I notice that a Schweizer 2-32 with a published L/D of 33 is handicapped at 1.500. This seems like a great bargain, the same as a Falke SF-25C at 1.500 but with only about 22 L/D. Are there other equally great deals out there ? Or any outstandingly heavily handicapped types ? Ian

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_343794.html

Here are the results of the 2008 Dust Devil Dash. It was close. Marty Eiler and Sean Franke both made it to Alturas, CA for the longest straight distances and the best handicapped distances. Garry Dickson landed at Luning, NV and with handicap came in a close third, with Doug Levy at...

Please mark your calendars - just two weeks to go until the 24th annual Dust Devil Dash from Tehachapi. Your chance to revisit the days of straight-out XC, to practice your retrieve skills and crew, maybe to regain your high place in the OLC with one spectacular flight. Come one, come all to...

Does anyone happen to know how a LX 100 vario works, and what inputs it needs ? After a happy hour on my back with flashlight and mirror trying to decipher the plumbing, I think mine is connected only to 12V and two separate capacity bottles. That seems strange, but it works. Can anyone tell...

Does anyone happen to know how a LX 100 vario works, and what inputs it needs ? After a happy hour on my back with flashlight and mirror trying to decipher the plumbing, I think mine is connected only to 12V and two separate capacity bottles. That seems strange, but it works. Can anyone tell...

If you refer to http://www.fai.org/gliding/bureau2006_2 minutes of the FAI Gliding Commission Bureau meeting, you will find: 'A2.8 Discussion on Class structure in the “light-end” RS explained the problem we have at the light end, where a fairly limited number of aircraft are divided

This OLC validation problem affects us all by turning away a large proportion of participants and thus devaluing the meaning of the contest. I have sent the following e-mail to and copied it to to see if we can get some corrective action. I would encourage...

There is a little misconception evident in Robert Mudd and Diogenes's comments on the soaring booth which will be at Oshkosh this year. Robert wrote '..non-SSA Chapter clubs will not be mentioned..' and Diogenes replied 'Basically the SSA is in the business of promoting the SSA, not soaring per se...

I notice that a Schweizer 2-32 with a published L/D of 33 is handicapped at 1.500. This seems like a great bargain, the same as a Falke SF-25C at 1.500 but with only about 22 L/D. Are there other equally great deals out there ? Or any outstandingly heavily handicapped types ? Ian

Anyone out there have a picture or good drawing of a Slingsby T-61A Falke in RAF Air Cadets colors ? Or, harder to find, in Singapore Flying Club colors ? Thanx, Ian

Over the last few days I have noticed that the number of US competitors has crept up from 142 to 145, but on the daily score sheet there have been no scored flights. I have looked at the 'unscored' flights which have appeared, but they do not seem to correspond with the increased number...

Over the last few days I have noticed that the number of US competitors has crept up from 142 to 145, but on the daily score sheet there have been no scored flights. I have looked at the 'unscored' flights which have appeared, but they do not seem to correspond with the increased number...

Eric Greenwell maintains, and I am sure he is right, that increased performance adds cost and smaller size reduces cost, and that many potential owners would be 'happy' with LS-4 performance in a smaller and more modern design. What about a modern 1-26 ? Could it be made affordable and attractive...

My Colibri has decided not to communicate with its old reliability. It 'sort of' connects to PCs, sometimes beeps and sometimes doesn't, takes uploads but cannot download its logbook. I've changed cables, power supplies, PCs... Any one seen this and knows how to fix it ? Ian

Can anyone please tell me how a Colibri can be connected to a PDA to allow file downloads and uploads ? I want to use the Palm as a more-portable replacement for an unreliable laptop; no particular need for realtime or postflight display software, only the data capture. Can I buy a suitable...

Can someone explain the accuracy limitation of an ELT ? While the signal on 121.5 can only be automatically detected and located to within 12 miles or so, if an airborne search is started would a homing receiver not guide the aircraft right over the spot ? Or are ADFs not carried anymore in...

David Bingham, writing about Sparrowhawk operations, mentioned that the USHGA provides liability insurance coverage for all its members. I checked their website, and sure enough they have a master policy covering every member up to $1 million, with a $1000 deductible. Now, the membership of...

I apologize for my loose terminology in last message. Gliders are exempted within the FAR section 215 from transponder requirements, not by a separate 'exemption letter'. And I was not clear about why I distinguished the 'all airspace above 10,000 ft' from the 'more than 40 / 20 miles'...

Wish we'd had this discussion before the SSA drafted its petition. Seems to me the petition is unsatisfactory because it is confusing or poor law, it does not address the full set of transponder issues, and it just might open up an adverse review of our existing exemption. To address these...