We need an ASW-19 rebirth for $25,000

On Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 2:11:21 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Nothing cheap and low(ish) performance is going to sell. People would rather have nothing and dream of a supership than buy a lower performance glider. Although lots of people will claim otherwise. Funny thing. Buying an old glider somehow covers the ego. Probably because what you get was once a supership. No fault of your own, that was 30 years ago.

HA! Tell that to the many thousands of hang glider and paraglider pilots out there enjoying flight in their "low" performance, low-cost soaring machines! THAT is the problem: There are much cheaper, no-license-required alternatives to sailplanes these days. And they are just as much fun.

Relative performance to the class of aircraft. HG/PG pilots can buy the highest performance in HG/PG. Only reason some don't is unlike sailplanes HG/PG get sketchier the more performance you squeeze out of them.
On Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 10:51:07 AM UTC-4, Soartech wrote:
On Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 2:11:21 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Nothing cheap and low(ish) performance is going to sell. People would rather have nothing and dream of a supership than buy a lower performance glider. Although lots of people will claim otherwise. Funny thing. Buying an old glider somehow covers the ego. Probably because what you get was once a supership. No fault of your own, that was 30 years ago.

HA! Tell that to the many thousands of hang glider and paraglider pilots out there enjoying flight in their "low" performance, low-cost soaring machines! THAT is the problem: There are much cheaper, no-license-required alternatives to sailplanes these days. And they are just as much fun.

Low capital cost isn't everything.

What's the depreciation on a high performance hang glider?

On Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 3:55:49 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Relative performance to the class of aircraft. HG/PG pilots can buy the highest performance in HG/PG. Only reason some don't is unlike sailplanes HG/PG get sketchier the more performance you squeeze out of them.
On Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 10:51:07 AM UTC-4, Soartech wrote:
On Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 2:11:21 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Nothing cheap and low(ish) performance is going to sell. People would rather have nothing and dream of a supership than buy a lower performance glider. Although lots of people will claim otherwise. Funny thing. Buying an old glider somehow covers the ego. Probably because what you get was once a supership. No fault of your own, that was 30 years ago.

HA! Tell that to the many thousands of hang glider and paraglider pilots out there enjoying flight in their "low" performance, low-cost soaring machines! THAT is the problem: There are much cheaper, no-license-required alternatives to sailplanes these days. And they are just as much fun.

Wouldn't the SZD-55 be a logical candidate? Competitive performance, no carbon, simple.

Cheers Ben

On Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 5:31:39 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
Low capital cost isn't everything.

What's the depreciation on a high performance hang glider?

It IS everything if you can't afford it!
Then the alternative is to not fly or buy something you can afford.
Add in no license required and free launches. For most young people it's a
no-brainer. Been there and done that.

"Add in no license required and free launches"


To paraphrase, there is no such thing as a free launch. I flew hang gliders for thirty years, and I have to say that most "free launches" involved a 4wd truck and hours of driving. Of course, I also had the option of a $6.50 tramway ride to the top of Sandia Peak in Albuquerque, but everywhere else required a drive or fees paid for winch or aerotow.

As far as depreciation, most hang gliders had about a five year lifespan if maintained properly- possibly more (depending on the amount of UV exposure..) The big problem was advancing technology, which required more investment on a regular basis to keep up. With the amount of airtime I regularly logged, I was trading gliders on a two to three year schedule. Over the years, I probably spent two or three times as much as what I spent on my Pegasus- and it is still getting me 150 hours a year, and holding its value reasonably well.

On Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 2:49:36 AM UTC+3, Soartech wrote:
On Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 5:31:39 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
Low capital cost isn't everything.

What's the depreciation on a high performance hang glider?

It IS everything if you can't afford it!
Then the alternative is to not fly or buy something you can afford.
Add in no license required and free launches. For most young people it's a
no-brainer. Been there and done that.

In I assume many countries -- New Zealand is one definite example -- a hang glider pilot requires exactly the same "license" as a glider pilot (or parachutist, or ultralight pilot), namely:

- must belong to a club affiliated to the appropriate national organisation, to which authority is delegated by the Ministry of Transport

- said club must have a CFI approved by the national organisation

- said pilot may not fly unless the CFI says so (usually expressed as "has not grounded them")


You can't just buy a used hang glider on TradeMe and jump off the nearest hill.

I'll bet you can in the USA. Mark, has that changed?

On 3/19/2017 4:55 AM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 2:49:36 AM UTC+3, Soartech wrote:
On Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 5:31:39 PM UTC-4, Tango Eight wrote:
Low capital cost isn't everything.

What's the depreciation on a high performance hang glider?
It IS everything if you can't afford it!
Then the alternative is to not fly or buy something you can afford.
Add in no license required and free launches. For most young people it's a
no-brainer. Been there and done that.
In I assume many countries -- New Zealand is one definite example -- a hang glider pilot requires exactly the same "license" as a glider pilot (or parachutist, or ultralight pilot), namely:

- must belong to a club affiliated to the appropriate national organisation, to which authority is delegated by the Ministry of Transport

- said club must have a CFI approved by the national organisation

- said pilot may not fly unless the CFI says so (usually expressed as "has not grounded them")


You can't just buy a used hang glider on TradeMe and jump off the nearest hill.

--
Dan, 5J