Any 55 owners fitted winglets to their ships? Thoughts... comments?? Tom Gilbert

I'm sure a few people here have practiced it... but I really need to know: Has it ever actually happened? I mean, has there ever been a bona fide certified, verified example of both release hooks failing in flight? The glider can't release, the glider gives the signal, the tow plane can't...

As I understand it, effective April 1 there is a new process for issuance of Student Pilot Certificates. Have any glider operations obtained clarification from their local FSDO or investigated the process on IACRA? I'm especially curious about how I (as a CFI-G) "accept" the application in the...

I'm beginning my soaring journey. Have visited the gliderport twice (Bermuda High Soaring in Jefferson, South Carolina). Supposed to go up this Saturday for the first time if the weather cooperates. I did ground school and a few hours in a 172 about 6 years ago, and I've been up in a glider once...

Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the...

It's a rainy day here and so I sort of drifted into watching a few of Bruno Vassel's awesome "Scenery tours of Utah" videos on YouTube. I bet most people have no idea that the mountains seperating the dusty, brown valleys of Utah are so green and intersting on top! Then I started reading the...

Those bobby pins are used extensively on my Stemme and I lost two that fell out of their retaining strings during taxiing operations leaving me with only one spare. A quick search found 1.2 mm hitch pins at WalMart (of all places). I got a bag of 50 pins for under $8. Here's a link...

Steve Bralla used to make and sell tools used to help align the wing spar pin bushings during assembly. He contacted me recently and said he had lost access to the machine shop. He graciously offered me the opportunity to take over the product line, and I am now in production. I will add them to my...

Looking to replace the factory/European style tail lights. Although attractive (??) I think they can be confusing for USA drivers following behind it. Any suggestions for improvement and/or making them more USA "friendly"? And also wiring them for USA vehicles. I have seen several trailers...

This last week we had a freakish Winter Storm come through Utah while I was out of the country. Winds in excess of 70MPH hit the airport and my SGS-233A pulled it's tiedowns out of the ground and it ended up in a fence, totalled. I have been working with my young son preparing him to solo on his...

Has anyone seen the Akaflieg Karlsruhe AK-X photos. They have flown a scale model and it looks very interesting. Wonder how it will compare to "traditional designs"? If it proformed as well or better than moe traditional design I would purchase one.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/3859452/detail.html

I am learning to fly a Blanik L-23 and my instructor is telling me to "fly it on" with no flare. 1) I am commercial/instrument rated with somewhere north of 1000 ASEL and a few ASES landings in my logbook. I am _programmed_ to flare. :-) To not flare is very hard for me. 2) The Blanik AFM...

I came across the home page of Kerry Cover in China, www.kerry-cover.com They offer all weather covers for a quite interesting rate. I wonder if someone has been in business contact with them and is willing to share his experiences re. quality, delivery time, etc. Thanks, -- Peter Scholz

I recently heard from an owner having installed a MKIV yaw string on a FES (front, electric, self-launch/sustainer) equipped glider. He said that the MKIV was not indicating straight back centered in level flight, being slightly off to the side and deflection in turns was "not even, more sensitive...

Hey all, I'm in the process of writing my response to the FAA's ANPRM on transponders in gliders. One of the items covered in the document is TABS (Traffic Awareness Beacon System) under TSO-C199. Does FLARM come under this TSO? I hadn't heard of TABS before reading the ANPRM, and while it talks...

I'm just learning to fly and decided to start with gliders (aerotow launch). However, as I joined a club its slow to build time and get experience. I was wondering if I could accelerate that with powered flight... 1) What powered flight skills could I concentrate on that would best accelerate the...

bioennodepot.com is offering 15% off LiFePO4 glider batteries. 12V 9A only $85.00 bucks If your old "Sealed Lead Acid" (SLA) needs replacing, here is an opportunity to get a 12 Volt 9 Amp hour LiFePO4 battery. I have been using these for several years and would never go back to SLA's. Lots of...

All; I received a quote 20% less than what I had been paying through the SSA insurance program - Any other private owners have this happen, and did you switch? I have no problems with my current insurance, and Starr Aviation, the underwriter for the AOPA, is new to me. Still 20% is hard to pass...

Our club has an ASW 19 and something has caused the ailerons distort to the point we have to replace them. In trying to trace salvage gliders I keep running into "privacy" issues. Anyone out there have any leads? Thanks Kerry Kirby (or should I have signed anonymous?)