6'7" and looking for a glider

I'm 6'3" with a tall torso. I see the term "thin chute" being tossed around.. All are not the same. Some are thin in the lumbar area, others behind the shoulders, and many are pretty evenly thick...er, thin. I need a chute with very little thickness behind my shoulders so I can recline as much as possible.

Chip Bearden
JB

6'5" 230, ASW20 with the seat back removed, tilt up panel, custom headrest and chute and I fit great. It's for sale actually...

Over the weekend, I tried again in Standard Cirrus and surprise, I actually fit. I'd have to adjust the headrest, but it actually worked. I also tried to sit in ASW-24 and I'd have to alter the panel so my knees fit.

I really appreciate all the advice and wisdom shared here. By all means, please keep it coming.

On Monday, January 13, 2020 at 9:50:51 PM UTC-6, Rob wrote:
Over the weekend, I tried again in Standard Cirrus and surprise, I actually fit. I'd have to adjust the headrest, but it actually worked. I also tried to sit in ASW-24 and I'd have to alter the panel so my knees fit.

I really appreciate all the advice and wisdom shared here. By all means, please keep it coming.

Sorry I missed you over the weekend but thought you'd fit in the Standard Cirrus and suspect you'll fit in the LS-4 also. We should try next weekend. They're both great for training cross country and incredible values as well.

Chuck

On Tuesday, 14 January 2020 05:50:51 UTC+2, Rob wrote:
Over the weekend, I tried again in Standard Cirrus and surprise, I actually fit. I'd have to adjust the headrest, but it actually worked. I also tried to sit in ASW-24 and I'd have to alter the panel so my knees fit.

I really appreciate all the advice and wisdom shared here. By all means, please keep it coming.

I'm quite tall and have had a lot of problems fitting in different gliders over the years. First step usually is to take out any seatback and cushions in the glider. Wear shoes designed for race car drivers, they are like leather socks with very thin soles. If this doesn't help, it's time to cut instrument panel, increasing leg openings helps a lot. And the last resort is to get a parachute you can install on hat shelf of glider. Just talked to 6'10" glider pilot last week, he has to do all these little modifications but can fly.

Modifications of the instrument panel can do a lot to help tall pilots fit in some cockpits. For example, the ASK21 with a much higher cut of the panel in the knee area should accommodate up to 2,05m tall pilots.

Aldo Cernezzi

On Tue, 14 Jan 2020 07:24:23 -0800, cernauta wrote:

Modifications of the instrument panel can do a lot to help tall pilots
fit in some cockpits. For example, the ASK21 with a much higher cut of
the panel in the knee area should accommodate up to 2,05m tall pilots.

On a related point, something I've noticed but not seen anybody else
commenting on is that as an ASK-21 gets older, the panel droops a bit.

Its chiefly noticeable as a gap of anything up to 8-10mm appearing
between the top of the front seat panel and the glare shield. There's no
noticeable gap in a new one, but our oldest one, which was in the club
when I joined in March 2000, now has a quite obvious gap and so does at
least one of the '21s at Portmoak. I don't know why this happens unless
the panel is shockmounted and the mounting settles/droops as it gets
older.

I'm not a taller pilot but I don't have functional ankles, so can only
fly a '21 with the pedals nearly right back so I can put my feet on the
top of the pedals and the panel on our older '21 gets in the way when I
do this. Its evidently a variation on the problem that taller pilots can
have fitting into a '21..


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 8:24:26 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Modifications of the instrument panel can do a lot to help tall pilots fit in some cockpits. For example, the ASK21 with a much higher cut of the panel in the knee area should accommodate up to 2,05m tall pilots.

Aldo Cernezzi

Yes. I had to build a new instrument panel with higher cut-outs for my knees for my Phoebus, and I'm only 6'1".

On Thursday, January 9, 2020 at 10:46:02 PM UTC-5, Rob wrote:
I've been reading tall pilot threads here from a few years back, and I wanted to start a new thread. I'm 6'7" 230 lbs with a bit of a taller torso and I'm on the lookout for a glider. I've noticed that legroom isn't usually an issue, but with many gliders, closing the canopy is a problem.

I've been doing my training in a Blanik L-23 and I can fit OK, not the best, but no issues with the training. I've tried to fit in the ASK-21, no way. I'm wondering if I can fit in the G103 so I can go to a commercial operation and finish my rating.

So far, I fit in the following:

L-33 Solo - very comfortably I might add. I've been doing my solo work in one.
PW-5 - very comfortable. Haven't flown one yet.

Ideally, I'd like to do cross country and earn badges. I was talked out of these two because they're not the best performers for cross country and I received what seems to be a solid advice to keep looking for something I'd be happier with longer term, so here we go.

Jantar Std 3 seems like a good fit. Can't find many for sale.
LS-3A is a good fit, but would likely need a very thin parachute. I would presume LS-4 is a good fit as well.
Mosquito was a little tight.
Standard Cirrus - could not close the canopy with all the cushions out too. That was a bummer.
DG-300 and 500 seemed like a good fit.
PIK-20 - could not close the canopy.
G102 - could not close the canopy.
Discus - could not close the canopy.

If I hit the lottery, I'd be all over an Arcus M - fantastic fit, beautiful ship and a decimal place out of my price range. Ideally, I'm looking for something in the 15-25k range. Anyone selling?

My brother owns a Jantar Std 3. He bought it new and has owned it for years.. I flew it a couple of times. I think a 250 lb person at 8' tall could fit.. I'm 6'-0" and with the seat back I could barely reach the instrument panel. I think he might sell. Let me know and I will inquire.

Gary
ASW27b
"SQ"

On Thursday, January 9, 2020 at 8:46:02 PM UTC-7, Rob wrote:
I've been reading tall pilot threads here from a few years back, and I wanted to start a new thread. I'm 6'7" 230 lbs with a bit of a taller torso and I'm on the lookout for a glider. I've noticed that legroom isn't usually an issue, but with many gliders, closing the canopy is a problem.

I've been doing my training in a Blanik L-23 and I can fit OK, not the best, but no issues with the training. I've tried to fit in the ASK-21, no way. I'm wondering if I can fit in the G103 so I can go to a commercial operation and finish my rating.

So far, I fit in the following:

L-33 Solo - very comfortably I might add. I've been doing my solo work in one.
PW-5 - very comfortable. Haven't flown one yet.

Ideally, I'd like to do cross country and earn badges. I was talked out of these two because they're not the best performers for cross country and I received what seems to be a solid advice to keep looking for something I'd be happier with longer term, so here we go.

Jantar Std 3 seems like a good fit. Can't find many for sale.
LS-3A is a good fit, but would likely need a very thin parachute. I would presume LS-4 is a good fit as well.
Mosquito was a little tight.
Standard Cirrus - could not close the canopy with all the cushions out too. That was a bummer.
DG-300 and 500 seemed like a good fit.
PIK-20 - could not close the canopy.
G102 - could not close the canopy.
Discus - could not close the canopy.

If I hit the lottery, I'd be all over an Arcus M - fantastic fit, beautiful ship and a decimal place out of my price range. Ideally, I'm looking for something in the 15-25k range. Anyone selling?

Congratulations Rob on achieving your commercial glider rating today. Pictures on Seminole Lake's Facebook page.

Frank Whiteley