LET L23 Super Blanik
mda...@my-dejanews.com
My club might be interested in buying a L23, but before we go on, I would like
to hear some opinions about the plane. I would like to know:
1. What are the service intervals, I know the service life is 6000 hours, but
are there minor or major maintenance that needs to be done at regular
intervals ?
2. How is groundhandling of the plane, rigging/derigging, groundtransport etc.
3. I heard that the tailwheel is a weakspot, is this true ?
4. How is the L23 in winchlaunch ?
5. How is the L23 performing in thermals ?
6. Any comparisons between other two-seaters (puchacz, Twin-Astir) and the
L23, will be greatly appreciated ?
Best regards
Mikael D. Aagaard
Denmark
E-mail: mikael....@dk.bosch.com
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mda...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> Hi !
>
> My club might be interested in buying a L23, but before we go on, I would like
> to hear some opinions about the plane. I would like to know:
>
> 1. What are the service intervals, I know the service life is 6000 hours, but
> are there minor or major maintenance that needs to be done at regular
> intervals ?
>
> 2. How is groundhandling of the plane, rigging/derigging, groundtransport etc.
>
> 3. I heard that the tailwheel is a weakspot, is this true ?
>
> 4. How is the L23 in winchlaunch ?
>
> 5. How is the L23 performing in thermals ?
>
> 6. Any comparisons between other two-seaters (puchacz, Twin-Astir) and the
> L23, will be greatly appreciated ?
>
> Best regards
>
> Mikael D. Aagaard
> Denmark
>
> E-mail: mikael....@dk.bosch.com
>
1. I fly with a club in the US that has operated a L-23 since 1993. I can't
think of any scheduled maintenance items on this ship, other than the annual
inspection.
2. No problems with ground handling. Rigging and Derigging is not easy. We
keep our gliders in hangers, thus they are always assembled. The times we
have had to transport the glider, we make sure we had a crew of at least 5
people to get the thing loaded on the trailer.
3. There are currently two tailwheel options on the L-23. The original
tailwheel is a small swiveling tailwheel. The newer design is a fixed
inflatable tailwheel. There were lots of problems early on with the swiveling
tailwheel. The first three years we had the ship, we transported it to a
repair shop about once per year. We finally learned that pilot training was
the key to fixing the problem. If the glider is always landed on the main
wheel and then the tail gently lowered to the ground as speed bleeds off, you
will not have any tailwheel problems. I do not recall any tailwheel problems
with our ships in the past 3 years. The newer tailwheel would probably take
more abuse, but it would make ground handling more difficult. We currently
have two L-23 with a third on order. All of our ships have the swiveling
tailwheel.
4. Can't comment. We use aerotow only.
5 & 6. The L-23 is a very popular ship in our club. We also have a Grob
103. The L-23 is much more responsive on the controls compared to the 103.
The L-23 is much more suited for tight, weak thermals than the 103.
Other comments: Our club is moving toward a mostly LET (Blanik) fleet. The
maintenance costs on our L-23's have been very low. In the US it is much
more difficult to find someone willing to work on glass ships than aluminum.
Just about any maintenance shop in the US is willing to work on the L-23 and
parts are readily available. We also have a L-33 on order. The L-23 has
worked well for us as a primary trainer and a general use glider.
--
Les Sparks
less...@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/woodglider/
Oliver Spatscheck
The TSC operates two L23 since a few years. We also own a Grob103.
Overall I think the glider is well suited for training here some comments
on things I don't like.
1. Canopy
The canopy in the front is not closing very well. You have to bend the
canopy into position and the handle movement between open and close
is minimal. Compared to a Grob where the canopy always drops
in place and the handle movement is from all the way back to all the way
forward. I think the reason of the problem is the light canopy construction.
2. Tailwheel
We have the swiveling kind and we constantly have to fix it. It seems
not only to get damaged during tailwheel landings, it also gets damaged
if you push the glider backwards on gravel (we are in a Desert ...).
