Good sailplanes for tall pilots?

On Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 6:29:11 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
The HP-24 would fit you just fine, I guarantee it. It has 18m tips and FES as options. You also get to do all your own inspections and maintenance.

https://www.facebook.com/HP-24-Sailp...t-200931354951

Thanks, Bob K.

www.hpaircraft.com

The hpaircraft.com link times out with nothing loading. I don't use Facebook.

Le jeudi 8 septembre 2016 13:54:56 UTC+2, a écritÂ*:
On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 6:12:37 AM UTC-5, joesimmers wrote:
Since you are snug in the G103, the roomiest cockpit
out there is the Genesis.


Now that I think about it, I recall that the G103 had some crazy thick pads in the seat. At the time, I was fairly new to gliders, so it didn't occur to me that the pad thickness could be changed out. I think what I should do is:
1. Test the seat with no pads. If it's too tight, then that ship is off the list.
2. Test it with whatever pads the owner has. If I still fit, great. If not, then I know that a thinner pad will probably allow me to fit.
3. Research the availability of thinner pads for the glider described in #2 above. As long as I don't have to pay $2k for some custom-stitched job, I can get along.

Now parachutes are another story. Unless I have an acro bird, I do not plan to wear one. I hate them. And the thickness of a chute is likely to create insurmountable fit problems. Does anyone want to rebut these points? Or do I seem reasonable?

The roomiest cockpit by far (for modern gliders) is the DG-1000 / DG-1001 two-seater. Aerobatic with the 18 m tips, better performance of course with the 20 m tips. Even with a chute, it should be no problem at all.

Have you considered a Schweitzer 2-32 ? Roomy, high canopy, great load carrying capability. Can fit two people in the back seat if they're real close and less than 300 lbs total.

I'm 6'3" and 230 lbs and fit quite nicely in my Kestrel 19 (and the H.401 Kestrel has the same fuselage), and I wear a parachute.

Odd (to me) that you complain about the G103. I fit quite nicely in a Twin Astir T, Twin II and Twin II Acro, but with very thin cushions. No parachute; I'd be too heavy.

I don't like the fit of the K-21; I pull out the seat back and the sides press into my shoulders. I don't fit at all with my parachute on, but again, too heavy.

6'3' and weigh more than you (all I am going to say about that). I fly a 304cz very comfortably. I removed the seat back to get a bit more headroom, but is only an issue if you were going to share the glider with someone height chalenged. My height is mostly in my torso, but there is a version with a higher cutout for you legs for more legroom.

BTW I also fly a Duo T (not an XL) and there is no hope in the back seat, it might work in the front.

RR



On Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 7:19:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I am 6'4" tall. I weigh about 200-210lbs clothed. My height is fairly evenly distributed between legs and torso. My arms are rather long, though.
Please help me start developing a shopping list for a decent glider that I can enjoy owning and flying without cramps or impeded control movements. This would be my first foray into ownership, but I expect to own multiple in the future.

On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 3:56:37 PM UTC+3, wrote:
Le jeudi 8 septembre 2016 13:54:56 UTC+2, a écritÂ*:
On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 6:12:37 AM UTC-5, joesimmers wrote:
Since you are snug in the G103, the roomiest cockpit
out there is the Genesis.


Now that I think about it, I recall that the G103 had some crazy thick pads in the seat. At the time, I was fairly new to gliders, so it didn't occur to me that the pad thickness could be changed out. I think what I should do is:
1. Test the seat with no pads. If it's too tight, then that ship is off the list.
2. Test it with whatever pads the owner has. If I still fit, great. If not, then I know that a thinner pad will probably allow me to fit.
3. Research the availability of thinner pads for the glider described in #2 above. As long as I don't have to pay $2k for some custom-stitched job, I can get along.

Now parachutes are another story. Unless I have an acro bird, I do not plan to wear one. I hate them. And the thickness of a chute is likely to create insurmountable fit problems. Does anyone want to rebut these points? Or do I seem reasonable?

The roomiest cockpit by far (for modern gliders) is the DG-1000 / DG-1001 two-seater. Aerobatic with the 18 m tips, better performance of course with the 20 m tips. Even with a chute, it should be no problem at all.

DG1000 is very roomy in the back, but a bit narrow in the front!

I've sometimes contemplated throwing a bunch of ballast in the front and flying it solo from the back. But I've always managed to find a victim willing to sit in the front...

On Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 7:19:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I am 6'4" tall. I weigh about 200-210lbs clothed. My height is fairly evenly distributed between legs and torso. My arms are rather long, though.
Please help me start developing a shopping list for a decent glider that I can enjoy owning and flying without cramps or impeded control movements. This would be my first foray into ownership, but I expect to own multiple in the future.

Factors to consider:
1. Prefer 2-place to single-seat, but I'm open to both.
2. If 2-place, must be FAA type-certified with standard airworthiness certificate. No experimentals. I want to be able to give commercial rides, instruction, and CAP cadet o-rides. Solo ships can be experimental, but not amateur-built.
3. Will consider self-launchers, sustainers, and motorgliders, but not looking to get into that price range.
4. Will consider antiques & open cockpits, if they have a provenance.
5. Not concerned with competition.
6. Acro would be a plus.
7. Will consider something life-limited (e.g., Lark) if I can get it super-cheap to use as a disposable platform for a couple hundred hours to better identify what I really want from a glider.
8. Priced under $30k, $10-15k is better.

