What gliders do you hate?

In the spirit of fun, what gliders (makes or specific ones) do you hate, distrust, or are just plain tired of. Have you given so many rides in one model that you never want to see it again? Is there a plane that, despite treating it right, just seemed to want to hurt you? Or is there one out there that is just so ugly that you can't stand it?

My pleas won't work, but let's keep it fun. .... I'll save my example for later in the discussion but I'll give you a hint; it's Polish made.

Terry (XN) in a ASW-27 (which I love)

On Wednesday, December 31, 2014 10:35:11 AM UTC-7, wrote:
In the spirit of fun, what gliders (makes or specific ones) do you hate, distrust, or are just plain tired of. Have you given so many rides in one model that you never want to see it again? Is there a plane that, despite treating it right, just seemed to want to hurt you? Or is there one out there that is just so ugly that you can't stand it?

My pleas won't work, but let's keep it fun. .... I'll save my example for later in the discussion but I'll give you a hint; it's Polish made.

Terry (XN) in a ASW-27 (which I love)

I can think of two from the early days.

I soloed in a flat-topped ("Double bubble")LK-10A which was a really nice glider but later I flew an unmodified LK-10A which was much less well maintained. It always seemed this glider was trying to kill me. Many improvements had been made to the flat-top which probably made a real difference.

The other was the TG-2 (SGS-2-8). It wasn't particularly nasty like the unmodified LK but the ailerons were unbelievably heavy, the visibility from the rear was virtually nil and the ergonomics were excruciating. The Vne was 72mph IIRC which made glides to the next thermal problematic.

On Wednesday, December 31, 2014 12:44:02 PM UTC-6, Bill D wrote:
On Wednesday, December 31, 2014 10:35:11 AM UTC-7, wrote:
In the spirit of fun, what gliders (makes or specific ones) do you hate, distrust, or are just plain tired of. Have you given so many rides in one model that you never want to see it again? Is there a plane that, despite treating it right, just seemed to want to hurt you? Or is there one out there that is just so ugly that you can't stand it?

My pleas won't work, but let's keep it fun. .... I'll save my example for later in the discussion but I'll give you a hint; it's Polish made.

Terry (XN) in a ASW-27 (which I love)

I can think of two from the early days.

I soloed in a flat-topped ("Double bubble")LK-10A which was a really nice glider but later I flew an unmodified LK-10A which was much less well maintained. It always seemed this glider was trying to kill me. Many improvements had been made to the flat-top which probably made a real difference.

The other was the TG-2 (SGS-2-8). It wasn't particularly nasty like the unmodified LK but the ailerons were unbelievably heavy, the visibility from the rear was virtually nil and the ergonomics were excruciating. The Vne was 72mph IIRC which made glides to the next thermal problematic.

Dick Johnson flew 310 miles in a 2-8. An incredible feat for sure.

I can't say i've ever flown a glider that I "hated". I seem to pretty much like all gliders, even Polish ones. Monerai is probably at the top of my dislike list.

I'll save my example for later in the discussion but I'll give you a hint; it's Polish made.

Most of the American made ones, would be my hint. Between: 1-26, 2-33, 1-34, Ford Taurus, 1-36... there hardly is anything worth mentioning.
As far far Pw-5 goes: you can only blame FAI for placing such preliminary limits on the world class design.

Happy New Year.

GK

On 12/31/2014 12:35 PM, wrote:
In the spirit of fun, what gliders (makes or specific ones) do you hate, distrust

There are gliders I (greatly) prefer over other gliders, but I can't say
that I hate or distrust any that I have flown. There is one Polish
model that I particularly love, even though it is unlikely to ever win a
contest (of either the beauty or the flying variety).

I didn't like flying the Blank L-13 because I didn't fit well in it and had to sit very awkwardly for the few flights I was forced to take. It flew week and handled nicely, but I was so uncomfortable that it was an unpleasant experience.

-John

Most of the American made ones, would be my hint. Between: 1-26, 2-33, 1-34, Ford Taurus, 1-36... there hardly is anything worth mentioning.

LOL!! I think I've flown the Ford Taurus.

My relationship to the 1-26 is strange. On one hand, I loved flying them. I've got 4 or 5 thousand miles of x/c in them. Great fun.....On the other hand, I'm not sure I'd ever fly one again with the great options our club has (and in an embarrassment of riches, my own plane.)

My relationship to the 1-26 is strange.

If you don't have what you like, you like what you have. Flown it exactly once, after being forced out of the two seater that was needed during a busy training day. Vividly remember the moment one of the instructors told me I was going to have a ball, while closing my canopy. After releasing and toping a thermal, tried reaching another cloud, going against 10-15kt wind. Boy was I surprised when pushing the stick forward only resulted my altimeter to unwind with the speeds I had only observed before while skydiving... Half way towards the other cloud had to call quits and land. Never had been tempted to have a ball again.

On Wednesday, December 31, 2014 12:35:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
In the spirit of fun, what gliders (makes or specific ones) do you hate, distrust, or are just plain tired of. Have you given so many rides in one model that you never want to see it again? Is there a plane that, despite treating it right, just seemed to want to hurt you? Or is there one out there that is just so ugly that you can't stand it?

My pleas won't work, but let's keep it fun. .... I'll save my example for later in the discussion but I'll give you a hint; it's Polish made.

Terry (XN) in a ASW-27 (which I love)

I hate racism, sexism, etc., in short, I hate hate. But gliders? What's to hate. It's an awful word. Save the word for really awful things. There are no hateful gliders.

On Wed, 31 Dec 2014 17:58:13 -0800, Peter Smith wrote:

I hate racism, sexism, etc., in short, I hate hate. But gliders? What's
to hate. It's an awful word. Save the word for really awful things.
There are no hateful gliders.

I understand where you're coming from, but some gliders are nicer that
others. For instance, I'll take an SZD Junior any time if the other
choices are a G.102 Astir, ASK-23 or PW-5. I've flown all four and for my
money the Junior is more responsive and generally nicer to fly than any
of the others.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |