The ASW20a was my first glider, after about 80 hours of training and renting
different ships from SGS 1-26 to Pegasus 101. I now have over 400 hrs in the
20. I took some dual training in a Janus C prior to flying my 20, in order to
get accustomed to the slipperiness, and also the possible steep landing
approach (the Janus has a tail chute, flaps and spoilers). I find the handling
of the ASW20 is superb, the performance is fantastic for the price, and
moderately weak thermals are not an issue, though the weakest soarable weather
is not what the 20 was designed for. To beat the XC performance of the 20 by a
reasonable margin requires about double the dollars these days.
Wing weights on the 20a are a little higher than later models due to lack of
carbon in the wing spars, but the flexible wings give a smooth ride in
turbulent weather. Takeoffs are not a problem with the wings empty or full,
but ballast shifting is an issue when half full, so wing runner proficiency is
important. The cockpit is comfortable for me: 6ft 2in, 200lbs and size 44
long, wearing a National 425 chute. Control hookups are manual, not an issue,
just another item on the rigging checklist. I was warned of the stall behavior
of the 20 before my purchase, but have not found it to be an issue. The glider
gives plenty of pre-stall warning: pitch attitude ridiculously high, lack of
wind noise, controls mushy. It climbs a lot better well above stall speed
anyway. I must caution that my ship may not have typical stall behavior for a
20 due to wing root fairing modifications and airfoil profiling. YMMV. Short
field landing capability is exceptional, though I recommend you practice at
home first. Prices range 25-35 thousand US dollars, watch for finish isues
especially at the lower price range.

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Mark Navarre
ASW-20 OD
California, USA
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