On Feb 4, 6:16*am, Stealth Pilot
wrote:
serious question.
in this day and age where the slippery glass reigns supreme are there
any wooden gliders actually worth building ?

if your son was on the way to a glider instructors rating, as mine is,
is there a wooden glider design that would be worth building ?
something with reasonable performance that would be a sheer pleasure
to fly.

something a dad could spring on the kid.

Stealth Pilot

In one word, no. If he wants to fly, and advance in the world of
soaring, get him a good club-class eligible fiberglass glider with a
well-engineered safety cockpit. I love the grandeur and history of
wooden gliders, I admire the courage and achievements of their pilots,
and I admire the skills of their homebuilders, but I would never send
my son up in something that turns to splinters if he has a rough
landing. Would you home-build him a wooden car?

If he wants to build, and to learn the skills thereof, send him to a
good repair shop or off to one of the German factories to learn modern
composite construction and repair technique.

If you want a project, for you to have fun building for several years
and then float around the airport on a Sunday afternoon....well,
that's a different story. Have fun! If not a homebuilt, consider
restoring an antique.

John Cochrane