My experience:
Highly active airplane pilot, IFR, 1000+ hours. Low-time glider pilot (100 hrs).

Here's what I have flown:
L-23: Fits okay, not very charming to own.
ASK-21: Tight, but doable
G103: Tighter than the ASK-21, prefer to avoid
Bergfalke: Antique wooden open-cockpit novelty; not a candidate.

I'll be trying out a SGS 1-23 and an LS-1f this weekend. There are several KA-6 models for sale all over right now (did they just get hit with an AD or something?), so some targeted opinions on these 3 would be timely.

Cheers

Hooray! another plug for the Kestrel 19 ($15K US should buy one.)
JMF

A 6'3" friend of mine flies with a parachute in his ASW-24 (no seat back) and in my previous DG-101 with seat back (and I have to assume the identical cockpit of the 100/200/300 series).

Puchacz has to be the roomiest 2-seater I've ever seen.

On Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 7:19:05 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I am 6'4" tall. I weigh about 200-210lbs clothed. My height is fairly evenly distributed between legs and torso. My arms are rather long, though.
Please help me start developing a shopping list for a decent glider that I can enjoy owning and flying without cramps or impeded control movements. This would be my first foray into ownership, but I expect to own multiple in the future.

Factors to consider:
1. Prefer 2-place to single-seat, but I'm open to both.
2. If 2-place, must be FAA type-certified with standard airworthiness certificate. No experimentals. I want to be able to give commercial rides, instruction, and CAP cadet o-rides. Solo ships can be experimental, but not amateur-built.
3. Will consider self-launchers, sustainers, and motorgliders, but not looking to get into that price range.
4. Will consider antiques & open cockpits, if they have a provenance.
5. Not concerned with competition.
6. Acro would be a plus.
7. Will consider something life-limited (e.g., Lark) if I can get it super-cheap to use as a disposable platform for a couple hundred hours to better identify what I really want from a glider.
8. Priced under $30k, $10-15k is better.

My experience:
Highly active airplane pilot, IFR, 1000+ hours. Low-time glider pilot (100 hrs).

Here's what I have flown:
L-23: Fits okay, not very charming to own.
ASK-21: Tight, but doable
G103: Tighter than the ASK-21, prefer to avoid
Bergfalke: Antique wooden open-cockpit novelty; not a candidate.

I'll be trying out a SGS 1-23 and an LS-1f this weekend. There are several KA-6 models for sale all over right now (did they just get hit with an AD or something?), so some targeted opinions on these 3 would be timely.

Cheers

Just a note on your "requirements" - the major dividing point here is single place vs. 2 place. Frankly, there are very few 2-place gliders in the US that come close to meeting your core requirements based on price. Under $30K rules out K-21s, Grob 103s, SGS 2-32s, and any of the more modern, high performance ships. You're looking at K-13s, Larks (if you can find one), and other more rare birds. Acro will probably have to be dropped. Etc.

An original Twin Astir is an option; the front cockpit is huge and the seat load is enormous. There are typically some available to import from Europe; not as many in the US. A good one would probably push your $30K number by a bit.

If you give up on 2-place, then a lot of the single place options already given sound good. FWIW, my first glider was a share in a Grob Astir CS. It has easily the biggest cockpit of any single place glass ship I've flow (and I've flow a bunch for Schleichers, LS, Schempp Hirth, etc.).

Are you in the NY area? Your email sort of suggests this. If so, you can look at a few options out at Blairstown, including a Twin Astir.

Erik Mann

On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 11:29:19 AM UTC-4, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 3:56:37 PM UTC+3, wrote:
Le jeudi 8 septembre 2016 13:54:56 UTC+2, a écritÂ*:
On Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 6:12:37 AM UTC-5, joesimmers wrote:
Since you are snug in the G103, the roomiest cockpit
out there is the Genesis.


Now that I think about it, I recall that the G103 had some crazy thick pads in the seat. At the time, I was fairly new to gliders, so it didn't occur to me that the pad thickness could be changed out. I think what I should do is:
1. Test the seat with no pads. If it's too tight, then that ship is off the list.
2. Test it with whatever pads the owner has. If I still fit, great. If not, then I know that a thinner pad will probably allow me to fit.
3. Research the availability of thinner pads for the glider described in #2 above. As long as I don't have to pay $2k for some custom-stitched job, I can get along.

Now parachutes are another story. Unless I have an acro bird, I do not plan to wear one. I hate them. And the thickness of a chute is likely to create insurmountable fit problems. Does anyone want to rebut these points? Or do I seem reasonable?

The roomiest cockpit by far (for modern gliders) is the DG-1000 / DG-1001 two-seater. Aerobatic with the 18 m tips, better performance of course with the 20 m tips. Even with a chute, it should be no problem at all.

DG1000 is very roomy in the back, but a bit narrow in the front!

I've sometimes contemplated throwing a bunch of ballast in the front and flying it solo from the back. But I've always managed to find a victim willing to sit in the front...

Are there many DG1000's available for less than $30,000?