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Not sure I'd agree with your thinking on the marketing of the
sustainer and the self-launch glider (ignoring the Ultralights; incidentally the Silent Electro is an ultralight in Europe). As a long time owner of several self-launch sailplanes I'd say self launch buyers and sustainer buyers tend to have different priorities. Self launchers are heavier, costlier and more complex: unless you do a lot of flying (say 200 hours per year) their real running costs are more than a conventional sailplane. Plus their glide performance, especially in weak conditions, is worse: this is a real drawback. And when they breakdown the costs can be truly fantastic: look up the cost of rebuilding a Solo or rotary engine or, worse, buying a new engine. Against this is the hard to quantify "independence" and the ability to get home (usually). Remember all self-launch owners are complete masters of that branch of accounting known as "man maths". Sustainer owners and buyers are a much saner bunch; lower costs, lighter weight, minor (or nil) performance loss and you still get home (usually). Not sure many go from sustainer to self launch? I can see self launch owners going to FES though. Dave Walsh |
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