LAK-12 Question

I fly a LAK-12 and love it. It is however kept rigged in a hanger.
Rigging is a pain if the guy in charge is clueless - but with time and
preparation - it can be made a lot less painless. Use wing stands
until ready for the final line-up and push and save the wingmans back.

It is easy and nice to fly empty - and very fast when loaded. Have a
few +500km flights in mine including a flight of almost 8 hours. There
is something very satisfying about 170km final glides.

It is also very strong and solid. Things are well put together. Mine
had a slightly off-white epoxy finish which should never crack. It has
subsequently been painted with a polyurethane paint which should also
be hard wearing and it has a glossy white colour. The control hook-ups
are a pleasure to use. And the canopy that locks into the open
position actually works very well. The fittings in the factory trailer
are also solid and the glider is very secure in the trailer. The
trailer is very long (12.5m) and weighs just over a ton loaded. I tow
it with a Landrover Freelander (2.0 TDI) and can tow comfortably at
the national speed limit (120km/h). The trailer has plenty of ground
clearance and towing out of rough fields is not a major issue.

I cannot get mine to spin - at the stall it just wallows around - or
the nose drops and the glider accelerates. It loops very easily. High-
speed flypasts are spectacular with the long wings.

All in all a great machine. I inherited an ASW-20 and had to decide
which aircraft to keep - as value wise they where the same. The LAK is
however 16 years newer and in far better condition. So it was goodbye
to the ASW-20.

Clinton
LAK 12 S/N 6229