Another First Glider Question

[solo89]

Let me first apoplogize for posting a first glider question. What the
heck, there's not much soaring weather out there to distract us this
time of year.

A Ventus A is up for sale at a very attractive price in the local
club. I currently have about an hour on my brand new ticket. I think
the plastic is still warm.

Assuming I have the discipline to fly 20 - 30 hours in G102/G103 (the
103 was my trainer) what are the odds of surviving with a Ventus A and
not much experience ?

I am a conservative person by nature and doubt I'll do anything
actively stupid. Passive stupidity is an entirely different matter.

At the very least, I think the first few landings may be intimidating.
I will have the luxury of about 4000' feet of grass or 5000' of
pavement when landing.

[Stewart Kissel]

Mr. 89-

Speaking as a VentusB owner, I would make the following
comments:

1.) Do you fit? Does it have winglets?

2.) What are your flying goals? How many hours/season?

Ventus are excellent at going fast. They are not so
excellent in regards to handling. The trailing edge
approach control devices are different then spoilers.
If you were striving to start a lot of cross-country
and/or racing, and were conservative in your approach(Not
so sure you would be flying it this season). I might
say 'maybe'.

But I think as first glider for a low time pilot,
it might not be such a good idea, IMHO.


At 23:42 01 February 2004, Solo89 wrote:
>Let me first apoplogize for posting a first glider
>question. What the
>heck, there's not much soaring weather out there to
>distract us this
>time of year.
>
>A Ventus A is up for sale at a very attractive price
>in the local
>club. I currently have about an hour on my brand new
>ticket. I think
>the plastic is still warm.
>
>Assuming I have the discipline to fly 20 - 30 hours
>in G102/G103 (the
>103 was my trainer) what are the odds of surviving
>with a Ventus A and
>not much experience ?
>
>I am a conservative person by nature and doubt I'll
>do anything
>actively stupid. Passive stupidity is an entirely different
>matter.
>
>At the very least, I think the first few landings may
>be intimidating.
>I will have the luxury of about 4000' feet of grass
>or 5000' of
>pavement when landing.
>

[Shawn Curry]

solo89 wrote:
> Let me first apoplogize for posting a first glider question. What the
> heck, there's not much soaring weather out there to distract us this
> time of year.
>
> A Ventus A is up for sale at a very attractive price in the local
> club. I currently have about an hour on my brand new ticket. I think
> the plastic is still warm.
>
> Assuming I have the discipline to fly 20 - 30 hours in G102/G103 (the
> 103 was my trainer) what are the odds of surviving with a Ventus A and
> not much experience ?
>
> I am a conservative person by nature and doubt I'll do anything
> actively stupid. Passive stupidity is an entirely different matter.
>
> At the very least, I think the first few landings may be intimidating.
> I will have the luxury of about 4000' feet of grass or 5000' of
> pavement when landing.

I agree with Stu. I had about 150 hours total and 20 hours in a Astir
CS when I got my Ventus b. I did fine, but felt like if I had much less
experience, I would have really been pushing it. The biggest issue with
flying the Ventus IMHO is that you must ALWAYS be attenting to it
especially without winglets. It wants to wander off in some new
direction (up down left or right) as soon as you reach for your water,
sectional, p-bag etc. Gets tiring, and could be overwhelming in a high
stress situation for a very low time pilot.
Some may mention flaps and the dive brake/flap combo fro landing as
issues too. I had no trouble but YMMV.
For similar money you should be able to find an LS-4 or ASW-19 with a
great trailer and instrument setup. More prudent choices.

BTW search Google Groups for previous posts on Ventus handling. Much
has been written.

Cheers,
Shawn

[BTIZ]

> Let me first apoplogize for posting a first glider question. What the
> heck, there's not much soaring weather out there to distract us this
> time of year.
>

I'll let Stu and others answer the Ventus handling questions... I've not
flown one..

but as for the weather.. last Saturday was a beautiful day soaring wise,
post frontal instability, north winds providing ridge and shear line lift..
you must live up north somewhere..

BT

[solo89]

"BTIZ" > wrote in message news:<ISkTb.6650$IF1.4223@fed1read01>...
> > Let me first apoplogize for posting a first glider question. What the
> > heck, there's not much soaring weather out there to distract us this
> > time of year.
> >
>
> I'll let Stu and others answer the Ventus handling questions... I've not
> flown one..
>
> but as for the weather.. last Saturday was a beautiful day soaring wise,
> post frontal instability, north winds providing ridge and shear line lift..
> you must live up north somewhere..
>
> BT


Thanks to all for the replies and emails. I agree with the consensus
that the Ventus A is probably not a good choice. I would not even
consider one were it not for the fact that it is so beautiful and
sitting in it's trailer unused every time I go into the hangar.

BTIZ, last Saturday (1/24) looked pretty good here in South Carolina.
Unfortunately, the tow plane and the only glider available to me were
both down for annuals. Not to worry, I have it on good authority that
the lift returns here on Valentines Day.

[Michel Talon]

solo89 > wrote:
>
>
> Thanks to all for the replies and emails. I agree with the consensus
> that the Ventus A is probably not a good choice. I would not even
> consider one were it not for the fact that it is so beautiful and
> sitting in it's trailer unused every time I go into the hangar.

You can envision both buying the ventus and renting an easier ship
like a LS4 or Pegase to accustom yourself to good performing gliders
in an easier context. If you have the money to buy the ventus, i
don't think that flying some 30 hours in another easier gliser is a big
deal.

--

Michel TALON

[Shawn Curry]

BTIZ wrote:

>>Let me first apoplogize for posting a first glider question. What the
>>heck, there's not much soaring weather out there to distract us this
>>time of year.
>>
>
>
> I'll let Stu and others answer the Ventus handling questions... I've not
> flown one..
>
> but as for the weather.. last Saturday was a beautiful day soaring wise,
> post frontal instability, north winds providing ridge and shear line lift..
> you must live up north somewhere..
>
> BT
>
>
I think your great soaring ended up as 8" of snow in the Upper Ark. Valley.

Shawn

[BTIZ]

> > but as for the weather.. last Saturday was a beautiful day soaring wise,
> > post frontal instability, north winds providing ridge and shear line
lift..
> > you must live up north somewhere..
> >
> > BT
> >
> >
> I think your great soaring ended up as 8" of snow in the Upper Ark.
Valley.
>
> Shawn

certainly looked that way..

BT