Libelle suitability for beginners

Another 'Club Class' glider to consider is the SZD 51-1. The Junior is benign, built to sustain hard landings, has very effective airbrakes, it slips, PU painted at the factory (no gel coat liability), fun to fly well-harmonized controls, and designed from the ground up to be a single seat trainer. Limited aerobatics permitted.

Things that may or may not matter are 1)it has a somewhat upright seating position, so pilots with long trunks may not have enough head height. 2)a wing dolly is recommended.

Of the 261 built, there are only 7 Juniors in the USA, and 4 are club owned.. So Juniors are rarely offered for sale.