On Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 2:45:37 AM UTC-4, Bruce wrote:
OK

Anyone out there with experience in converting the T59D / 401 Kestrel
canopy from the awful removable thing with a hoop exactly where you want
to watch the tug, to a single piece.

Apparently there is an approved mod using a DG200 canopy.

Second question is - would there be anyone with such a canopy /frame
assembly for sale. As I understand it you need the entire DG hinge and
pedestal part too.

FWIW - I am considering modifying a Mark 2 Slingsby T59D Kestrel 19m -
though to the best of my knowledge the canopy and cockpit is identical
on the various Kestrels.

Any advice gladly received.

Cheers
Bruce

As usual ,I agree with Martin; I owned a K19 ( a 1972 model)for ten years and only sold it because I wanted to go 15M class.
It will indeed land very short if needed; landing flap, 45 kts and tailchute
as you flair will get you down inside 100M.
However, as supplied by Slingsby, there were a few things I wanted to change.
The cusp on the elevator added to provide "feel" at higher speeds made it
impossible to trim over 80 kts; cut it off to K17 elevator size;
anyway, I hated the trim system on the stick and locked it out except
for long glides.
The coupling of wheel brake to air brakes meant you had neither full
and ineffective airbrakes nor adequate wheel brake. Added separate brake lever.
The factory ballast bags held far too little (120 lb ??)
Made my own vinyl bags holding 250lb but the dump was too slow and wetted
the brake drum. Added a down tube ( also a filler tube) to the gear doors.
I reckoned that the max AUW was predicated on a rough field take-off
so not a problem from a smooth grass field.
For a chance at 750 km in Ontario I needed the weight ( add 50lbs inn the O2
tank holder) for cruise at 80-90 kts, and as Moffatt observed for the Nimbus 2
the higher wing loading makes it a different glider.
Proof of the pudding, on a good but not exceptional Ontario day, I passed
the 500KM mark past TP 2 in 4 1/2 hrs. For a 1970s design it was pretty good.
John Firth
an old no longer bold pilot.
PS never checked the profile accuracy but filled in the over spar dip.