3. Ground handling
The L23 is the most difficult ship to push by hand. I have no idea why since
other double seater I flew are as heavy or heavier but much more easy
to push around (I can push the G103 TwinII alone try a L23.)
4. Flying
My flying experience in the Blanik is limited to a guest ride once
in a while. I think it flys like a tank (even comapered to a Grob Twin
or ASK21). On the other hand that is probably what you want for a trainer.
I hope that helps
Oliver
--
Grad student and research associate in computer
science at the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
For my PGP public key please check my homepage
URL: http://www.spatscheck.com/oliver
Anton Verhulst
> My club might be interested in buying a L23, but before we go on, I would like
> to hear some opinions about the plane. I would like to know:
I flew commercial rides in an L-23 for a few years.
> 2. How is groundhandling of the plane, rigging/derigging, groundtransport etc.
Ground handling is OK on pavement or grass - no big deal. Rigging and
derigging is a bit of a pain and time consuming. You don't want to land
out in this glider.
>
> 3. I heard that the tailwheel is a weakspot, is this true ?
A neighbor glider club has 2 L-23s and mention that you do have to pay
attention to the tail wheel. Preventative maintainance is better than
having the wheel break and damaging the tail cone.
>
> 5. How is the L23 performing in thermals ?
It flies and handles pretty much like the L-13 - except that there are
no flaps. If you like the L-13, you'll like the L-23.
The canopies are a problem because they can be difficult to close. An
experienced ground crew can help if the passenger is inexperienced. I
understand the L-23s coming out of the factory now have a better canopy.
Spins OK. With me in the back seat it seems to want to stop spinning
after one revolution unless you use aileron. Also, when recovering it
seem to go slightly past vertical (something the L-13 does not do).
For training you have to remember that it is a "tail dragger" and you
have to pay attention on landing to prevent ground loops.
Tony V
Uwe Beger
>teach two point landings, even if we sometimes have to fix the tail
>wheel. After touchdown, we ask the pupils to rise slightly the tail
>if they are on rough terrain (some part of our field is rough). It's
>then becoming easier to solo them on the L33 (which is somewhat less
>forgiving than the L13 if you land on mainwheel).
I've not too much experience with Blaniks. I've flown an L13 as an
instructor in Unterwoessen/Alps and we also used to do two point
landings as the best way.
Uwe
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John Wren
with the fact that you still teach held off landings in the L23. Our club
imported the first L23's into the U.S. nine seasons ago. We did experience
tailwheel problems the second season, but this was more a cause of a new
taxiway than tail landings. The Blaniks would be pushed backwards and when
crossing the tar taxi ways the tailwheel would strike the new 2 inch lip of
tar. Also, the tailwheel was totally different on the first L23's.
During the second season the tailwheel design changed and LET sent the
replacement parts. While our A&P was installing the new tailwheel he
reinforced the last bulkhead that the tailwheel bolts on to. Since then we
have replace the rubber mounts (3 and inexpensive), that the tailwheel
mounts on to, twice a year. We have had no further problems and continue
teaching held off landings.
John Wren
MITSA Chief Instructor
Jean Richard <j.ri...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:372A6C...@sympatico.ca...
less...@aol.com wrote:
>There were lots of problems early on with the swiveling
>tailwheel. The first three years we had the ship, we transported
>it to a repair shop about once per year. We finally learned that pilot
>training was the
>key to fixing the problem. If the glider is always landed on the main
> wheel and then the tail gently lowered to the ground as speed bleeds
>off, you will not have any tailwheel problems.
It's true that landing on the main wheel with both Blaník L13 and L23
may help from breaking the tailwheel. But unfortunatly, it leads to
other problems.
In a club where Blaník were used as trainers and where pupils were
learned to land on the mainwheel, we observed that pilots have more
difficulties switching to other sailplanes. They got the very bad
habit of doing unsufficient round out before touching the ground,
which became a problem with Grob Twin II (several landing with nose
wheel first) and also with a Pilatus B4 (very heavy tail and will
bounce easily with an unexperimented pilot trying to land on the
mainwheel).
