On Thursday, 10 December 2015 16:31:35 UTC+2, wrote:
Hi Ben,

I have had a look at some FES (flapped) gliders myself. I tried to consider any reliable non internal combustion engine. Especially FES system is IMO a big step up in safety for flying gliders. The FES system is really well thought out.


Below wall of text is highly subjective.

Excellent wall of text. Lak has announced 13.5m Lak Mini, which comes with FES (self-launching, 60k eur) or Solo 2350 (electric starter, self-launching).

Problem with 13.5m gliders is the performance. You are looking at little bit better than index 100 club class (Silent et. al) to maybe LS4 (mini-LAK) to theoretically LS8 (GP14 with comp. fuselage) performance at roughly 100k eur. That puts them competing market filled with used ASH26E, DG-800 etc. with better performance. Used LAK-17A or LAK-19 with retrofitted FES would probably give best price-to-fun-of-flying ratio, if FES is must.

Recently Lange&Schleicher introduced electric starter to their Solo sustainers, and now Lak appears to be doing same for LAK-17BT, which is logical as they got to have starter for self-launching Lak Mini. These make Solo systems more safe and easy to use, no need for dive-of-death at low altitude. Food for thought.