Newbie question on trailering Setup

I am wondering what is involved with trailering and setting up an
average (popular model) glider. Can one reasonable expect to park the
car, unload the trailer, and have glider ready to fly in under
90minutes? Does it usually take two people? Do gliders ever have
wings separate in flight due to weak attachment points?

"joe" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am wondering what is involved with trailering and setting up an
average (popular model) glider. Can one reasonable expect to park the
car, unload the trailer, and have glider ready to fly in under
90minutes?

A lot of people can do it alone under 30 minutes with simple assembly aids.

Does it usually take two people?

Not always, but it can help.

Do gliders ever have wings separate in flight due to weak attachment
points?

If the wings ever separate, it won't be at the attachment points. At least,
I've never heard of it.

Bill Daniels

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 04:05:33 GMT, Bill Daniels wrote:

"joe" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am wondering what is involved with trailering and setting up an
average (popular model) glider. Can one reasonable expect to park the
car, unload the trailer, and have glider ready to fly in under
90minutes?

A lot of people can do it alone under 30 minutes with simple assembly aids.

Does it usually take two people?

Not always, but it can help.

Do gliders ever have wings separate in flight due to weak attachment
points?

If the wings ever separate, it won't be at the attachment points. At least,
I've never heard of it.

Bill Daniels

Bill,
Wasn't there a fatal just a few years ago where one of the wing pins
in a DGsomething came out because the safety latch became
delaminated from the inside of the fuselage? Wing flexure in rough
conditions caused the pin to work out, as I remember.
John G.

I can reliably pull up to the gliderport and be on the runway, strapped
in, ready for a tow, in an hour. This is with an LS6b (manual
hookups), two people (the other person needed for 5 minutes max), Cobra
trailer, and not adding any water ballast. It does include taping,
loading batteries, parachute, drinking water, etc., washing, and
cleaning the canopy inside and out. Rigging the plane is usually the
quickest thing to do, expecially if you have auto hookups - maybe 15
minutes from pulling up to done. What takes more time (and which many
people seem to overlook when saying how quick they can rig) is a decent
tape job and a good wash. Add water ballast and you may have another
30 minutes. I would challenge anyone who says they can be ready to go
in 15 minutes to a race...but let them fly their own planes!

I like to give myself two hours from driving up to launching, so I'm
not rushed and have time to do a little flight planning (looking at the
sky, mainly!).

I don't worry about my wings coming off - I worry about spam can
drivers who don't look out the window.

Kirk
66

30 Minutes is typical ... sub 15 minutes is possible with an
experienced crew.

You can purchase or build one-person assembly aids to allow you to do
it alone. Some people are very practiced at this and can put together a
glider just about as quickly as a two-person team.

The attachment points have been designed and tested to fail at loads
well above those you are expected to encounter in flight when you are
operating the glider according to published/certified guidelines. Weak
attachment points are usually never cited as a accident issue ... pilot
error in controlling the glider ... or in hookig up/attaching the
flight controls during assembly ... are the typical causes of
structural/control failures. Most new glider designs now have
automatic control hookups, so when you install wings and elevators, the
control surfaces are properly connected to the cockpit. Even so, a
final check is used to insure the assembly is correct and the control
surfaces function properly.

KK

On 15 Dec 2004 19:27:39 -0800, "joe" wrote:

I am wondering what is involved with trailering and setting up an
average (popular model) glider. Can one reasonable expect to park the
car, unload the trailer, and have glider ready to fly in under
90minutes? Does it usually take two people? Do gliders ever have
wings separate in flight due to weak attachment points?

As others have answered, I'd say 90 minutes is just about right for
the COMPLETE job of making the ship ready. As for the assembly itself,
two people can typically do it in 15 minutes -- and six people can do
it in an hour...;-)

"joe" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am wondering what is involved with trailering and setting up an average
(popular model) glider.

As we lawyers reply to most questions... "It depends".
It depends on the trailer fixtures and how easy, or difficult, they make it
to move your glider parts around.
It depends on whether your glider has automatic control connections. If
not, it further depends on what type of connections the glider has.

Can one reasonable expect to park the car, unload the trailer, and have
glider ready to fly in under 90minutes?

Again, it depends on the glider. I used to own a 2002 Glasflugel that I
could assemble, tape, preflight and be ready to stage in 45 minutes. It
took an hour if I didn't have a helper.

Does it usually take two people?

Yes. unless you have some type of one-man rigging aid. Some gliders,
particualrly those with heavy wing panels or difficult control connections
will require a third person to assemble.

Do gliders ever have wings separate in flight due to weak attachment
points?

I don't know of any instances of gliders breaking at the assembly point.
Maybe someone who's been in this a lot longer than I have can answer that.