, I suspect, the I-26, if you don't connect first or second time you're on the ground. As other posters have said, you will want a glider which (a) has a good trailer and (b) is easy to rig. Every glider is made easier to rig with two or more trestles (wood, nails hinges and carpet - dead easy to build), and one man rigging gear can be really effective if you have space in the trailer to store it. As an example, I fly a 1968 Open Cirrus, which has pretty heavy wings and is not thought easy to rig. With home-made (sub-USD100) rigging gear I can assemble it without help in up to 15kt winds in about 20 mins. This means I can take it anywhere to fly it, and even self-retrieve by hitch-hiking back and collecting the trailer (though I've not yet alienated my friends so much as to need to do so). I used to fly a Grob Astir (again, not thought easy to rig), and using two trestles and a simple wing root dolly two of us could assemble it in 15 mins with almost no lifting. One man rig would have been possible if the trailer had had space to store the gear. Leaving the glider assembled is very much over-rated. Apart from anything else, if you're experienced in putting it together and taking it apart, then you have no fear of heading off XC because, after all, it needs to be disassembled somewhere (so why not a field?). I've known friends who don't fly XC because they're afraid they'll have problems retrieving the glider if they land out - I know mine will be back in the trailer in 15 mins, so off I go. In summary, my advice would be: a. Buy 38:1 L/D (claimed) or better; b. A good trailer is essential; c. Assemble/dissassemble every time you fly until this is no barrier to flying/going somewhere - make as many rigging aids as you need to make this easy. d. Fly it lots! Rig unless it's clearly not soarable. Don't be one of those pilots who says, mid-afternoon, "it would have been worth rigging after all". If you don't launch, it's only 15 mins (see (c) above) to put the glider back in its trailer after all. |
#2
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Chris Reed wrote:
Leaving the glider assembled is very much over-rated. Apart from anything else, if you're experienced in putting it together and taking it apart, then you have no fear of heading off XC because, after all, it needs to be disassembled somewhere (so why not a field?). I've known friends who don't fly XC because they're afraid they'll have problems retrieving the glider if they land out My experience was just the opposite. I had my longest x-country flight ever in the LAK-12, i.e., I ventured much farther away from home. The glide and performance are very confidence-inspiring. But I agree with you that one should have competent rigging/derigging aids, which my LAK has, so that fear of land-out is removed from the equation. I have no fear whatsoever of outlanding and field derigging. They are easy to take apart because precision alignment is not an issue. Reassembling however is best done on a hard and level surface back at the airport. Regards, -Doug |
#3
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On May 6, 9:32*pm, Chris Reed wrote:
Bob wrote: Another thing, K-8's sell from 1500€ (2000$). These planes are still flyable and have pased inspection in the last year as here in Germany all planes get inspected yearly by the LVB. I checked about shipping on 2 months ago and was quoted a price of 2000€ from Bremerhaven to Charleston. K8s are fun to fly, but very dispiriting if you have any headwind at all. If you have USD10-20k to spend, and want to do any more than soar locally around your home airfield, then glass is the only way to go IMHO. I've had fun flying a K6, in which you can do good XC flying, but this also becomes too tiring for a new XC pilot - serious XC in a K6 is for the more experienced pilot. Chris I wasn't advocating the K-8 as much as giving it as an alternative to the 1-26, same performance for less money. I agree totally about glass! An Astir, Cirrus, ASW15... The list is endless and all can be had for 10-20$ with sutable (not perfect but usable) trailer. Bob (Who's first plane purchase is a part of a Nimbus 3DT) |
#4
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Dont rule out a share in a higher performance 2 seater. At our club we have
about 8 syndicates with high performance 2 seaters such as AS25, Duo Discus, DG1000t and Nimbus 3dt. The share price would be about the same but the running costs, insurance etc are split several ways. The advantages are that you are very often flying with experienced pilots ( I can think of several national champions and national team members.)who can teach and coach you in cross country techniques and advanced soaring. It is also companionable and one can be flying the aircraft whilst the other is navigating, sorting out the sandwiches, using the radio etc. Nigel |
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