Sailplane Classes - a different perspective

Sailplane Classes

Initially I came to soaring via paragliders and then my wife
suggested sailplanes (because she thought they were safer - maybe) and
I have flown many different gliders and motorgliders (plus single
engine power planes both tricycle and tail dragger types). I have
ended up with a DG800B, a Lancair ES and a Stemme S10-VT with a
SparrowHawk on order. I have noted the different classes, Std, Sports,
World, Open etc with amusement. Are people serious? I have flown them
all and all have minor advantages and disadvantages. The bottom line
is nearly always "It's the pilot stupid". Subtle differences between
say the most popular Std class gliders are so small its only the pilot
who matters.
Now I want to suggest that, in my humble opinion, the way the
classes are currently set up by the SSA don't make any sense. Lets
take a step back, reset our prejudices, and see if we can't make our
grey matter operate at a higher level than usual.
What do we know? Well actually quite a lot! A large heavy glider has
a better Reynolds Number for lowering effective air resistance –
suggests better L/D. All things being equal the L/D is improved by
having a high wing aspect ratio. A smaller light glider will perform
better in light conditions. Flaps marginally improve the extremes of
the polar and so on and so on.
I think when all is said and done the most significant parameter
that affects the overall performance of a glider is its weight! So I
propose that we consider just 3 classes of sailplanes based solely on
their weights.
Lets forget about wing spans, flaps and other enhancements. All 3
classes would be free to choose their own goodies as long as they kept
to prescribed weight limits. Wouldn't this make glider design so much
more fun?
I propose that:
Class 1 be limited to 70kilos maximum
(plus safety equipment such as a ballistic parachute).
Class 2 be limited to 250kilos max

Class 3 be limited to 250kilos minimum

Note that in theory a Class 1 type glider could, if suitably
ballisted and structurally strong enough, be flown in all 3 classes.

Innovations are usually assisted not by having strict rules such as
today's strict glider classes but rather the freedom to exploit the
limits of technology and the mind. Bert Rutan with Spaceship 1 was not
encumbered by prejudices of what a space ship should look like
according to NASA. He designed it to do a job. Likewise forget this
nonsense about glider wingspan etc. Let the designers use modern
materials for best advantage to push the state of art of sailplanes.
My hat's off to people like Rutan and Greg Cole (SparrowHawk) who defy
outdated traditions. If you don't believe me go and demo a
SparrowHawk.
Dave

David Bingham wrote:
Sailplane Classes

Initially I came to soaring via paragliders and then my wife
suggested sailplanes (because she thought they were safer - maybe) and
I have flown many different gliders and motorgliders (plus single
engine power planes both tricycle and tail dragger types). I have
ended up with a DG800B, a Lancair ES and a Stemme S10-VT with a
SparrowHawk on order. I have noted the different classes, Std, Sports,
World, Open etc with amusement. Are people serious? I have flown them
all and all have minor advantages and disadvantages. The bottom line
is nearly always "It's the pilot stupid". Subtle differences between
say the most popular Std class gliders are so small its only the pilot
who matters.
Now I want to suggest that, in my humble opinion, the way the
classes are currently set up by the SSA don't make any sense. Lets
take a step back, reset our prejudices, and see if we can't make our
grey matter operate at a higher level than usual.
What do we know? Well actually quite a lot! A large heavy glider has
a better Reynolds Number for lowering effective air resistance –
suggests better L/D. All things being equal the L/D is improved by
having a high wing aspect ratio. A smaller light glider will perform
better in light conditions. Flaps marginally improve the extremes of
the polar and so on and so on.
I think when all is said and done the most significant parameter
that affects the overall performance of a glider is its weight! So I
propose that we consider just 3 classes of sailplanes based solely on
their weights.
Lets forget about wing spans, flaps and other enhancements. All 3
classes would be free to choose their own goodies as long as they kept
to prescribed weight limits. Wouldn't this make glider design so much
more fun?
I propose that:
Class 1 be limited to 70kilos maximum
(plus safety equipment such as a ballistic parachute).
Class 2 be limited to 250kilos max

Class 3 be limited to 250kilos minimum

Note that in theory a Class 1 type glider could, if suitably
ballisted and structurally strong enough, be flown in all 3 classes.

