Well put, Mike.
Perhaps a few additional thoughts. ..
there are many reasons for what
type of soaring may appeal to one and not the other. For me,
a real big
part of the fun is flying something I built myself. My little
glider [a Carbon Dragon]
is my own creation I dearly love every aerial experience we share together.
Regarding microlift ... which type
of aircraft is best? Depends on the
air you're working. Any high performance glider can do well in
light lift
that is large enough to accommodate their large circling radius and
is high
enough to afford the safety margin required to recover from a stall/spin
incident. To explore and USE lift that is close to the terrain
you need a
low sink rate and a very maneuverable aircraft that has
docile stall entry
and very rapid recovery. Then you need to become very
familiar with its
handling and flight capabilities. Familiar enough that you can
proficiently
hunt out, follow and extract as much lift as possible from stuff you
used to
regard as annoying turbulence on final. I've used this low level
lift
before in hang gliders and some days it works but that's because the
lift
being thrown is stronger than the hang glider sink rate. More
often what
you'd get is extended flight down low. With the circling sink
rate of the
Magic Dragon, I can slowly climb and/or hold position and wait for
a
stronger cycle and instead of sinking slowly to landing.
Ideally, what you need is the maneuverability,
friendly stall
characteristics, and low inertia, slow speed, short field landing attributes
of a hang glider with half the circling sink rate and twice the glide.
... and
then you have to get real good at flying it.
Steve Arndt
http://www.sailplanehomebuilders.com/steve_arndt_cd.htm
Images on SHA website
http://www.sailplanehomebuilders.com/arndt_news_posting.htm
Building, modifying and flying the CD
http://www.isd.net/sadkins/builders.htm
List of flying Carbon Dragons, page down for Arndt
Hi All,
As a big fan of light soaring
I want to toss a few ideas into the ring
for thought. Is the Monarch a better glider than the
Carbon Dragon?
Is a Buick a better car than an Oldsmobile? If I want to
enjoy a country drive on a warm summer evening I'll pick a convertible
with the top down. If I travel the interstate, Ill
take a Cadillac, roll the
windows up and use the cruise control.
If I go 2000 MI.. on vacation for two weeks
with my wife, I'll use a Dodge
Caravan, not a Corvette. If I want to enjoy some
soaring after a day at
my 8 to 5, I'll fly a Monarch, not a Grob 102.
The point is fun. The point is
no single sailplane can be a do-all
fit-all. I find the open cockpit glider a big
help in working light lift.
It allows me to be more closely in touch with the environment
that I'm operating in. The extra visibility allows me
to enjoy things I
would miss from an enclosed cockpit. If I give up a bit
of performance
to be out in the open, so be it. If I feel a need
for blasting
all over the sky at 100 kts, I'll go get the 102 out and fly
it instead.
I probably don't have the same
desires as the mainstream of the
soaring community, but I don't really care. I want
to have fun and
enjoyment with my flying, that's why I do it. That's why
we all do it.
And no, I will not get into a
big long drawn out discussion about min
sink, speed polars, design A Vs design B. It's all relative.
That Corvette
will out corner the Caravan but, it will not hold
enough suitcases to
keep my wife happy on the road for even one week.
I will not make any
comments about the Carbon Dragon, I haven't
flown one yet. Maybe I'll get that chance this August in
Marion. I do
have a hundred or so flights in the Monarch F and G.
I know what this
design can do and I like it. It fills a much needed spot in
my soaring fun.
And yes, I live in Marion, Ohio,
and feel very lucky to be here, the
home of Marske Flying Wings. And yes,
my opinions are no doubt biased,
but I feel I'm very fortunate to have experienced light
soaring, something
that many will never get the chance to do. Most are too hung
up with
that blasting around at 100 kts mentality to slow down
and enjoy the ride.
Mike Couts
Dennis, ... [in response to a letter not reprinted here]
I note that you have not had the opportunity to
fly in a monarch or
Carbon Dragon.... using second hand information
is not always a
good idea. When you get in to microlift.... you
really have to define
performance... and it will be a very personal
thing. The Monarch
with its seemingly low performance l/d actually
surprises all of us
with its ability to stay up on even a very overcast
day... but the real
thrill is the sensual side... the smells, the
air temperature
difference and the perfect vision with great
visibility. I have no fears
of landing almost anywhere... and 17,000 ft just
does not interest
me... I've been there and everything looks flat...
and damn its cold!
At 1,500 ft the whole world is fantastic.. I
can see everything,,, hear
it and even smell the thermals.
Light wing loading , performance and controlability
are issues yet
to be seriously discussed and experienced.....
and then throw in
the cost....
I invite you to come to Marion [Ohio] to try the
Monarch. It will really
surprise you!
These are my personal opinions after surveying
and participating in
all kinds of soaring.... the challenge of microlift
is not just in the
learning the piloting skills but also making
the glider that will give
me the enjoyment I cherish. Yes, after making
three Monarchs,
and flying hundreds of flights I still have a
long way to go....
microlift is a lot more challenging than any
form of soaring I have
encountered and will require specialized gliders
that have been built
on empirical study... this will take years of
development... and as
for the current shape of gliders.... I do know
that in Microlift they
will not work as well as new designs... especially
noteworthy is the
type of flying wing the Jim Marske has developed.
-mat
Mat Redsell, CFIG
Marske Flying Wings
3007 Harding Highway East, Marion OH 43302.
ph 740 223-3550
email: MarskeREMOVE@continuo.com
Marske Flying Wing Web Page:
http://www.continuo.com/marske