Opinions on Slingsby Vega

Wallace Berry

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Mar 18, 2002, 10:26:59 AM3/18/02

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Hi, I'm soliciting opinions on the Slingsby Vega from those who have
first hand experience with the ship. I have the basics on the design
features and performance, including Dick Johnson's flight test. What I
am primarily interested in is the build quality, mechanical weaknesses,
and cockpit size and comfort. Thanks for any info

Wallace

Al

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Mar 18, 2002, 12:55:47 PM3/18/02

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Only seen one up close and personal that was in for repair when I had my 22
in the same shop.
I saw it with all the guts hanging out of it and its not pretty.

Build quality was horrible.
The fit and finish of all parts of the plane looked like it was thrown
together on a summer friday afternoon.

The basic controls are straightforward until you get to the flap airbrake
lever....
Its wierd in a nutshell... twist for flaps pull for brakes. I guess once you
get used to it you wouldnt have any problems.

The cockpit seat pan is fixed so if you drop a wrench in the works its a
real pain to extract. Also makes inspecting control linkages a problem.

The wings on the one I saw had terrible foam collapse and vacum
bagging/layup pot marks all over the wing skins.

I know of one very lucky pilot who had the elevator actuator on the tail
fall to pieces. he was doing a competition finish at the time and found
himself in an involuntary loop before he knew what was going on.

Buy an ASW20 or anything else for that matter and live longer IMHO.

Al

"Wallace Berry" <ber...@acesag.auburn.edu> wrote in message
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Simon

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Mar 18, 2002, 1:14:44 PM3/18/02

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A well-known British CFI, when asked the same question, replied "Fly one! I
wouldn't walk under one"

"Wallace Berry" <ber...@acesag.auburn.edu> wrote in message
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Whitson Bush

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Mar 18, 2002, 6:10:02 PM3/18/02

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very poor forward visibility on ground run. It has two reinforcing bars just
inside the canopy. I think one broke up during the worlds in the late 70's.
Something about the wing coming off during a start run. There was a
syndicate at Bicester that had one some 20 years ago. Someone may still be
around that owned it.
"Simon" <Si...@thewaddells.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
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Wallace Berry

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Mar 18, 2002, 6:24:20 PM3/18/02

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In article <etul8.29146$Dv6.9...@typhoon.austin.rr.com>, Whitson Bush
<whb...@austin.rr.com> wrote:

> very poor forward visibility on ground run. It has two reinforcing bars just
> inside the canopy. I think one broke up during the worlds in the late 70's.
> Something about the wing coming off during a start run. There was a
> syndicate at Bicester that had one some 20 years ago. Someone may still be
> around that owned it.
> "Simon" <Si...@thewaddells.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:a75aql$v48$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
> > A well-known British CFI, when asked the same question, replied "Fly one!
> I
> > wouldn't walk under one"
> >
> >

Thanks for all the responses about the Vega. Sounds like a very
"interesting" ship. I believe I'll continue flying the Libelle and save
my pennies for something a little newer and less interesting than the
Vega.

All the best,

Wallace

F.L. Whiteley

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Mar 19, 2002, 12:53:35 AM3/19/02

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The bagging marks were a mysterious departure from tried and true layup
methods. Extended delamination creep following slight impacts has been
reported. The wing that twisted off in Italy was said to have been
previously broken and repaired and was rumored to being flown at or above
VNe. However, IIRC, the pilot denied this.

Frank Whiteley
Colorado

"Whitson Bush" <whb...@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
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Al

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Mar 19, 2002, 1:05:51 AM3/19/02

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Lets face it was a glider built at the time Leyland built the Austin Alegra.
(or "all agro" as its owners fondly called it)

Its a piece of.......#%$@

Loved the quote earlier in this thread "fly one.. wouldnt walk under one"

Al

"F.L. Whiteley" <gre...@greeleynet.com> wrote in message
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John Wright

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Mar 19, 2002, 3:32:47 AM3/19/02

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It's still there Whitson, with one of the syndicate you'd remember.

They don't like aerotowing it in a crosswind as it apparently has very poor
roll control at the beginning of the ground run - angle of atack on wings is
a bit high due to the huge wheel (great for avoiding landout damage, just
the take-offs a problem). In comps when full of water if there is a
crosswind they often just pull off the grid and move to a more into wind
position and accept that launching last is a safer option. It's done 500 km
however.

john wright
small long haired scottish guy

"Whitson Bush" <whb...@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
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Shaun McLaughlin

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Mar 19, 2002, 5:31:44 AM3/19/02

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They perform random aerobatics too....

At 06:12 19 March 2002, Al wrote:
>Lets face it was a glider built at the time Leyland
>built the Austin Alegra.
>(or 'all agro' as its owners fondly called it)
>
>Its a piece of.......#%$@
>
>Loved the quote earlier in this thread 'fly one.. wouldnt
>walk under one'
>
>Al
>

>'F.L. Whiteley' wrote in message

>news:3c96d28e$0$86429$7586...@news.frii.com...
>> The bagging marks were a mysterious departure from
>>tried and true layup
>> methods. Extended delamination creep following slight
>>impacts has been
>> reported. The wing that twisted off in Italy was
>>said to have been
>> previously broken and repaired and was rumored to
>>being flown at or above
>> VNe. However, IIRC, the pilot denied this.
>>
>> Frank Whiteley
>> Colorado
>>

>> 'Whitson Bush' wrote in message

>> news:etul8.29146$Dv6.9...@typhoon.austin.rr.com...
>> > very poor forward visibility on ground run. It has
>>>two reinforcing bars
>> just
>> > inside the canopy. I think one broke up during the
>>>worlds in the late
>> 70's.
>> > Something about the wing coming off during a start
>>>run. There was a
>> > syndicate at Bicester that had one some 20 years
>>>ago. Someone may still
>be
>> > around that owned it.

>> > 'Simon' wrote in message

>> > news:a75aql$v48$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
>> > > A well-known British CFI, when asked the same question,
>>>>replied 'Fly
>> one!
>> > I
>> > > wouldn't walk under one'
>> > >
>> > >

>> > > 'Wallace Berry' wrote in message
>> > > news:180320020926596117%ber...@acesag.auburn.edu...

Owain Walters

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Mar 19, 2002, 7:48:53 AM3/19/02

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There still is a syndicate at Bicester with a Vega (132).

Max Kirchner is a owner, he is very tall - over 6'5" and seems to fit in comfortably. The syndicate seem happy with it. Personally I wouldnt touch one with a barge-pole.

Owain

Whitson Bush

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Mar 19, 2002, 8:08:12 AM3/19/02

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Hope no one has confused me with my well know father Whitson Sr. This
Whitson is the Jr model. Last I heard Dad was off teaching much "braver
pilots" to bomb forest fires!
Thanks,
Whitson Jr
"Owain Walters" <REMOVE_TO_R...@servitehouses.org.uk> wrote in
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Andy Henderson

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Mar 20, 2002, 8:14:51 AM3/20/02

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There are two Vega's at our club. In the air they are Ok for a glider
of their age. As already said on the ground run they have very little
aileron control in the initial ground run. This is rightly attributed
to the large wheel which means the initial angle of attack of the
wings is larger than average. Until the tail is raised reducing the
AOA and giving the ailerons some clean air and increased airspeed they
are very suceptible to cross winds and wing dropping. I've seen some
very interesting pull offs from aerotow launchs due to cross winds and
I've heard of many more. All Vega pilots treat a cross wind with great
respect.