Motorgliders on OLC?

It makes sense that the motor is an advantage as I usually don't have a crew but I haven't flown my motor glider as far as I've flown my pure sailplanes. Hope to change that this year. I really like self launching from places where there's no towplane or not having to wait in a long line for a tow.

I'm not too worried about a motor glider handicap, if it happens. I like flying thermals and can't compete with the wave guys anyway.

Jim Dingess

I think the idea that motorgliderpilots glide to unlandable places trusting their engines to gain OLC points is pretty ridiculous. Darwin takes care of these pilots very quickly.

However, having engine is a huge advantage in OLC flying because you can press on at sunday evening for another 100km knowing that you will be home that same evening. There is no denying of this.

How to make OLC playing field level? Separate classes for gliders and motorplanes, maybe? Or at least a special price for best non-motorglider pilot/flight. Or maybe they should start with getting rid of those DaeC handicaps for starters, as they are a big joke. Same handicap for DuoDiscus and GF304, what are they smoking in Germany and OLC?

If you really wan't to succeed in OLC, fly short wing Turbo-LS8.

The motorglider that wouldn't start was a Silent, but it turned out to be the fault of the pilot, not the ship.

Boggs

The motorglider that wouldn't start was a Silent, but it turned out to be the fault of the pilot, not the ship.

Boggs

Waveguru wrote:
The motorglider that wouldn't start was a Silent, but it turned out to be
the fault of the pilot, not the ship.

Boggs

Hey while we are whining about olc can we get a location handicap? A 500km
flight in the flatlands of Wi is way more difficult than surfing the ridge
out east it the Sierra wave in the west.

Just sayin

Pete

I guess that's why there are different regions?

Boggs

On Monday, April 29, 2013 7:30:09 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:
I would like to see how many points the motorglider guys would end up scoring if their motor was rendered unavailable after launch. A friend of mine couldn't get his motor started one day, so he took an aero tow, and his flying was much different that day. It's just not the same when you know you can crank up that iron thermal an motor home any time you want. It's definitely not a level playing field.



Boggs

That's an OLD wive's tale that keeps coming back like a freeloading relative. Give it a rest, already. Anyone who has ACTUALLY flown MGs KNOWs how problematic starting that engine can be. I flew mine one year after I had the engine removed for repairs and was surprised how refreshing it was about the simplified decision making was.

Now, let's start a new thread about the accidents that we have had and the bad decision making that led up to it.

Tom

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:07:48 PM UTC-7, 2G wrote:
On Monday, April 29, 2013 7:30:09 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:

I would like to see how many points the motorglider guys would end up scoring if their motor was rendered unavailable after launch. A friend of mine couldn't get his motor started one day, so he took an aero tow, and his flying was much different that day. It's just not the same when you know you can crank up that iron thermal an motor home any time you want. It's definitely not a level playing field.




I haven't had the opportunity to fly a motor-glider, but I know for SURE that I'd range more widely if I THOUGHT that after landing at a far away airfield, I could launch the next day and fly home, rather than KNOWING I have to put someone out by driving 18 hours to come get me... and yes, I have had to ask for a nearly 20 hour retrieve.



Boggs



That's an OLD wive's tale that keeps coming back like a freeloading relative. Give it a rest, already. Anyone who has ACTUALLY flown MGs KNOWs how problematic starting that engine can be. I flew mine one year after I had the engine removed for repairs and was surprised how refreshing it was about the simplified decision making was.



Now, let's start a new thread about the accidents that we have had and the bad decision making that led up to it.



Tom

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:43:20 PM UTC-7, Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:07:48 PM UTC-7, 2G wrote:

On Monday, April 29, 2013 7:30:09 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:



I would like to see how many points the motorglider guys would end up scoring if their motor was rendered unavailable after launch. A friend of mine couldn't get his motor started one day, so he took an aero tow, and his flying was much different that day. It's just not the same when you know you can crank up that iron thermal an motor home any time you want. It's definitely not a level playing field.









I haven't had the opportunity to fly a motor-glider, but I know for SURE that I'd range more widely if I THOUGHT that after landing at a far away airfield, I could launch the next day and fly home, rather than KNOWING I have to put someone out by driving 18 hours to come get me... and yes, I have had to ask for a nearly 20 hour retrieve.







Boggs







That's an OLD wive's tale that keeps coming back like a freeloading relative. Give it a rest, already. Anyone who has ACTUALLY flown MGs KNOWs how problematic starting that engine can be. I flew mine one year after I had the engine removed for repairs and was surprised how refreshing it was about the simplified decision making was.







Now, let's start a new thread about the accidents that we have had and the bad decision making that led up to it.







Tom

I second that. Without voicing a direct opinion on the subject, and as someone who pushes the envelope too much too often, and yet have someone to retrieve him in case all else failed, I can say with no doubt that I would have pushed the envelope much more if I had a motorglider, even if it was only 80% reliable. The math is simple, if you know you have only 50% chance to make it back without an engine, you know you have significantly higher chance (higher than 80% in this example, someone can do the math) to make it back with a motorglider. A big difference. Having said that, most (except few notable exceptions) motorglider pilots I know are flying way more conservative than I do. I can never figure this out...

Ramy

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:43:20 PM UTC-7, Uncle Fuzzy wrote:
On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:07:48 PM UTC-7, 2G wrote:

On Monday, April 29, 2013 7:30:09 AM UTC-7, Waveguru wrote:



I would like to see how many points the motorglider guys would end up scoring if their motor was rendered unavailable after launch. A friend of mine couldn't get his motor started one day, so he took an aero tow, and his flying was much different that day. It's just not the same when you know you can crank up that iron thermal an motor home any time you want. It's definitely not a level playing field.









I haven't had the opportunity to fly a motor-glider, but I know for SURE that I'd range more widely if I THOUGHT that after landing at a far away airfield, I could launch the next day and fly home, rather than KNOWING I have to put someone out by driving 18 hours to come get me... and yes, I have had to ask for a nearly 20 hour retrieve.







Boggs







That's an OLD wive's tale that keeps coming back like a freeloading relative. Give it a rest, already. Anyone who has ACTUALLY flown MGs KNOWs how problematic starting that engine can be. I flew mine one year after I had the engine removed for repairs and was surprised how refreshing it was about the simplified decision making was.







Now, let's start a new thread about the accidents that we have had and the bad decision making that led up to it.







Tom

Well, you CERTAINLY don't fly in the high desert of the West where the valleys START at 5Kft and a 10kft power ceiling DOES NOT get you very far! Remember, you will have to find a safe place to restart at 1,500 AGL while attempting a sawtooth retrieve. My rule of thumb is the motor will get you to an airport most of the time, but you WON'T be able to self-retrieve. You might be able to launch the day and do soaring self-retrieve; sort of like landing at an airfield with an available tow.

What you guys are really referring to are the touring motorgliders where this is practical, but the soaring performance is pretty poor.

Tom