Ls8 vs SZD--55

How do these compare? Not performance wise (no ambition to fly comps and still a beginner at ca 100 hours) though specs seem close for ls8 in 15m config but in all other aspects.

Price difference makes me wonder which way to go...

Has anyone flown, owned both?

S

On Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:55:51 AM UTC-4, wrote:
How do these compare? Not performance wise (no ambition to fly comps and still a beginner at ca 100 hours) though specs seem close for ls8 in 15m config but in all other aspects.

Price difference makes me wonder which way to go...

Has anyone flown, owned both?

S

The gelcoat on the 55 will outlast the ls8.
S6

On Jul 14, 12:55*am, wrote:
How do these compare? Not performance wise (no ambition to fly comps and still a beginner at ca 100 hours) though specs seem close for ls8 in 15m config but in all other aspects.

Price difference makes me wonder which way to go...

Has anyone flown, owned both?

S

55 - light wings (just over 100 lbs - I have no problem getting help
rigging); 2 main pins. LS-8 wings are heavier. Single main pin.
Rigging probably a wash, unless you have a bad back - then 55
favoured.

55 great in light conditions (east). AUW 1100 lbs when full of water
when things are strong.

Factory support available for both; windpath has good response. No
annual fee. LS-8 - fee.

Finish for my 55 is very nice still (1990 model).

I'm probably a couple of percent short in performance (.941 vs .915
for LS-8 15m, .88 18m); I can live with that.

Subjectively, the 55 is very pretty in the air (should count for
something). Thermals 'speak' to you like in an LS-4. Haven't flown
LS-8 but imagine it's the same.

55 - no carbon anything; LS-8, wings, tail etc are carbon.

I'd be happy with either.

On Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:55:51 AM UTC-4, wrote:
How do these compare? Not performance wise (no ambition to fly comps and still a beginner at ca 100 hours) though specs seem close for ls8 in 15m config but in all other aspects.

Price difference makes me wonder which way to go...

Has anyone flown, owned both?

S

Have not flown SZD-55 but owned an LS8. Very easy to rig (two pins, not one), very comfortable for long flights. Very easy to fly for a beginner. Controls are very well balanced (LS trait) and very responsive. Good airbrakes. Sent out wheel brake to Vintage Brake and after that worked fine. Everyone who has one or had one loved them.

I have owned a SZD 55 since 2001, and have flown it more than 100 hours. I have flown an LS8 for a couple of weeks at a competition.

SZD55 great fun glider, climbs really well and runs hard in strong conditions. The 55 has a good wing loading range going up to 52 Kg/sqm and comes down to very light. Easy rigging with light wings.
One con with the 55 when loaded with water on take off with nil head wind it can drop a wing. I have no problem if there is any head wind. The Ls8 however I think handles those conditions better.

Ls8 very sweat handling and I found easy rigging and a great performance.
Depending on how old the Ls8 is it might require a maintenance agreement with DG. I do know of a couple of undercarriage collapses with Ls8, I think if it is not set up or maintained well this problem can occur.

Regards,
John Orton


On Sunday, July 15, 2012 7:57:06 PM UTC+8, Juanman wrote:
On Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:55:51 AM UTC-4, wrote:
> How do these compare? Not performance wise (no ambition to fly comps and still a beginner at ca 100 hours) though specs seem close for ls8 in 15m config but in all other aspects.
>
> Price difference makes me wonder which way to go...
>
> Has anyone flown, owned both?
>
> S

Have not flown SZD-55 but owned an LS8. Very easy to rig (two pins, not one), very comfortable for long flights. Very easy to fly for a beginner. Controls are very well balanced (LS trait) and very responsive. Good airbrakes. Sent out wheel brake to Vintage Brake and after that worked fine. Everyone who has one or had one loved them.

I have flown an SZD-55, an LS-4, and have flown with and against
LS-8's and SZD-55's in competitions and on long cross-country flights.

If they're in comparable condition and price, get whichever one has a
better trailer and/or better gelcoat! Seriously. Everyone that talks
about the importance of a good trailer is speaking the truth - a
clamshell (Cobra, Avionic, Komet, etc) in good condition is worth a
lot - in that it saves you a lot of hassle rigging and a lot of
maintenance issues that a bad (or leaky) trailer can cause.

On the aircraft: Both are really great ships and its hard to go wrong
with either one of them. The SZD-55 will do better in light
conditions, as has been noted. Its no slouch in strong weather, but
the LS-8 (IMHO) will be better in strong conditions. The older LS-8's
may or may not be subject to the DG fee (DG took over LS ships); but
speaking as the owner of a DG-300 I only pay the fee if I need factory-
original parts and have no other recourse. I've owned my '300 for
several years now and never paid the fee (of course, my '300 is also
registered experimental which gives me a little more leeway).

My biggest advice: Don't rely on pictures. Its very hard to get a
sense of a glider based on pictures alone - you HAVE to see it with
the naked eyeball. If you're going to spend tens of thousands of
dollars on an aircraft (and many more thousands to maintain it over
the years), do NOT cheap-out on inspecting it before you buy it! If
you're looking at a glider that isn't local, check it out and do a lot
of homework - then if it still looks like a good deal buy a plane
ticket and go see it for yourself (in addition to having an A&P do a
pre-buy inspection either before or after this step)! I flew to look
at 3 different aircraft before buying my DG-300 and I am *so* glad I
did... The extra $1500 for those trips has easily been made up for by
not getting an aircraft I regret (or have to do extra work on).

Good luck!

--Noel

"55 - no carbon anythig ls8 carbonwings etc"
What does this translate to?

As to the condition of a ship: I compared prices of the new ones...

On Sunday, July 15, 2012 11:59:51 PM UTC-7, wrote:
"55 - no carbon anythig ls8 carbonwings etc"
What does this translate to?

As to the condition of a ship: I compared prices of the new ones...

It translates into much easier placement of Spot, GPS, transponder, and FLARM.

W dniu poniedziałek, 16 lipca 2012 19:22:03 UTC+2 użytkownik (Nieznane) napisał:
On Sunday, July 15, 2012 11:59:51 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> "55 - no carbon anythig ls8 carbonwings etc"
> What does this translate to?
>
> As to the condition of a ship: I compared prices of the new ones...

It translates into much easier placement of Spot, GPS, transponder, and FLARM.

Can you please explain how using different materials affects easier placement of GPS, FLARM etc?

On Jul 16, 10:58*am, wrote:

Can you please explain how using different materials affects easier placement of GPS, FLARM etc?

It affects the placement of the antennas. Carbon is opaque to radio
frequency waves. Fiberglass and aramid are relatively transparent, and
allow the use of internal antennas.

Thanks, Bob K.