Well, I guess some entrepreneurial chap could head off to China and find a
way to manufacture a dry LS4, maybe with fixed gear for a relatively good
price, assuming DG wanted to play along.
If it wasn't a new "World Class", and you probably wouldn't want to count on
it even if it was rumoured, could such a sailplane find a niche in today's
market?
Hmmmm.....
Wad.


"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
news:3fc64e53$1@darkstar...
I wonder if the IGC would consider something like the Centrair Pegasus
101D for the new WC. Maybe a slightly shrunk wingspan version? It
sure

fly with better performance, e. g. the LS-4.

Hmmm...so is there anything that would prevent the 101D or LS-4
from being the next World Class glider? Were there limitations
on wingspan or retract for the world class? Weight limitations?
Ballast limitations?

From a practical standpoint, the LS-4 seems to be mildly
competitive in the Standard class as well. One also
wonders how insurance compares between the LS-4, 101D, and PW-5.
Is insurance based on ballast, retract, or handling?
How would the price differ if the LS-4 was delivered without
the water ballast option? Could the ballast option be easily
added later by an A&P?

There are some real disadvantages to an LS-4 instead of
a PW-5 (weight, assembly/wing weight, landout wingspan,
retract/ballast complexity, insurance) but it seems none
of these are elegantly avoidable if we want more performance
in the World Class.

Hmmm...I'm going to do a little investigation into
insurance for LS-4, PW-5, and 101D. Then perhaps a flight
to Minden, CA for an LS-4 flight ;-)