Whatever happened with the LS-10?

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".