Libelle 201 query

Hello gentlemen and others,
Im considering acquiring a Standard Libelle as a first private aircraft, after recently converting to a single Astir at my local club.
I have an opportunity to check one out, but have to travel a long way to see her, half way across the country.
One concern is whether the cockpit will fit my buddy. I'm small enough to fit easily. Can someone advise what the width is between the cockpit canopy rails? This would be the tightest part I guess, where shoulders would fit.
Cheers
Frank

I guess what Im mostly concerned with is how big can a guy be and still fit into the Libelle cockpit. Would 6'2" be too tall?

It is all about proportions and shoulder width. We have a member 6'-3" that owns a Libelle and loves it. Suggest you sit in one. Not sure where you are located but, we have 5 that are privately owned in our club in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Tim Hanke

Adirondack Soaring


On Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 8:43:03 AM UTC-5, Ommadawn wrote:
I guess what Im mostly concerned with is how big can a guy be and still
fit into the Libelle cockpit. Would 6'2" be too tall?




--
Ommadawn

On Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 7:50:53 AM UTC-6, wrote:
It is all about proportions and shoulder width. We have a member 6'-3" that owns a Libelle and loves it. Suggest you sit in one. Not sure where you are located but, we have 5 that are privately owned in our club in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Tim Hanke

Adirondack Soaring

As Tim said, it is all in your proportions. I fly a Libelle with a low profile (racing) canopy. Just under 6'2", about 225 lbs, 34 inch inseam pants, and wearing a Strong backpack parachute. Seatback all the way back, rudder pedals all the way forward, touching lots of places, but not hard, and still have wiggle room after flying for a bit.

OK, it really isn't a "Libelle", but the FJ-1. It is a 201 cockpit, though..

Steve Leonard

OK, it really isn't a "Libelle", but the FJ-1. It is a 201 cockpit, though.

Great article on the FJ-1 in last months Soaring with part 2 coming up. May be the best article I've read in Soaring in years. Bravo.

On Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 10:18:38 AM UTC-6, Kevin Christner wrote:
OK, it really isn't a "Libelle", but the FJ-1. It is a 201 cockpit, though.

Great article on the FJ-1 in last months Soaring with part 2 coming up. May be the best article I've read in Soaring in years. Bravo.

Thank Pat Philbrick, Alan Bikle, and Fred Jiran. They did all the work on the plane and the article!

I am 6' and fly mine with a racing canopy. Not a great deal of room round my head, but it is comfortable.

Tall and broad shouldered seems the toughest combination.
I hope it works for you, the Libelle is one of the nicest gliders to fly.
Jim

I'm was 6'3" and 175 lbs. when flying mine for some years. Very comfortable even for long flights. In addition to overall height and shoulder width, another parameter is torso-to-height ratio: i.e., how long are your legs vs. upper body? It's less a factor for Libelles than for, say, the original Ventus/Discus cockpit. Mine had the raised canopy but the backrest was all the way back so my head was actually aft of the top of the bubble. I tried a low-profile canopy once and couldn't quite fit in. As others have said, the best way is to try one on. The parachute can make a huge difference so bring several with you. In my ASW 24, for example, the only chutes that work are very thin behind the shoulders with more bulk in the lumbar region, exactly the opposite of some chutes. The one I wore in the Libelle was an old Navy backpack that was almost certainly thicker than what I've used since then.

IIRC, the factory-approved water ballast system had some plumbing secured to the wing root rib in the leading edge (i.e., the fill port and connection to the dump tubes). I suppose those could squeeze one's shoulders a bit. Many (most?) early 201s (i.e, top and bottom surface dive brakes, balsa-core wings, small elevator) weren't retrofitted with the factory water system and instead used owner-provided barbed connectors for the tank tubes exiting the wing roots that didn't cause a shoulder clearance problem. Brings back memories!

Chip Bearden

Thanks for the comprehensive feedback chaps.
I cant actually try out the glider as it is 2300Km away.
I will be making an epic road trip to check her out.
I will fit, as I'm not really big, but my buddy was the one I was concerned about. He is about 6"1 and 100Kg.
Sounds like it won't be an issue for him.
If she checks out ok I will be hauling her home.
I hope to become a regular contributor to this forum, even if its just to ask dumb newbie type questions, as this will be my first private sailplane.
I have a significant history of hang gliding, RC model soaring and FPV piloting.
I'm in Adelaide South Australia.
Cheers
Frank.