New news Soaring is dangerous ?

Marc Ramsey wrote in message news:zhs6d.21113
There are apparently somewhere around 3000 RVs currently flying in the
US, how many gliders are flying here?

Marc

There are 3000 RV's operating in Ohio, I don't know where you got your
info but the number should be around 100,000 acording to RV World the
industry magazine.

And with these numbers gliding doesn't seem so safe (still am not
going to trade my winch launches for a fifth wheel setup)

Bob

Bob wrote:
Marc Ramsey wrote in message news:zhs6d.21113

There are apparently somewhere around 3000 RVs currently flying in the
US, how many gliders are flying here?

Marc


There are 3000 RV's operating in Ohio, I don't know where you got your
info but the number should be around 100,000 acording to RV World the
industry magazine.

Bob, take a look at www.vansaircraft.com for a different meaning of the
letters "RV". They produce about 700 kits a year, so it's unlikely there
are 100,000 of them flying!

I'm sure there are a lot more the 100,000 motorhomes and travel
trailers, also. I think there are that many sitting on the lots in our
state, waiting to be sold!


--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Bob, take a look at www.vansaircraft.com for a different meaning of the
letters "RV". They produce about 700 kits a year, so it's unlikely there
are 100,000 of them flying!

Given that in his last paragraph he mentioned fifth wheels and winching
gliders in the same sentence, it's safe to assume that he was joking.

Tony V.

Speaking of RV and Van's,

I'm in contact with them regarding Sport Pilot and LSA.
It seems there is unclear information about this, and
Van's believes one must certify an aircraft as an LSA to
operate it under LSA rules.

This is not the case. An experimental airplane OR glider which
meets the LSA limitations (120 kts Vne/max level flight airspeed,
1320 lbs max gross) can be flown without a medical (in the case
of ASEL LSA, need a state driver's license). In addition, if
one already has a pilot's or CFI license, one can be signed
off by two CFIs and fly a different cat/class (such as gliders),
as of Jan 15, 2005.

Other than the 2-33, the most common (and apparently the best
performing) glider that qualifies as an LSA is the SZD 50-3
Puchacz (roughly pronounced as poo-hotch,
rhymes with watch, the first "c" is silent).

Apparently this glider is also a Utility class standard US
certificated glider, which means it can be rented out for hire,
but still meets the LSA Vne (116 kts) and Gross Max (1257 lbs)
so is legal for sport pilots to fly. This is a great opportunity
since this glider can be used for dual by a Sport CFI (who
perhaps was an ASEL CFI and then easily transitioned to
being a Sport Pilot instructor by just two signoffs, and no
FAA checkride).

How the insurers will view this is another matter, that
hasn't yet been addressed...

Anyway, the RV-11 is likely going to be a motorglider, and
I'd like to encourage RAS readers to write Van's and suggest it
be designed to meet the LSA limitations in its specs, even though
it will actually just be certified "Experimental -
Amateur Built - Glider."

I'd also like Van's to design an LSA tricycle gear version of the
RV-9, for similar reasons, but the self-launch
glider version is of course more interesting to this newsgroup...

So take a look at LSA and Sport Pilot, and then send an e-mail to Vans

asking if the RV-11 will meet LSA Vne and gross weight requirements...

--

------------+
Mark J. Boyd

On 1 Oct 2004 15:56:47 -0700, (Mark James Boyd)
wrote:

believes one must certify an aircraft as an LSA to
operate it under LSA rules.

This is not the case.

Leaving personalities out of it completely, it is obvious that is not
the case when EAA has listed certificated planes which will meet the
requirements.

Anyway, the RV-11 is likely going to be a motorglider, and
I'd like to encourage RAS readers to write Van's and suggest it
be designed to meet the LSA limitations in its specs, even though
it will actually just be certified "Experimental -
Amateur Built - Glider."

So take a look at LSA and Sport Pilot, and then send an e-mail to Vans

asking if the RV-11 will meet LSA Vne and gross weight requirements...

As a single-place, and (obviously?) his intent that it meet the JAR22
criteria (kg/m[2]) 3, it is hard to imagine that it won't meet GW,
but with his current Jab 2200 (80+ HP) thoughts, keeping Vh within the
specs will require "creative" specmanship. (I don't think there is a
Vne limit applies to powered planes; see the Sonex site which quotes
"3. Maximum speed in level flight with maximum continuous power (Vh)
of not more than 120 kts (138 mph) CAS under standard atmospheric
conditions at sea level.")

The Jab literature I've seen wants that engine to spin, although if
the pitch is flat enough to lightly (maybe 50HP?) load the engine at
2500, I'm not sure that a small carb wouldn't do it; Jab would have to
address that one.

On Sat, 02 Oct 2004 07:22:04 -0400, GeorgeB wrote:

AND I MESSED UP ...

As a single-place, and (obviously?) his intent that it meet the JAR22
criteria (kg/m[2]) 3, it is hard to imagine that it won't meet GW,

600kg (the 1320 lb we used in the US) would work with wingspan of
14.28 meters ... 15 meters would allow 675 kg (1485 lb) so he does
have to at least consider it.

SORRY for the earlier keyboard diarrhea!

George