I just completed the last requirements for my 'C' certificate the other weekend (and did a 1 hour 21 minute solo soaring flight) - flying our club's only 2 seater - the Blanik! I really like flying that aircraft! Kym Z.
-- www.riverland.net.au/~kym --------- Original Message -------- From: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. <[email protected]> To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.' <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Blanik Bashing Date: 24/12/08 10:44 > > > > > Terry > wrote > > > > For > many years the Blanik gave Australian clubs (and probably some of those elsewhere > in the world) an excellent two seater training aircraft which was strong, > reliable, forgiving, and had the ability to bite when requested - i.e. spin > when mistreated, > > > > ………………………………...for > those who have moved on to DG1000 etc may need reminding that there are still > clubs out there relying on Blaniks, we sold our last one because those who wanted > to fly her could not maintain her and those who could maintain her did not want > to fly her. I am happy to report that she is now with a club who has members > who love to do both - the legend lives on. > > > > Merry Christmas to all. > > > > > SDF > > > > > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Terry Neumann > Sent: Wednesday, 24 December 2008 > 9:21 AM > To: Discussion > of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. > Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Blanik > Bashing > > > > > > simon holding wrote: > > Maybe we should set up an online season contest for Blaniks. Then we'dsee some proper flying. Any one can do a beatup in a modern glider -takes real guts to try it in a Blanik. Back in the days when real menflew gliders, Bert Persson flew 500km in a Blanik in the 70's out ofAlice. > > Brian Underwood and Don Nottle flew the first 2 seater > 500 km triangle in Australia > from the Balaklava field in the Blanik > GXM. They had a few attempts before they finally succeeded, > but succeed they did. > > I have to say (again) that I really am surprised how poisoned some minds are > against the Blanik. This can't be healthy - not in the season of > goodwill! > > For many years the Blanik gave Australian clubs (and probably some of those > elsewhere in the world) an excellent two seater training aircraft which was > strong, reliable, forgiving, and had the ability to bite when requested - i.e. > spin when mistreated, without the need for something special to be done prior > to takeoff. Frankly, despite somewhat exaggerated suggestions to the > contrary, they looked good as well. At a time when the fastest and > meanest looking device around was a Boomerang (in some respects they still hold > their own) the Blanik was a sleek, sophisticated (if over engineered) aircraft > which was light years ahead of anything we had at the time. Oh yes, they > were relatively inexpensive too. > > Well before someone discovered that they had a nominal service life, one with > twice that number of hours was being thrown around the sky over Waikerie in > January 1974 by one of the Polish team members in a very memorable aerobatics > display at the World Gliding comps. Surely this proves something. > > For mine, the Blanik was still one of the nicest handling aircraft of the relatively > small number of types I have tried over 40 plus years. Some of them I did > not care for at all. (We won't go there now - not at Christmas). > > OK, Blaniks were not at all nice to work on. Point taken. > Agreed! Accepted! People get upset at the mention of their name. > (OK won't I say the word again....)! > > However I'm quite comfortable for them to be lumped in the same category as the > EH Holden. Both were classics. I had a lot of fun in an EH as well > (We won't go there either ;-) ). > > Happy Christmas to all, safe and adventurous flying for 2009, and for those who > desperately need it, a Blanik free new year. > > Regards, > Terry > > > > > > > > > Imagine what is going to be said about the ASG 29 on this forum inanother 50 years? Will it be as great as the Blanik?Simon _______________________________________________Aus-soaring mailing [email protected] check or change subscription details, visit:http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring > > ________________________________________________________________ sent by Webmail @ Riverland Internet _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
