Michel Talon wrote:
...
However, it seems to me
that the LS4 is a glider which is as easy and benign as the ASK23
but has the advantage of not being a flying brick.


During the last season which was my first one as an instructor,
I sent my first student to solo flight. After his first solo
flight in the same ASK21 in which he did his last dual flight
with me, I had no problem to send him solo for the next flights
in an ASK23, so freeing the ASK21 for other dual flights. I would
probably not have sent him solo in any other glider I know, certainly
not in a LS4. I agree that the LS4 is easy and benign, but anyway
it is sufficienty different from the ASK21 that a student need
to gain experience in more solo flights before this transition.
And this is the current practice in all clubs I know : students
build hours by flying solo the two seater in which they learned
before flying a single seater, except the case above. As a
flying brick, the ASK23 is not worse than the ASK21 with the reduced
wing loading due to the empty back seat. Anyway penetration is not
very important for these first solo flights, as the student remains
in the cone of 10:1 glide slope, in close proximity to the field and
preferably upwind.

I agree, the price of this glider is a shame, or rather was, as it
is no more in production, just fot this reason.