Performance Glider for tall people

Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

Hi Caiuz,

Why not try a LS4? It has about the same performance and is more fun to fly
in my opinion. The cockpit is quite large and should be no problem.

Regards, Erik.



ginopagino wrote:

Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

Met a German pilot last week who is 7 feet tall, touring North America
with his 26E !!!! He modified the rudder pedals, made special
instrument panel (space for knees), replaced the factory seat pan, and
modified the parachute harness so the chute sits on a shelf above his
shoulders. Not your standard ship, eh? -- but it shows what
determination and skills can do.

This is the third design he has modified. He says the resale value (to
TALL pilots) is excellent.

Erik Braun wrote:
Hi Caiuz,

Why not try a LS4? It has about the same performance and is more fun to fly
in my opinion. The cockpit is quite large and should be no problem.

Regards, Erik.



ginopagino wrote:


Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

I have a Discus 2B and at 6" 0" have more room than I need. I am sure
that you will fit this and the similar Ventus fuselage.

Why don't you try a few out at your local glider field?

Mike


ginopagino wrote:
Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

Jantar-Std 3 has a very long cockpit that fits pilots over 2 m.

Nils

ginopagino wrote:
Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

Holger Weitzel is the tallest glider pilot I know (I'm 6'0" and he
makes me look short). He flies an ASH26E for the roomy cockpit.

You might also want to consider a two-place ship like a DuoDiscus. I
fly a Janus, and it is quite comfortable in front and back.

ginopagino wrote:
Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

I'm just under 6ft but once had a Ventus B (same fuse as the Discus B
or CS) and had to pull the rudder pedals back and put cushions behind
me to fit well with a parachute on. You might find someone with one
and see you can fit. Also, the PIK20D78 has a longer/larger fuse than
the other PIK20 models. See if you can find one of those to try on for
size as well. Even try taking out the seatback to make more room if it
is possible to do so.

Good luck! At my size I feel too tall for many gliders when wearing a
chute. You are just going to try on gliders until you find one that
fits..... Then find one to buy!

Patman
"CQ"

ginopagino wrote:
Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

Do a search on this newsgroup using groups.google.com for threads
relating to tall pilots--there have been quite a few over the years.

One caution is that the torso/leg length ratio is as important as
overall height. The original Ventus and Discus, for example, had good
leg room but were tight for pilots with long torsos, at least without
what I consider to be extreme measures such as parachutes stowed behind
the pilot's head (because of the danger in a crash of it breaking your
neck).

The parachute can also be a critical factor. Some parachutes have more
thickness in the lower back, others behind the shoulders (the former
works better for me, allowing me to recline more). Some have comfort
foam, which increases the thickness, some not. Sometimes even the way a
rigger packs the parachute will have an effect.

Removing the adjustable back rest may provide enough room to get a tall
pilot into the cockpit. If you're buying new, the factories will often
work with you. For my ASW 24, for example, Schleicher provided an
aftermarket instrument panel with higher cutouts for the knees, omitted
the rudder pedals (only the metal bars are there) and moved the
mounting forward a few cm, and replaced the adjustable seat back with
the covers for the baggage compartment used in the motorglider; they
form a nice backrest.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"

There is a guy on our field who is 6'6" and after much research, he
settled on an LS3.

Bob

wrote:
I'm just under 6ft but once had a Ventus B (same fuse as the Discus B
or CS) and had to pull the rudder pedals back and put cushions behind
me to fit well with a parachute on. You might find someone with one
and see you can fit. Also, the PIK20D78 has a longer/larger fuse than
the other PIK20 models. See if you can find one of those to try on for
size as well. Even try taking out the seatback to make more room if it
is possible to do so.

Good luck! At my size I feel too tall for many gliders when wearing a
chute. You are just going to try on gliders until you find one that
fits..... Then find one to buy!

Patman
"CQ"

ginopagino wrote:
Hi,

which european medium/high performance glider would you reccommend for
tall people?
I am ~6.5 / 199cm and looking to buy something like a Discus but
apparently cockpit is supersmall

Any suggestions?

Many Tks

Caiuz

This brings up another good point. Your height is not the only factor.
The relative lengths of your torso and legs also matters. Long legs can
make it hard to reach the instrument panel, and a long torso can make
headroom a problem. Some Eastern European designs are built to match
different proportions.

T o d d P a t t i s t wrote:
wrote:

The parachute can also be a critical factor. Some parachutes have more
thickness in the lower back, others behind the shoulders (the former
works better for me, allowing me to recline more). Some have comfort
foam, which increases the thickness, some not. Sometimes even the way a
rigger packs the parachute will have an effect.

Removing the adjustable back rest may provide enough room to get a tall
pilot into the cockpit.

My Ventus C/B required that I cut the adjustable seatback
in half, then reglass it. This gave more space behind my
lower back, allowing my chute to drop into that space, and
dropping my head an inch or so. Of course, I then found my
arms were just a bit short for adjusting the radio and
vario, but adding extensions (to the knobs, not the arms)
fixed that. I would have removed the seat back, but the
headrest is attached to it
--
T o d d P a t t i s t - "WH" Ventus C
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)