ASW 20 Recommendation?

In article ,
says...
I'm doing some research on the ASW-20 "A" model to see it it's a good
fit for a 250hr glider pilot wanting to expand his experience in cross
country (I've read Dick Johnson's report on it). I've heard it can be
a bit troublesome on takeoffs because of the aft hookup. Also the
stall break is reported to be rather sharp and it has a tendancy to
drop a wing? For experts only?

If you can afford the extra $, the ASW 20 C is a better glider:

-automatic hookup of elevator
-great disk brake
-better stall characteristics
-shock absorbing landing gear
-forward tow hook came on some of them, retrofittable on the rest
-upward hinging instrument panel

And it performs as well as, perhaps slightly better than, the 20 A.

Living in the midwest, I'd like to
know if it can thermal in our routine low-altitude oftem weak lift.

Yes. It was very competitive in it's day, and is still a very good
glider, but doesn't have the high max wing loading the new gliders
have (limited to 9.2 lbs/sq ft).

How does the pilot sit in it (I know, in the seat, but semi-or
fully-reclined?)?

Semi. Find one and sit in it. The ASW 19 is very similar, so you could
try that, too. Very comfortable for most pilots.

Cockpit size? Control hookups (for the "A"
version). What other ships does it compare to? How about assembly,
weight of wing panels, short-field landability (flaps are good,
right?).

Wings on mine weighed about 145 pounds, assembly was easy, and the
short-field landing ability was excellent with the 40 degree landing
flap and good spoilers. Loved the glider, but after 1500 hours, I
decided I wanted motorglider, and got a ASH 26 E, in good part because
it was very much like the 20 C.

It was comparable in performance to the Ventus and other 15M gliders
of it's day, but almost everyone agreed it was much more pleasant to
fly.

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Eric Greenwell
Richland, WA (USA)

The ASW20a was my first glider, after about 80 hours of training and renting
different ships from SGS 1-26 to Pegasus 101. I now have over 400 hrs in the
20. I took some dual training in a Janus C prior to flying my 20, in order to
get accustomed to the slipperiness, and also the possible steep landing
approach (the Janus has a tail chute, flaps and spoilers). I find the handling
of the ASW20 is superb, the performance is fantastic for the price, and
moderately weak thermals are not an issue, though the weakest soarable weather
is not what the 20 was designed for. To beat the XC performance of the 20 by a
reasonable margin requires about double the dollars these days.
Wing weights on the 20a are a little higher than later models due to lack of
carbon in the wing spars, but the flexible wings give a smooth ride in
turbulent weather. Takeoffs are not a problem with the wings empty or full,
but ballast shifting is an issue when half full, so wing runner proficiency is
important. The cockpit is comfortable for me: 6ft 2in, 200lbs and size 44
long, wearing a National 425 chute. Control hookups are manual, not an issue,
just another item on the rigging checklist. I was warned of the stall behavior
of the 20 before my purchase, but have not found it to be an issue. The glider
gives plenty of pre-stall warning: pitch attitude ridiculously high, lack of
wind noise, controls mushy. It climbs a lot better well above stall speed
anyway. I must caution that my ship may not have typical stall behavior for a
20 due to wing root fairing modifications and airfoil profiling. YMMV. Short
field landing capability is exceptional, though I recommend you practice at
home first. Prices range 25-35 thousand US dollars, watch for finish isues
especially at the lower price range.

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Mark Navarre
ASW-20 OD
California, USA
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