Good sailplanes for tall pilots?

6'3", 185 lbs.

There are several threads on RAS that discussed this in some detail in the past. A few points:

1. Height matters but torso height can matter just as much. That makes stories of someone else of X height fitting into Y glider not irrelevant, but just not very definitive. The only way to find out is to try out the specific cockpit yourself.
2. Gliders of the same make and model aren't always the same. My ASW 24, for example, has at least four different cockpit arrangements. The early serial numbers (up to about 32 or 36, IIRC) are tighter. Later ASW 24s benefited from the gear being mounted differently, which opened up the cockpit. the 24B seemed to have even more room. And then there's mine, a 24 that was equipped at the factory for tall pilots, which meant it has an aftermarket instrument panel with higher knee cutouts, the rudder pedals moved forward a few cm, and no back rest, instead getting the left and right covers over the baggage areas that come with the 24E motorglider and cover the fuel tanks.. Fits me very well...with the right parachute.
3. Many gliders can be made to fit by removing the backrest (ASW 19/20, for example), putting in thinner cushions, etc. Some, like the LS-3 (which was very comfortable for me as is), have an adjustment not just for the upper backrest but also the lower mounting. Different combinations of upper and lower settings can yield significantly different fit and comfort. Again, the only way to find out is to try on the specific glider.
4. Speaking of parachutes, I appreciate not wanting to wear one. They can be uncomfortable just as some cockpits are. Mine is quite comfortable. It's also one of the few that will allow me to get into the glider: thin behind the shoulders and thick in the lumbar area. Most are the opposite or evenly thick. I don't wear one because of aerobatics. They're mandatory for contests, which is most of my flying these days. But as important, once you start spending time in crowded thermals in very close proximity with other gliders even around your local airport, you'll begin to understand why most of us wear chutes even when not required. With midair collision being the thing I fear the most because it's not completely within my control, knowing I have a chute strapped to my back is somewhat reassuring.
5. My focus has always been on cockpit length. Broader shoulders and torso can present their own challenges. The only way to find out for sure....

Chip Bearden

On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 7:47:30 PM UTC-7, wrote:
6'3", 185 lbs.

There are several threads on RAS that discussed this in some detail in the past. A few points:

1. Height matters but torso height can matter just as much. That makes stories of someone else of X height fitting into Y glider not irrelevant, but just not very definitive. The only way to find out is to try out the specific cockpit yourself.
2. Gliders of the same make and model aren't always the same. My ASW 24, for example, has at least four different cockpit arrangements. The early serial numbers (up to about 32 or 36, IIRC) are tighter. Later ASW 24s benefited from the gear being mounted differently, which opened up the cockpit. the 24B seemed to have even more room. And then there's mine, a 24 that was equipped at the factory for tall pilots, which meant it has an aftermarket instrument panel with higher knee cutouts, the rudder pedals moved forward a few cm, and no back rest, instead getting the left and right covers over the baggage areas that come with the 24E motorglider and cover the fuel tanks. Fits me very well...with the right parachute.
3. Many gliders can be made to fit by removing the backrest (ASW 19/20, for example), putting in thinner cushions, etc. Some, like the LS-3 (which was very comfortable for me as is), have an adjustment not just for the upper backrest but also the lower mounting. Different combinations of upper and lower settings can yield significantly different fit and comfort. Again, the only way to find out is to try on the specific glider.
4. Speaking of parachutes, I appreciate not wanting to wear one. They can be uncomfortable just as some cockpits are. Mine is quite comfortable. It's also one of the few that will allow me to get into the glider: thin behind the shoulders and thick in the lumbar area. Most are the opposite or evenly thick. I don't wear one because of aerobatics. They're mandatory for contests, which is most of my flying these days. But as important, once you start spending time in crowded thermals in very close proximity with other gliders even around your local airport, you'll begin to understand why most of us wear chutes even when not required. With midair collision being the thing I fear the most because it's not completely within my control, knowing I have a chute strapped to my back is somewhat reassuring.
5. My focus has always been on cockpit length. Broader shoulders and torso can present their own challenges. The only way to find out for sure....

Chip Bearden

I have spent a lot of money on a parachute that I never expect to use for the reasons you mention. The reality, however, is that a small number of glider pilot lives have been saved by the use of their parachutes. I acknowledge that even the remote possibility of my life being saved by a chute is worth the cost (certainly in my wife's mind!). The chute is clearly a matter of last resort, after all other efforts have failed. I believe that concentrating on those other interventions is at least as important. That said, I had the closest near miss ever this summer: I missed a head-on glider (closing speed of around 260 kt TAS) with a 15 ft wing tip to wing tip clearance!

Tom