Roger Hurley wrote:

So, be constructive, iron out the spec, and maybe there
will be interest in designing the glider, and in producing
it quickly enough, in enough places, and in sufficient
quantity to make the one-design concept fly again.
Who knows, maybe more than one one-design will emerge
- just like dinghy racing. And that would be cool.

Do people buy a dinghy just to go sailing most of the time, and race
only once or twice a year? Or are they bought primarily for racing? If
it's the later, we may not learn anything by comparing one design racers
in gliders and sailboats, because most people don't/won't buy a glider
for just racing.

If people are buying gliders mostly for non-contest flying, a new,
"low-cost", one design racer will never be able to compete in value with
the used market. It will either be "priced right" but have lower
performance, or "perform right" and cost a lot more. I think the flaw in
the one-design concept is thinking a lot pilots like the concept enough
to actually make any sacrifice in cost or performance to get one.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org