Schleicher are developing the ASH 30 Mi which will have 26.5 M
wingspan and has better high speed creuise, though the wing loading is
still not as high as say 15 or 18 m ships.

The EB28 is already flying and has better performance than the ASH
25.

I find it intriguing that the Diana-2 has such high performance at low
speeds, that it matches the 18m ships in slow max LD glide and
probably kills them heavily ballasted at high speeds. It's probably
better than any open ship loaded at high speed as well.

One of the reasons is because it can load it's wings to 58KG per SQ M
- which is higher than any ship I am aware of.

Until other manufacturers go to sparless wings, the Diana-2 will
retain this advantage, IMHO.

I found it interesting to read recently that the very first glass ship
- the Phoenix - was also a sparless design and was light as a feather
as well. In those days, it was thought that the better the ship
climbed the faster it went cross country. The Phoenix never had any
structural issues and was a sound design.

So really, the Diana-2 is just back to the beginning and nothing new.
Wish I could afford one..............in my dreams I can..........