In article ,
Jeff Runciman wrote:
I have been reading the posts and archived posts and
I am looking for some advice on a first glider. I will
be spending quite a bit of time in a 2-22 and should
have my licence in two weeks. Here are my experience
details and performance hopes:

Experience: Private pilots licence 140 hours current
Hang Glider 480 hours current
Glider 3 hours, 18 flights, 8 solo.
Ultralight 42 hours not current.

Performance Hopes: 40:1
Fiberglass
02 system
not scary to fly with
my experience
15 meter (maybe 13 meter
club class)
does not have to have
flaps
later than 1985

Can spend up to 35,000 U.S. dollars with trailer. (maybe
more based on your recomendations. ) Any help would
be appreciated.

Jeff

http://www.wingsandwheels.com/want_ads.htm
lists some gliders, fun to shop there.

Beyond that, everyone here has given sound advice so far (get
some higher performance dual, LS-4 is nice, automatic hookups,
etc.). So I'll echo their comments but add some buyer/owner
tips.

Sometimes it's easier or better to get something you know.
The local pilots can tell you a lot about their ships. And they'll
come in real handy when you want parts and advice. There are quite
a few gliders in your range, and your happiness may depend
more on support of pals and parts than a few points of L/D.

So a Pegasus or Russia AC-4c or Discus/Ventus/ASW
may all suit your tastes, but if you can find
one of these locally, that's good. You can assemble/disassemble,
ask about quirks, get in it for fit and comfort, etc. Maybe
you'll really love light wings for assembly. Maybe you can't
read yiddish so the instruments are yucky. Or maybe it looks like a
ugly blunt nose thing. Or maybe the interior is tacky.

Flying something before you buy is also real helpful. Some
gliders have crappy ventilation, and I fly in 100+ degrees.
Some have lousy vis, or come with a hella backbreaking parachute...

Beyond that, I wouldn't dream of owning any vehicle until
I'd compared likely insurance rates and read the POH. Beyond that,
since you are probably in USA, the accident reports by type
are available. http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp
Look a bit, and if you notice a lot of a particular kind of
accident, or a high rate in general, then keep that in mind.
The insurance quote will likely reflect this. And these
accidents will be things you'll want to look for preventing.
Are the accident causing ADs complied with? Does it have
gear warning system or maybe auto hookup connections? Etc...

I see Pegasi in the 1985 range at W&W. There's a bunch of other
stuff, including flapped ASW-20s there too. ASW-19, Grob 102,
flapped PIKs, some LSs, etc. I know the Pegasi are reasonably
easy to insure, and do ok. Again, best if you can find someone
local and look at their glider first tho...

P.S. If this is my BROTHER Jeff using an alias, disregard all
of this and buy a 2-22 for $1000. Then take the rest of the money
and treat yourself and your brother to a one-month European
gliding holiday...followed by a week in Minden, California
(easy Al, easy) :P
--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA