a few more newbie's pre-purchase questions

At 15:42 27 January 2004, Tim Ward wrote:

'Ted Wagner' wrote in message
. ..
a.. Flaps or no? (I'll be flying mostly in Arizona,
more x-country than
local.)

Flaps or not may not be as significant as it once was.
I am a flaps guy, but if I had a choice between a
sweet LS4 with a good trailer, and a rough LS3 with
a cruddy trailer- I would take the 4 in a heartbeat.
A cruddy trailer will make rigging miserable.

c.. What is the most popular solution to the call-of-nature
problem?

If you plan on flying in Arizona in the summer, you
better have a system that works! KS had an article
on this somewhere. Texas Catheter system can be very
much a hands-off system if designed properly.

Earlier, "Ted Wagner" wrote:

a.. Flaps or no? (I'll be flying mostly
in Arizona, more x-country than local.)

I like to think of it as "airbrakes or no". But let's not open that
can of worms today.

c.. What is the most popular solution
to the call-of-nature problem?

That Depends...

I believe that the usual choices a

Men: external catheters, zip-lock baggies, plastic bottles, diapers

Women: diapers, awkward-looking funnels

And some folks wonder why there are so few women in our sport.

This might be TMI, but before a long flight I tape the zipper of a
zip-lock baggie so it's mostly closed, and then tape a PVC pipe elbow
fitting into the remaining opening. I prefer the heavy-duty freezer
baggies. The baggie is generally more conformal than a bottle, and the
elbow fitting helps solve the "uphill start" problem.

Some folks have elaborate overboard dump tubes that they extend out of
the belly of their glider so that they can pour overboard without
getting pee on the glider. This is more than an aesthetic concern,
since the pee is corrosive and often gets drawn into the landing gear
well where it can corrode the metal undercarriage parts.

Bob K.

c.. What is the most popular solution
to the call-of-nature problem?


One tip I learned the hard way- try it on the ground first!! If your solution
is not leakproof it is better to find out when you can leap out of the cockpit
rather than at 6000ft
Once you start it is very difficult to stop and it is very uncomfortable
sitting a pudddle for 5 hrs
Nigel

Ted,

Regarding c):
Forget about 'relief tubes' that end outside the glider unless you
attach the trailing end to your gear door. This also requires you to
extend the gear before letting go. Even then I'd be concerned that the
pee will make its way along the fuselage and end up corroding your
rudder hinges and cables.
Get a dozen or two 'external male catheters' (the friendly girl at the
medical supplies place will help you find the right size. Careful,
they laugh when you go for extra large and small sizes. Next you ask
for the large pee bag with check valve on the infeed and manual dump
valve on the out. It comes with a silicon tube around 2 feet long.
The bag and tube can be used repeatedly, I rinse mine, though.
I'll spare you the details of putting it all together... Seriously,
this is an absolute MUST on most every flight, don't leave the airport
area without it.

Herb, J7

"Ted Wagner" wrote in message .. .
a.. Flaps or no? (I'll be flying mostly in Arizona, more x-country
than local.)
b.. Opinions on the Rigging Innovations P-124 emergency parachute
system? (Yes, I know it's a ram-air parachute. I have much more
experience on that kind of glider.) Mostly looking for feedback on
comfort compared to other products.
c.. What is the most popular solution to the call-of-nature problem?
(A topic conspicuously absent from the x/c portions of my (two) soaring
books!) Are relief tubes offered in new(er) gliders? (No, this will not
affect my choice of glider.)
d.. What is the best L/D of a laden swallow?
-ted

--

Tony Verhulst wrote:

Pee tubes are popular, followed by various baggies or containers
(Gatorade bottles work just fine in a 1-34, but not at all in an LS6

Pee tubes with the cutout thing at the end that looks like half
a turkey baster are great. Without the encloser at the end, any
mishandling of the stick can result in buying a new map.

I know one guy who just wears Depends. He says it's both
for relief and when he does something that scares himself (haha).
Maybe this would work for the gals, too.

Bags are nasty and leaky. Even the ones with that adsorbent
gel stuff are gross and messy...

Mark James Boyd wrote:

Tony Verhulst wrote:

Pee tubes are popular, followed by various baggies or containers
(Gatorade bottles work just fine in a 1-34, but not at all in an LS6


Pee tubes with the cutout thing at the end that looks like half
a turkey baster are great. Without the encloser at the end, any
mishandling of the stick can result in buying a new map.

I know one guy who just wears Depends. He says it's both
for relief and when he does something that scares himself (haha).
Maybe this would work for the gals, too.

Bags are nasty and leaky. Even the ones with that adsorbent
gel stuff are gross and messy...

Bombs Away! No mess, fertilize the forest, and the bags are
photodegradable.

Shawn

Bombs Away! No mess, fertilize the forest, and the
bags are
photodegradable.

Shawn

I'll remember that next time I am 2 miles out from
straight in landing on Salida 24, better have a strong
umbrella Shawn

If you do choose to go the Texas catheter route, use
a velcro strap for securing. Those adhesive ones are
very OOWWEEE when being removed.

Stewart Kissel wrote:

Bombs Away! No mess, fertilize the forest, and the
bags are
photodegradable.

Shawn


I'll remember that next time I am 2 miles out from
straight in landing on Salida 24, better have a strong
umbrella Shawn

"Ain't no luck, I learned to duck."

If you do choose to go the Texas catheter route, use
a velcro strap for securing. Those adhesive ones are
very OOWWEEE when being removed.

Makes ya wonder about Texas.

Bob Kuykendall wrote:


Some folks have elaborate overboard dump tubes that they extend out of
the belly of their glider so that they can pour overboard without
getting pee on the glider. This is more than an aesthetic concern,
since the pee is corrosive and often gets drawn into the landing gear
well where it can corrode the metal undercarriage parts.

Or worse: it corrodes the rudder hinges and cables. The successful
systems aren't really elaborate (it's just a tube sliding through a
tube), but are long enough to extend away from the glider. Some do it by
having the end of the tube at the back, rear, bottom corner of an
extended gear door (requires the gear to be partially extended in use);
some use a stiff tube that is pushed out the belly, which gets the pee
far enough from the glider it doesn't land on it. It's best to look at a
successful system for guidance, so you can avoid potential corrosion
problems.

--
-----
change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

In our club in hot Aussie conditions, the CFI and his mob will discus
matters with you, if you take off without adequate water, a hat and a relief
system. The drop off in pilot performance due to dehydration is dramatic and
has been attributed to many accident. We have professional colour charts in
the toilets warning of the risks. The volume of water carried for drinking
on a long flight in hot conditions is amazing. Food is another seperate
issue that hopefully someone might like to start a new thread.

The "****a phone" to the outside is great and perhaps a internal comtainer
syastem. You must ensure secure fitting as corrosion is an issue. So is the
little yellow crysals during negative G manouvers. Yes it has happened to
me.

Wine cask bladders with a suitable valve are Ok for ergonomically suitable
gliders and people. The cut off disposable petrol filters work great with
suitable sanding to a smooth surface.

Catheters (called in our club Irish Condoms due to the hole in the end )
work well.

All of these though are best tried on the ground or at home, so troubles are
sorted ot beforehand.

Good soaring
Robert