Whatever happened with the LS-10?

I've been wondering about this question myself. As the owner of LS-10 #11 (the first production model to the USA) and I'm also a previous 18m LS-6 owner...I can (and cannot) answer this question.

The fit and finish of my LS-10 were perfect. Paul Gaines used to say "there is no such thing as a perfect glider from the factory" but this glider refuted that statement. DG gliders are finished beautifully...and the LS design under that beautiful finish was evident right down to the flying nun winglets in 15m as well as the curved 18m tips. The cockpit is the same as the LS-6 and maybe even a little tighter due to added reinforcements at the shoulders.

The performance is above and beyond the LS-6 (which I flew for 12 years) primarily noticeable in energy conservation/pullups, high speed glide and cockpit noise.

The handling is as good as any LS glider has ever been, and it feels like a slicker LS-6.

Now.....where has it been on the world stage? I dunno.
In my limited contesting I have flown alongside with ASG-29's without problem...mostly with XG and 8H.
I can only speculate about the possible differences in sponsorship philosophy between DG and the other manufacturers being a possibility as to why they are shunned at the worlds and big European contests.

That said, there seem to be NO LS-10's in the hands of "hot" competition pilots.
All four of us USA owners are decidedly only mediocre on the contest scenes at best....which does little to promote the LS-10 on the scoresheets.

Maybe someone with more world class experience gliding next to the LS-10 can lend some better insight? I for one would be interested in hearing about that.

All said, I'm keeping mine.

J4

The LS series gliders were just a bit too tight for me. However, I always wondered how the factory went bankrupt with producing the must have LS-4, LS-6, LS-8. I did see Ray"s 7V LS-8 and thought if someone was interested in massaging this glider it might do even better. If I remember it had no zig-zag tap and I think, it did not even have mylar on the elevator.

Both DG and LS were the only gliders to actually build in an air exit in the tail.

On a side note it is because of LS, and Lange, that I decided against ordering a JS-1C. A company with a single glider and low production rate doesn't instill confidence that they can remain viable. While the products from LS, Lange and Jonkers are wonderfully built, designed and bring badly needed fresh thinking to the community I will stay with manufacturers who have withstood the test of time. Just this reporters opinion.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 1:20:51 AM UTC+2, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
The LS series gliders were just a bit too tight for me.


Not quite true...
The LS3 and LS4 offer a lot more room. I dare to state that those cockpits are some of the roomiest on the (used) market. As I believe this fuselage was adopted for the LS9 as well. I sold my LS3 to a pilot over 2 meters tall and he fit in well.

The LS6, 7, 8, and 10 however all have the tight fuselage that not everyone is happy with.

"A company with a single glider and low production rate doesn't instill confidence that they can remain viable."

The common theme amongst manufacturers that go bust, gliders or powered, is expanding beyond their means and abilities. There's a very good reason Boeing and Airbus lift their production rates by fractions of an aircraft per month.

From where I sit, Jonkers appears to have provided a masterclass in how to do that. They created a non-aviation income source to fund expansion, formed partnerships with a university and a symbiotic business (M&D), kept their production increases incremental & considered (within their abilities and maintaining a healthy order book). They're presently working on a second model. I'd suggest it to be rather unfair to mention them in the same sentence as Lange.

CJ

On Tuesday, 2 June 2015 14:32:05 UTC+2, wrote:
From where I sit, Jonkers appears to have provided a masterclass in how to do that. They created a non-aviation income source to fund expansion, formed partnerships with a university and a symbiotic business (M&D), kept their production increases incremental & considered (within their abilities and maintaining a healthy order book). They're presently working on a second model. I'd suggest it to be rather unfair to mention them in the same sentence as Lange.

CJ

One also needs to take the economic circumstances and wages into account.
The South African currency is quite weak so converting Euros or Dollars to Rands is very favourable for a South African manufacturer.
Couple that with much cheaper labour compared to Germany and there is more margin to play with.

Wrong Mr. Surge!
JS quotes prices exclusively in Euro and the amounts are near identical to the top German models. No savings from "cheap labor".