Fred Mueller wrote:
Eric Greenwell wrote:
Bob Kuykendall wrote:


At production run rates of several thousand gliders per manufacturer
per year, I would guess that it would be economically viable to apply
existing manufacturing technologies that could drastically reduce the
per-unit price of a typical 15-meter glider. And by drastically, I
mean between to between a quarter and a third of current prices.


Many people say they would be delighted to have a glider with the
performance of an LS4. This performance can now be achieved with a
smaller span glider of 13 M or less. Can you guess at the cost reduction
that would be possible with a 12 or 13 meter glider compared to the 15M
LS4? Smaller factory, less materials, less labor (especially if hand
finishing is needed), smaller trailer, lower shipping costs (RO-RO is by
volume, I think).



A 40:1 13 meter glider? Tell me about the wingloading.

And by the way, tell us how reducing a 15 meters wing by 2 meters
will divide the price of the full glider by 2. If there is a 10%
decrease it is the great maximum, and 10% decrease is absolutely
insignificant. Any new design, by itself will generate costs that will
offset any economy that it is purported to produce. I cannot understand
how people still come with such poor ideas, when the PW affair has
proven without any reasonable doubt their ineptness. The only solution
to decrease the price of gliders is to *choose* one and only one model,
proven good, proven desirable to buyers, and produce it at large scale.
The LS4 is obviously a very good candidate. Apparently someone has
decided to produce it and we already see very significant reduction in
price.


Fred


--

Michel TALON