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Touring Motor Gliders Association (TMGA)

Finding my next airplane


chasers03

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I am again trying to decide what to do as my Lambada engine is nearing the end of its first life. I have looked at comparing airplanes in a less emotional way. Attached and following is a comparison chart of the Phoenix to the Bristell which is one of the best touring LSA's I have found. Carrell and I seem to put cross country travel & comfort higher on our list of flying fun criteria than soaring. However along with the Phoenix glider attributes comes less pilot rating needs, ie medical, more altitude and of course safety of finding an emergency landing spot. Any thoughts will be appreciated.....Steve Chase

Comparing airplanes for possible purchase

Scoring = + 1 = Minor advantage; + 2 = Moderate advantage; + 3 = Major advantage

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD]Plane attribute

[/TD]

[TD]Phoenix

[/TD]

[TD]Points

[/TD]

[TD]Bristell

[/TD]

[TD]Points

[/TD]

[TD]Other Plus’s

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Cockpit Width

[/TD]

[TD]43â€

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD] 51â€

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Seats

[/TD]

[TD]Plush w Head Rest

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Plush w Head Rest

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Canopy

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Auto Latching

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]Built in Composite SunShade

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Take Off / Landing Site Picture

[/TD]

[TD]Out to Side

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Over Nose

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]Less challenging

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Adjustable Rudder peddles

[/TD]

[TD]NA

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]5’ 4â€

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD] Carrell is 5’ 1â€

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Steering & Brakes

[/TD]

[TD]Both Wheels

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Individual Wheels

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]Turning Radius

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Throttle

[/TD]

[TD]Vernier

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Lever

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]I like my Vernier

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Panel

[/TD]

[TD]Versatile

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Versatile

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Bristell more space

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Ventilation

[/TD]

[TD]--

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]--

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]About the same

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Baggage

[/TD]

[TD]100# - 8 cu ft

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]121# (33# + 88# Wings)

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]3 places, Seat removal not required

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Engine & Cavity

[/TD]

[TD]Compact

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD] Spacious w Carb Heat

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]Engine Thermostat’s

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Safety Glide Ratio

[/TD]

[TD]32 to 1

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]11 to 1

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Cruise Speed 5250 rpm

[/TD]

[TD]110K

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]120K

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Useful Load

[/TD]

[TD]600 #

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]595 #

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Fuel / Range / Efficiency

[/TD]

[TD]26 Gal / 700 nm / 6 hrs

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]31.6 Gal / 650 nm / 6 hrs

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Service Ceiling

[/TD]

[TD]18,000’

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]12,500’

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Landing & Take Off Distances

[/TD]

[TD]400’+

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]550’+

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Air Brakes

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Stall Speeds

[/TD]

[TD]38K

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]36K & 42K

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Cross Wind Capability

[/TD]

[TD]15 K

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]15 K

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Certification

[/TD]

[TD]E or S-SLA Glider

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]E or S-SLA

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Pilot Rating

[/TD]

[TD]Glider

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]Private or Sport

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Glider Rating Only No Medical

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Versatility

[/TD]

[TD]Cross Country/Soaring

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]Cross Country

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Wing Span Variable

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Composite / Metal

[/TD]

[TD]Composite

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Metal

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Finish Paint

[/TD]

[TD]GelCoat

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Urethane

[/TD]

[TD]+2

[/TD]

[TD]More UV Tolerant Longer Life

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Hangering wing span

[/TD]

[TD]35’

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]27’

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]Wing Tip removal required

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Looks Appeal & Paint Schemes

[/TD]

[TD]--

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]Many Paint Schemes

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Landing Gear

[/TD]

[TD]Tail Wheel

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Tri Cycle

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]Insurance and Wheel sizes same

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Flaps/Ailerons’

[/TD]

[TD]Flaperons

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]Flaps independent

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Pitot Tube

[/TD]

[TD]Should be removed

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]Heated w/ AOA

[/TD]

[TD]+1

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Landing Lights

[/TD]

[TD]Landing & Nav

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]LED’s

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Propeller

[/TD]

[TD]2 Blade

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]3 Blade

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Price & Delivery

[/TD]

[TD]1 year

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]6 months

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]About the same price

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Total Score

[/TD]

[TD] (5-2’s, 2-1’s)

[/TD]

[TD]+ 12

[/TD]

[TD] (4-2’s, 9-1’s)

[/TD]

[TD]+ 17

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Resources = http://www.phoenixairusa.com/LSA_Glider.html & http://www.brmaero.com/

Comparing Phoenix to Bristell.docx

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I've been giving some thought recently to my next toy as well. As I dash headlong towards geezerdom I'm crossing my fingers and toes hoping either Congress or the FAA relaxes the 3rd Class Medical criteria. I have a special issuance now and let me tell you, it's a royal pain in the ass, not to mention expensive. A recent conversation with my congresscritter gave me the impression something will happen on the 3rd class medical stuff next year. That would open up a whole lot of options going forward outside of TMG's and LSA's, at least from the medical standpoint. Susan and I have been wanting to do some backcountry flying. After a ride in a friend's Top Cub a few months back I was reminded of how much I love flying Cubs. I've been looking hard at the Carbon Cub EX. It's a reasonably quick build with stunning backcountry performance. There's quite a following, too. I think their resale value for an experimental will hold up well in the coming years.

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