Pilot weight and gliding

(Mark James Boyd) wrote in message ...
How'd he do that since they're such hunks of junk? Perhaps a
LOT of time on tow... :PPPP

No, a lot of time circling, blissfully ignorant of how much more fun
I'd be having if I were flying a well-designed aircraft.

"George William Peter Reinhart" wrote in message ...
Note to Liam,
It IS ignorance if you haven't the ability to appreciate the elegance and
utility of the solution.
There will very likely be Schweizers serving yeoman duty teaching new
pilots to fly long after your done with flying and gone to meet your maker.
Cheers!

You've got it backwards. Ignorance is having known only Schweizers,
and being unable to appreciate how poorly designed and functioning
they are. I've been there.

In any case, don't let it bother you -- flying and soaring both kick ass!
Even if you have to fly in big clunky junk, it's still better than not
flying at all.

Well said. I've never left the field after soaring without having a smile on
my face.
So far I've only flown in a 2-33, Blanik and 1-26.

Douglas

Schweizers still have cruddy gelcoat.
GA

Best designed airplane is the one your backside is in...

OK that's not quite true, but there is as much fun to be had stooging
around in a vintage wood/tube and fabric glider, or a metal aerobatic
plane as there is in a modern composite machine. The flying may be
different, but you can enjoy it just as much.

I fly from a 1950's bergfalke, K13, Blanik L13, Grob 103 and std Cirrus.
On a marginal day or for taking passenger for a gentle ride there is no
question about which is the best. Spins in the K13 are fun - would not
describe them that way in the Cirrus...

When the air is hardly moving you can climb in the Bergie, while the
higher wingloading planes are landing. Control harmonisation wasn't
invented when Egon Scheibe designed this one, and it shows. Flying her
well is part of the fun. I assume the 2-33 is similar.

Now if you want to go somewhere it's a different matter.


Liam Finley wrote:
(Mark James Boyd) wrote in message ...

How'd he do that since they're such hunks of junk? Perhaps a
LOT of time on tow... :PPPP


No, a lot of time circling, blissfully ignorant of how much more fun
I'd be having if I were flying a well-designed aircraft.

(Doug Hoffman) wrote in message . com...
"Guy Byars" wrote in message ...

Most high performance gliders have provision to store ballast in the tail.
This could increase the minimum cockpit weight. You will have to reduce the
water ballast accordingly to stay below gross weight.

I will assume you meant "maximum" cockpit weight.

My apologies. You had it right with "minimum" cockpit weight.

-Doug

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 22:16:30 GMT, JohnH wrote:

Hello,

I'm just now learning about Gliding and will start instruction soon.
Question: I'm 6ft tall and weigh 232 lbs. Have I weighed myself out of
many sailplane options? I DO plan on losing some more weight, but just
in case I don't, would appreciate some knowledge on this The
instructor said I'm ok for the trainer I'll be flying in.

Thanks in advance

john