Innovations are usually assisted not by having strict rules such as
today's strict glider classes but rather the freedom to exploit the
limits of technology and the mind. Bert Rutan with Spaceship 1 was not
encumbered by prejudices of what a space ship should look like
according to NASA. He designed it to do a job. Likewise forget this
nonsense about glider wingspan etc. Let the designers use modern
materials for best advantage to push the state of art of sailplanes.
My hat's off to people like Rutan and Greg Cole (SparrowHawk) who defy
outdated traditions. If you don't believe me go and demo a
SparrowHawk.
Dave

So what you're saying is, as I interpret it, "It's the pilot's wallet,
stupid." It's not a bad idea, but some other constraint would be needed
to limit the cost, or soaring competition will become as relevant to the
regular sailplane pilot as F1 racing is to most car owners.

Shawn

Just, for Pete's sake, keep the Sports Class, which is the non-class or
all-class, thank you. Libertarian class, "I respect your decision on what
to fly" class. After all the theorizing and the social engineering and the
enforcing of arbitrary fashions, there will always be left-over people
(hmm... like paraglider pilots turned Sparrohawk fans?) whose aesthetic or
aerodynamic opinion, wallet, access, whatever, leaves them wedded to some
"dis-enfranchised" mount ("rare", "old", "non-mainstream", "orphaned",
"one-design", who cares?). Or furthermore, unattached people who alternate,
share, borrow, train in various ships. Let them feel welcome to achieve and
compete with the rest. In a big country with a small spread-out fleet, you
at least stand a chance of pulling enough pilots together to make a contest
possible.

Now I want to suggest that, in my humble opinion, the way the
classes are currently set up by the SSA don't make any sense.

In fact the classes are set up by FAI. If the SSA did it, they
would probably make even less sense.

False premises.

They are not all the same. Though subtle, each model in a class has
its peculiarities. For example, the LS-8 is a better climber than a
D2. The Ventus 2 is a better climber than the 27. This translates into
differences in tactics. The 27 and D2 are better suited to meandering,
the 8 and V2 to saw-toothing.

There is, in fact, more than just a subtle difference between models.
Cockpits are shaped differently, the low speed bucket is wider for
some models, dump rates vary, handling varies, all of these factors
shift the spectrum of pilot options for a given situation. There is no
doubt that some model families are better suited to a particular pilot
than others.

And I won't even start on the advantages of optimizing wingspan. A
savvy CD could easily design tasks that would cripple any glider with
less than 20 meters, regardless of how heavy the 15M racers.

Of course, that's not to say that your idea isn't interesting. But
your foundation is weak. You need another, better reason to launch
this revolution. (:-D

You need another, better reason to launch
this revolution. (:-D


Another requirement for change is popular support...I
will be verrry generous and estimate the entire glider
racing population in the US at 10% of SSA members...1400
pilots. I suspect 500 pilots is a more accurate number,
but not wanting to debate this I will use the larger
number.

How many of them see this as an issue? Does redoing
the class requirements solve the issue of driving halfway
across the USA to sit on the tarmac waiting for the
rain to stop? Or reduce the time expenditure to do
that?

And if a handicap system is not used...then an arms
race starts with pilots spending big bucks to buy performance.
I admire the enthusiasm racers have for their niche.
But I don't see your suggestion increasing the numbers.
And Sparrowhawks probably will do quite well in Sports
Class.

At 01:00 28 November 2004, David Bingham wrote:
Sailplane Classes

snip


If you don't believe me go and demo a
SparrowHawk.
Dave


Dave, they won't let anyone unless the person plunks
down a non-refundable chunk of money on a purchase
order. No flights by an insured pilot/instructor or
whoever.

Why does the US have different classes to the rest of the world? OK I know
std, 15m and Open are all the same, but US has a Sport class wheras the rest of
the world has the Club class. I dont believe that there is a 18m class in the
US either. Please correct me if I am wrong.

On a slightly different note. Since the PW5 is relatively popular in the US and
deeply unpopular (and thus cheap) in europe why dont we send them all to you.
In the return container you can send us your 15m gliders which due to the weak
dollar would be relatively cheap for us.

Earlier, (David Bingham) wrote:

...I propose that:
Class 1 be limited to 70kilos maximum
(plus safety equipment such as a ballistic parachute).
Class 2 be limited to 250kilos max

Class 3 be limited to 250kilos minimum...

So, if these classes were suddenly instituted tomorrow, would you compete in them?

Bob K.

Bob Kuykendall wrote:

So, if these classes were suddenly instituted tomorrow, would you compete in them?

If there was a Sports Class competition nearby, that's the one I'd most likely
compete in.

The year I had the most time and interest, there was unfortunately no
Sports Class at Avenal. Too bad

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Mark J. Boyd