(Liam Finley) wrote in message . com...
Come on.

"The 1-35 was a competitive 15 meter ship until glass caught up with
it."

The 1-35 was never competitive. When it came out in 1973 it was
already totally outclassed by glass ships such as the Standard Cirrus.

This one example serves to illustrate that whoever wrote this article
doesn't know alot about high performance sailplanes.

This article is written from the perspective of someone who is content
to never go beyond aimless local flying. If that describes you, then
follow his recomendations.

So anyone who doesn't want the highest performing ship is just someone
who wants to do "aimless local flying"? What a stupid remark.
Attitudes like yours is why soaring is dying in this country (USA).
To measure all soaring in terms of competitive flying has caused a
whole lot of good and enthusiastic pilots to leave our sport.

Who gives a damn what a pilot is content with doing--as long as they
do it safe and they enjoy flying. Soaring has an ugly status
conscious band in it that will cause its demise. I picked up a recent
edition of "Soaring" and it look about 10 pages long. Membership is
going down in the SSA and glider activity at my local gliderports is
non-existent on some weekends.

The 1-35 is a good and capable ship that has made lots of pilots
happy. More pilots DON'T fly competitions than do. And those of you
who do, great. But soaring needs ALL glider pilots.