It's all about the powerplant

[Pat Russell]

https://youtu.be/Z9vBN-_mBf4

Does anyone make a pure glider any more?

[Frghtdg]

You can order most models without a motor, all it takes is money. I believe the factory will accommodate whatever your dream ship might be. Of course, W & B might require you to carry lead shot in a few, not all models.
R

[Hank Nixon]

If you are going to spend that much money on a new glider, why would you not buy an option that can keep you out of a field?

Most can be had that way, but almost none are sold without motors.

UH

On Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 11:22:51 AM UTC-4 Pat Russell wrote:

[Frghtdg]

Why surf the waves when you can drive a jetski? Climb Mt Everest when Emirates has First Class. Eat Lobster when you can eat fried mac&cheese in Americus, Ga.?

Do not devalue the cascading effects of a landout. To date, no one has written or pass interesting words after uttering…

“I got low, started my engine and came home.”

R

[n5...@comcast.net]

And don't forget the dinner, social activities, or rest your crew (volunteer or dragooned) missed because they had to come drag your ass out of a field. 

CR

[Tom Seim]

I have said in the past: "I have been rich and I have been poor; I like rich better." I reprise that with "I have landed in dirt fields followed by a long hike to civilization, and I have motored back to a regular dinner; I like dinner better."

Tom 2G

Virus-free.www.avast.com

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[Daniel Mockler]

Life is an adventure

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[Greg Arnold]

Perhaps motoring home is not very interesting.  However, no pilot has ever landed out just to have an interesting retrieve adventure.  And if you motor home, you will be able to fly the next day, which could be interesting.

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[Tom Seim]

Worse, if you land out, you can damage your glider and not be able to fly for the rest of the season.

Tom 2G

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[Eric Greenwell]

The land out adventures were the one thing I missed after I got my motor glider, but after 20 years flying towed gliders, I had enough stories for the after-flying conversation or to impress people that aren't glider pilots. Hang glider pilots may launch thinking "I wonder what field I'll land in today", but only a rare sailplane pilot thinks that!   The "Surf the waves" imagery romanticizes the landout: most towed pilots don't want that a story to tell others, as they work very hard to avoid a field landing, usually landing at airports for safety and to get a tow home, and the imagery ignores the damage that can occur. Satellite trackers (like inReach), Flarm, OGN, and cell phones further reduce the likelihood of any adventure.

The only crew I ever had that hoped for a field landing was my teenage son, who longed for any reason to drive any vehicle, even one with with a 30' trailer. My wife also thinks 20 years of retrieves is enough: the motor glider is her favorite glider (we've had four), because "it always gets home".

Eric

On Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 2:04:16 PM UTC-7 Frghtdg wrote:

[kevin anderson]

Another thing that I like so very much about my 400, (after years of flying a 1-26 and competing in it), is that at times I mess up, have to start the motor and climb up, and then continue to fly for 2 or more hours, continuing my flight. 

Kevin

92

[Tango Eight]

Brian Milner is the all time restart champ.  After a long 7am aero tow from Mifflin Co to Williamsport, he fell off the ridge at Lock Haven (too aggressive), started the motor, got back on the ridge and flew 2100 OLC km.

https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-3.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=2333645&f_map=36.8096%2C-82.7162%2C41.5993%2C-71.2794

Evan / T8