Hey guys... I pay for the running costs of this list, so I get to (very occasionally) make a post or two about something.
Its one of those times. Here goes: How about, when people post pictures of pretty wonderful looking new technology entering our sport (not entering the ultralight sport, *our* sport - soaring in sailplanes)... such as the first two-seater deployment of the Lange developed electric self launch system... that we try to find something *positive* to say? Here goes - this is what *I* think about it: "Hey, thats pretty bloody cool - finally its possible to self-launch in a 50:1 aircraft, to take two people soaring, without chewing fossil fuels to do it, with dramatically lower running costs and maintenance overheads compared to complicated and stinky petrol engines, and to do it in a way that, frankly, looks just beautiful". That electric launch system is a doddle to use (fully automatic sequencing for the startup and shutdown cycles), its quiet, it looks quite stunning in operation (take a look at the videos on the Lange web site sometime)... ... and instead, we tear it down with self-satisfied dribble like the post below. This relentless tendency to cut people down when they mention something new is, to coin a phrase - getting pretty old. Its incredibly hard, and at some level, incredibly brave, to bother to create and certify new aircraft at all, in the litigious and increasingly risk-averse modern world. Why don't we celebrate - and honour - those who have the guts to keep doing it, risking their capital and their reputation in the process? I, for one, have been stuck for years in the dilemma of owning a wonderful high performance self launching two seater (Stemme S10-VT), that has a crushing maintenance overhead on the (in my personal view, somewhat flawed) Rotax power plant being the thing that keeps it on the ground far more than it could be. I've been hanging out for the market to start releasing electric self-launch two-seater gliders that look, and fly, like a proper glider, for sooo long. Finally, at least one manufacturer is starting to do it. Thats bloody fantastic! And (in response to another post in this thread): don't get me started on bagging aircraft because they cost $300,000. The road to lower cost, but innovative, new aircraft (that don't suck) necessarily starts with more expensive ones (that don't suck). Thats how it works! Its why some people (like me) have spent that sort of money on a car (because its the first production electric car that doesn't suck: http://www.teslamotors.com). And I recharge it using power that I (more than) offset back into the grid via a 10 kW array of solar panels on my roof at home. For some of you, that makes me a rich wanker, I'm sure. I appreciate that you'll be saying that behind my back. I don't personally agree with that view (from my point of view, I earned it, and at very considerable personal cost, so I have a right to spend it any sodding way that I feel like it). But the real point is that its people like me that give the manufacturers of those vehicles (whether road going or flying) the capacity to bring out the lower cost ones later, by supporting their earlier, more expensive, efforts now. Again, thats how it works. And sure, everyone has a story about a concept <thingy> they can provide an example of from <insert previous year> that works much better, at a cost of only $2.50 plus a rubber band and some blu-tac. And, y'know what? They're always something that, mysteriously, never quite made it commercially. I wonder why that is? Anyway... Thanks for listening. I'll say this once more, to close: "Wow, thats a beautiful looking aircraft, isn't it. I would sure love to try flying that in Australia one day - and to be a part of zero carbon footprint, and yet high performance, soaring, at last, with one of those in a hangar charged from solar panels on the hangar roof". Meantime: I'll now leave you to the back-biting in peace and quiet, and return to my day job, of earning enough money to afford to keep this list running for you all. (you're welcome). Simon On 22/09/2010, at 8:15 AM, DMcD wrote: >> This rounds off the complete offering of sailplanes (pure sailplane, >> Sustainer, SL petrol engine and SL Electric), which will undoubtedly shape >> the direction of offerings for all manufacturers in the years to come. > > Ha! Do you mean that it rounds out the offerings from the main German > manufacturers who have finally caught up with the innovative leads of > ultralight glider manufacturers from 5 years ago or more……… > > Credit where credit is due. A look at WIDOLA from the mid 2000's will > show these types all on offer in ultralight form for a fraction of the > price of a German glider. > > D _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