In our club, we are also using Blaník L13 as trainers. We prefer to
dieter bibbig
Until a pilot could make wheel landings
he or she would not fly the Blanik. Students get let loose two early on
solos. If I had Blaniks only,
I would fly with them, till they are able to touch down at 45, 55, or 65 m
p hr. The ships land so nicely
with that soft main gear, when the suspensinon is kept current. Many Blanik
owners do not even know
how to keep it pumped up.
Not only the tailwheel, also the whole tail of the Blanik are a little weak.
I had to replace the last
bulkhead once.
Keep those Blaniks flying!
Dieter
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John Giddy
> It's true that landing on the main wheel with both Blaník L13 and L23
> may help from breaking the tailwheel. But unfortunatly, it leads to
> other problems.
> In a club where Blaník were used as trainers and where pupils were
> learned to land on the mainwheel, we observed that pilots have more
> difficulties switching to other sailplanes. They got the very bad
> habit of doing unsufficient round out before touching the ground,
> which became a problem with Grob Twin II (several landing with nose
> wheel first) and also with a Pilatus B4 (very heavy tail and will
> bounce easily with an unexperimented pilot trying to land on the
> mainwheel).
As far as I know, most Blanik L13s in Australia have been modified to
replace the swivelling tailwheel with a fixed 200 x 50 pneumatic wheel.
This does on seem to give any strength problems, and also, with the
fixed wheel, provides better directional control after landing,
particularly in a crosswind.
I agree that the landing should be taught as a two-point one, as many
other gliders will "balloon" if landed on the main wheel only, and the
tail is allowed to drop before the speed has reduced sufficiently. A
two-point landing avoids this problem, as the tail cannot fall any
further.
John G.
--
John Giddy ( ) ) Mangalore Gliding Club
5/287 Barkers Rd ) ) ) http://www.gfa.org.au/vic/mgc/
Kew, Victoria, 3101 ( ) ) _
Australia ( ) '------8------'
Sean
replace the swivelling tailwheel with a fixed 200 x 50 pneumatic wheel...<<
John,
Doesn't it drive you crazy ground handling the L-13 without the swivelling
tailwheel ?
Both the L-13's at the centre I fly out of have the swivel on the back. I'm
sure I'd grumble incessantly if they were replaced by a fixed wheel.
Sean
--
se...@direct.ca
John Giddy
>
> John,
>
> Doesn't it drive you crazy ground handling the L-13 without the swivelling
> tailwheel ?
> Both the L-13's at the centre I fly out of have the swivel on the back. I'm
> sure I'd grumble incessantly if they were replaced by a fixed wheel.
No,
We use a tail dolly which has a castoring wheel for major movements on
the ground. The fixed wheel is OK for pushing back to the launch point
after a long landing, with a bit of manual effort to lift and swing the
tail if a realignment is required (good exercise !!)
Van Henson
I need to acquire a tail dolly for an L-23 Super Blanik (the model with the fixed pneumatic tailwheel and the lifting handles.
Does anybody know of one available anywhere?
Van Henson
vanemde...@gmail.com
Van Henson
Does anybody know of one, or have an idea where I might find one (I have an inquiry in to Blanik America, and am awaiting their reply. But I suspect that if I can find a used one (or plans to fabricate one) it might (or might not) be a more economical alternative.
Thanks.
Van
GM
>
> 4. How is the L23 in winchlaunch ?
>
our club provides winch launches to the local Civil Air Patrol wing which flies a L23. Their L23 has a standard, center mounted Tost CG hook. Very early L23s still had the shoulder hooks - you can still the reinforced mounting points for them on the later ones. The L23 uses a 'blue' weak-link which we break regularly. The experienced CAP flight instructors love winch launching it since it has no bad habits - very benign.
Uli
Carolina Soaring Assoc., Spartanburg, SC, USA
Frank Whiteley
Frank Whiteley