wrote in message roups.com...
Waduino wrote:

Why is it that the 4, and to some degree the 3a get rave reviews but
I've
hardly heard anything about a LS-6, 8, etc. Are they not as "good" or
are
they just a lot more expensive, since they are newer?

Some comments after 3 seasons XC/racing in an LS4-b and 4 seasons in
an LS6-b:

The 4 is just simply the nicest glider I have ever flown - big,
comfortable cockpit, really easy to use gear handle, wonderful
ailerons, excellent performance (close to 40/1, decent high speed, can
carry enough water when needed). Also well built and easy to
rig/derig, although wings are a bit heavy by carbon standards...

The LS6 is almost as nice to fly, much better performance especially
at high speed, easier to rig (lighter wings), but has a MUCH smaller
cockpit. Compared to the 4 it rolls a bit slower and the flaperons
are a bit heavier. But dry (with the CG back where it belongs) it
will climb with anything, and wet or dry I have yet to be outrun at
high speed by any 15 meter ship (except for one especially good
ASW-27). My 6 seems to have a high drag polar knee at about 80 knots
wet, so I just avoid that speed range. The flaperons allow much lower
landing speeds when fully down. A busier cockpit, more things to
screw up, slightly worse visibility forwards and down.

For a first glider or non-competitive (except sports class) XC ship, a
4 would be hard to beat.

For more serious XC/racing, a 6 is still a good choice, but good luck
finding one - they don't seem to change hands much. Just be sure you
fit and don't mind the "Formula 1 racecar" seating arrangement. I'm a
pretty big guy and
don't mind it at all - I fit, there just isn't any extra room (folding
a Sectional chart infligh is impossible, for example, but a lady
friend of mine who flies my glider on occasions has lots of room and
loves it.

Kirk
66