Fist and only glider to date is an LAK-12. The glider was imported
into Botswana in 1996 and had only about 50hrs when I bought it in
2003 - it had been in storage from 1997 as the club had folded. Was
interesting buying a glider at a border post in Africa and then
getting it across the border - had lots of spare cash in my pocket for
bribes but all the customs official wanted was a coke - so $1 later I
was heading on the long road home with my glider in tow. Its
instrumentation and radio had been upgraded and an eds oxygen system
was included. i have just added a pda (first a Palm with Soaringpilot
and now an IPAQ with Winpilot) system but am now looking to fit
winglets and an extra 1/2m of wing. 21.5m is looking a little short
and 21m has a nice ring to it.

Done my 300 and 500km flights in it so far - attempted a 750 but
turned short and did 630km. Had a few landouts which result in lots of
moans when the huge wings (they are one piece) have to be carried
across the soft ploughed cornfields - but seem to be landing out less.
Think the climb optomiser in Winpilot may be helping there. Its a
lovely glider with a handicap almost the same as an ASW-20 in the
Soaring Society of South Africa handicap system (varies slightly with
the weak, intermediate and strong day ratings - with me carrying a
heavier handycap on a weak day and less handicap in a strong day). I
fly in the Club Class where water is not carried. I find I can out-
climb ASW20s yet loose ground in the cruises especially when the speed
is over 160km/h. So I tent to fly a little differently and use a
slower inte-thermal cruise speed and make up time on the climbs - and
hopefully somewhere can miss a climb due to the higher glide-ratio
(1:47).

Certainly not planning to change gliders soon eventhough I have
already owned her for 6yrs. She is a glider that I am continuing to
grow into especially in the competition flying arena.

Clinton Birch