>>Not only save weight but the wings wouldn't shrink, warp or develop waviness. Using pre pregs in the fuselage would save non lifting parts weight and save even more wing weight.
Agreed. The German certified glider industry is not innovative these days. All the fuss about electric gliders is only possible because most glider pilots don't look to anywhere other than 3 factories in Germany. Their construction methods have not changed in 50 years. It's staggering to see a worker with a jam jar fully of poxy bog and a pop stick about to join a wing. The last place I saw a working manual typewriter in use was Schleichers, about 6 years ago. Of course, a little investment in ATL machines and proper moulds would help. I can't understand why yacht mast makers and boat builders can mill a mould from solid alu for a single boat while glider manufacturers stay with low-temp resin moulds which are reused for a decade or more. Maybe we're not paying enough? Though I believe the problem is almost entirely certification. D _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] http://lists.base64.com.au/listinfo/aus-soaring
