Sparrowhawk handling

Good point about flying more frequently. I wonder how many hours the average glider pilot logs in a year?

On Sunday, August 9, 2015 at 8:50:16 AM UTC+3, wrote:
Good point about flying more frequently. I wonder how many hours the average glider pilot logs in a year?

I've averaged about 15, over 30 years.

Some years, nothing at all. One year 90. Most years 10 - 15.

I've flown quite a bit the last three years, since I became an instructor, doing a day of trial flights every two or three weeks. But it's likely to be near zero the next three years, as I've taken a job in Moscow and there seems to be not a lot around here. I'm planning to visit friends in Szeged (Hungary) from time to time for a fix, and maybe others in Germany/Czech/Poland too. But it's not going to be a lot of hours...

I remember one year I had a goal of getting 400 hours in my ASW-24. I went on two soaring vacations, flew every Saturday and even during the week if the weather was forecast to be great, At the end of the year I added up my hours 275 hours was all. Sure put in many miles that year and learned a lot.

I've got 3000+ hrs in my Ventus B and 6k total. Did 350/year for about 15 years out west working 4-10s flying Fri, sat and sun

CH

Tony-

After watching your progression from a teenager with your Cherokee (on RAS mostly) through the studly flights you are getting now, I can conclude that you are not (and never were) the fearful, ham-handed newbie Hartley is referring to.

Remember that some folks are born to fly, some can learn to fly, some can deal with flying, some are accidents searching for an address.

There is always Fantasy Football and Gardening.

In my experience as an instructor, most pilots who have trouble with aero tow do not have an adequate command of rudder usage. This is not limited to student pilots.

At 14:12 07 August 2015, Hartley Falbaum wrote:
Is the Sparrowhawk handling suitable for a low time glider pilot who
flies
=
infrequently? How is pitch and roll sensitivity compared to say, a Discus
B=
? One of our club members seems to have a big problem staying in
position
=
on tow. He does just OK in a K21. I need to know how to help him or
convers=
ely, suggest he do something else. I have 1-26 , 1-34, LS4, ASW20, ASW
27,
=
DG808, and Discus CS experience.

Thanks in Advance

Hartley Falbaum CFIG, USA


It sounds like he rather needs to go back to dual. If he can't keep a K21
there he is in real danger to himself and worse to the tow pilot.

Early last year two tow planes went down in the initial stages of the
launch in South Africa and New Zealand!

On Friday, August 7, 2015 at 9:12:10 AM UTC-5, Hartley Falbaum wrote:
Is the Sparrowhawk handling suitable for a low time glider pilot who flies infrequently? How is pitch and roll sensitivity compared to say, a Discus B? One of our club members seems to have a big problem staying in position on tow. He does just OK in a K21. I need to know how to help him or conversely, suggest he do something else. I have 1-26 , 1-34, LS4, ASW20, ASW 27, DG808, and Discus CS experience.

Thanks in Advance

Hartley Falbaum CFIG, USA

Hello:
I can answer that question as I just had my first 3 flights in my Sparrowhawk. I too am a low time glider pilot with 40 hours, 105 flights. However, I do have considerable total time in very large airplanes. Most of my glider time is in the Grob 103 Twin II, but I have flown a Blanik L13,&23.

So on to the answer, I would say that they should not fly the Sparrowhawk until they can handle a more docile glider. It's a very responsive airplane, the roll rate is very fast, but the pitch is faster and will surprise you on take-off and tow. I think my lack of experience in single seat gliders is key here, and the combo of a C.G. hook and very light weight are big factors. At 60kts we climb out at 1000fpm, and the nose is pitched up a bit too high and the dash blocks the view of the towplane, so 65kts works much better.

I love how the Sparrowhawk handles, you really fell the bumps, and it can stay in a small thermal, plus it will fly very slow. If the thermals are broken up a bit, then using a "dolphin" technique works well to get to the next thermal. Also, it is very easy to land, I think because with the spoilers up the control rates slow down a bit. It lands just like a the Grob, 60 kts on final, tail first, but hold the stick back during roll out.

Its a fantastic airplane to fly and own, and I am very pleased I made the purchase, but its not a trainer glider. Feel free to contact me via phone if you wish, just let me know and we can set it up.
Mike T

On Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 10:39:14 PM UTC+3, wrote:
At 60kts we climb out at 1000fpm, and the nose is pitched
up a bit too high and the dash blocks the view of the
towplane, so 65kts works much better.

I used to feel that way in the PW5 until I realized that I was trying to keep the towplane on (or near to) the horizon. The climb rate and angle is so great in a light glider behind a powerful Pawnee that the towplane should be nowhere near the horizon! You are probably WAY above the path that the towplane took. Drop down until you feel the slipstream, then come up a little. Now the glider's nose won't be in the way.

On Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 9:44:17 AM UTC-5, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 10:39:14 PM UTC+3, wrote:
At 60kts we climb out at 1000fpm, and the nose is pitched
up a bit too high and the dash blocks the view of the
towplane, so 65kts works much better.

I used to feel that way in the PW5 until I realized that I was trying to keep the towplane on (or near to) the horizon. The climb rate and angle is so great in a light glider behind a powerful Pawnee that the towplane should be nowhere near the horizon! You are probably WAY above the path that the towplane took. Drop down until you feel the slipstream, then come up a little. Now the glider's nose won't be in the way.

Thanks for the tip Bruce, I did try it and thought is worked well. I am a little concerned about the tow rope metal link rubbing the nose section. I use a shorter weak link (about 8 inches) and I wonder if the rope is rubbing on my glider at that angle? I did notice some scuff marks on the nose when I was putting my glider away.