mattm wrote:
Being one of those "stockier" types I find a fairly different
experience in the 304C that some of us fly. For me, full back trim
results in about 50 kts (nominal landing speed), and thermalling beyond
about 30 degrees of bank seems to massively increase the sink rate.
However, in an L33 full back trim flies about 5 kts slower and it loves
steep banks with me. Other pilots in the 304 (at the rearward end of
the CG range) report performance much more like I get with the L33. It
must be that the elevator design is different...

Another data point...

I'm a 304C pilot who lost a substantial amount of ballast about a year
and a half ago. I now fly close to the rear CG limit and the ship
climbs amazingly well with a 45% bank in thermals.

I thermal around 50-52 knots dry and about 60-62 knots wet (about 20
pounds under max gross).

I was a little surprised by the difference that 50 pounds less in the
cockpit made, but I'm rather happy with the results.

Jeremy