Blanik L-13

Like about 300 US Blanik L-13 sailplane owners, I have a ship that will probably never fly again. Just trying to find out what other owners are doing with their hangar queens. I know of one where the owners took it apart, separating the aluminum from the steel for sale to metal recyclers. From what I heard, the time and effort involved put their hourly income at about half of the min. wage level.
Not many museums want one and tad big for a wind vane. realistic ideas?

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:28:29 PM UTC-8, Boise Pilot wrote:
Like about 300 US Blanik L-13 sailplane owners, I have a ship that will probably never fly again. Just trying to find out what other owners are doing with their hangar queens. I know of one where the owners took it apart, separating the aluminum from the steel for sale to metal recyclers. From what I heard, the time and effort involved put their hourly income at about half of the min. wage level.

Not many museums want one and tad big for a wind vane. realistic ideas?

The cockpits would make awesome Condor simulator platforms to promote soaring with the under 24 crowd. once converted, they could be sold to soaring sites for training too. I am a mechanical engineer, so I might be talked into donating some time to this type of project. I live in Menlo Park, CA. I bet most real controls could be hooked up to a gutted joystick...


Anyone else interested?

Matt

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 2:44:56 PM UTC-7, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:28:29 PM UTC-8, Boise Pilot wrote:

Like about 300 US Blanik L-13 sailplane owners, I have a ship that will probably never fly again. Just trying to find out what other owners are doing with their hangar queens. I know of one where the owners took it apart, separating the aluminum from the steel for sale to metal recyclers. From what I heard, the time and effort involved put their hourly income at about half of the min. wage level.



Not many museums want one and tad big for a wind vane. realistic ideas?



The cockpits would make awesome Condor simulator platforms to promote soaring with the under 24 crowd. once converted, they could be sold to soaring sites for training too. I am a mechanical engineer, so I might be talked into donating some time to this type of project. I live in Menlo Park, CA. I bet most real controls could be hooked up to a gutted joystick...





Anyone else interested?



Matt

I've been campaigning for the flight simulator solution for a long time. I think it's the perfect answer of what to do with old Blaniks. Flight sim "cockpit building" is a developing hobby much like model railroads used to be and a small industry has built up around it supplying things like instruments and force feedback equipment.

Anyone used an L-13 as a starting point for an experimental (glider or
power)?

On Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:04:04 PM UTC-5, WB wrote:
Anyone used an L-13 as a starting point for an experimental (glider or

power)?

There's this

http://tinyurl.com/baptr9c

On 2/21/2013 12:44 PM, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:04:04 PM UTC-5, WB wrote:
Anyone used an L-13 as a starting point for an experimental (glider or

power)?
There's this

http://tinyurl.com/baptr9c

And this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjYJQ8JAZA

On 02/21/2013 12:04 PM, Wallace Berry wrote:
Anyone used an L-13 as a starting point for an experimental (glider or
power)?

The factory at one point was building the VIVAT version...

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/type.php?p=739

On Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:44:23 -0500, Luke Szczepaniak wrote:

On 02/21/2013 12:04 PM, Wallace Berry wrote:
Anyone used an L-13 as a starting point for an experimental (glider or
power)?

The factory at one point was building the VIVAT version...

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/type.php?p=739

I remember seeing one on the glider field at Sazena in 1997, along with a
hangar-full of assorted L-13s and an Antonov A-15 - in short, a hangar
full of metal aircraft.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

onsdag 20. februar 2013 kl. 22:44:56 UTC+1 skrev Matt Herron Jr.:
On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:28:29 PM UTC-8, Boise Pilot wrote:
Like about 300 US Blanik L-13 sailplane owners, I have a ship that will probably never fly again. Just trying to find out what other owners are doing with their hangar queens. I know of one where the owners took it apart, separating the aluminum from the steel for sale to metal recyclers. From what I heard, the time and effort involved put their hourly income at about half of the min. wage level.

Not many museums want one and tad big for a wind vane. realistic ideas?
The cockpits would make awesome Condor simulator platforms to promote soaring with the under 24 crowd. once converted, they could be sold to soaring sites for training too. I am a mechanical engineer, so I might be talked into donating some time to this type of project. I live in Menlo Park, CA. I bet most real controls could be hooked up to a gutted joystick...


Anyone else interested?

Matt

Probably the most realistic idea I've heard yet is retrofitting L23
wings to L13s and seeking an STC for the combination. That's probably
a lot more cost-effective, though a lot less fun, than developing new
composite wings for L23.

Thanks, Bob K.