Once upon a time there was the K13. It was/is a good
basic trainer that is safe and suitable for all basic
training needs, but over the years it has become less
suitable for teaching pilots to fly modern high performance
sailplanes. It is also draughty and noisy (my voice
usually gives up after a day's instructing in one due
to having to shout over the airleaks coming in around
the canopy) and not good at accomodating tall or heavy
pilots. As they are getting on a bit, we are no longer
permitted to teach aerobatics in them - at my club
anyway.

Then Schleicher replaced it with the K21 which in many
respects is much better, but it won't spin very convincingly,
if at all, which cuts out a very important element
of the training syllabus.

On the other hand, most of the East European trainers
spin far too well and too easily and can kill people.
Can't comment on American trainers, because I have
never flown one.

The advanced training requirement is very well covered
by such gliders as the Duo Discus, DG500/1000, ASH
25, but there doesn't seem to a modern equivalent of
the K13 for basic training! Unless anybody knows of
one that is?

Could I suggest the following specification:

1) Safe and easy to fly
2) Simple fixed gear undercarriage
3) Easy ground handling (our club is now buying retractable
gear DG1000s, but they are a complete pain on the ground)
4) Fully aerobatic, including good spinning characteristics
5) Must be capable of flying all the exercises in the
training syllabus
6) Enough performance to make reasonable cross-country
flights, but not so much as to make it difficult to
get students down.
7) Small enough for easy hangarage - wingspan not more
than 17 or 18 metres.

Is there such a perfect training glider produced anywhere
in the World, or about to be? I am sure that there
is a market to be cornered if there is.

Derek Copeland