On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 14:58:12 +0000, Robert Ehrlich
wrote:

During the last season which was my first one as an instructor,
I sent my first student to solo flight. After his first solo
flight in the same ASK21 in which he did his last dual flight
with me, I had no problem to send him solo for the next flights
in an ASK23, so freeing the ASK21 for other dual flights.

You did exactly what the Wasserkuppe flying school has been doing
successfully for many years - they even let the student pilot do his
first solo on the ASK-23.
We also did a similar thing in my once when our ASK-21 was damaged -
first solo flight in the Ka-8 after primary training on Twin 2.

As a
flying brick, the ASK23 is not worse than the ASK21 with the reduced
wing loading due to the empty back seat. Anyway penetration is not
very important for these first solo flights, as the student remains
in the cone of 10:1 glide slope, in close proximity to the field and
preferably upwind.

The ASK-23 was a replacement for the Ka-8, therefore it didn't need an
LD superior to its basic trainer, the ASK-21. Unfortunately this is
what broke the 23's neck. My club also intended to buy an ASK-23 -
instead we ended up with a DG-300 for similar price and kept our Ka-8.

Bye
Andreas