There are a couple of other motorgliders out there worth considering, although none I'm aware of with the engine on AND engine off performance ot the Stemme.There is actually a bit of a tradition of european touring motorgliders, exemplified by the designs of Rene Fournier. The RF-4, powered by a Limbach VW conversion, was at one time fairly numerous both here in the US and in Europe. Mira Slovak, a famed aerobatic pilot, used to deliver them from France by flying them across the Atlantic! The EURAVIAL RF-47 appears to be a continuation of this line.
I thing Diamond still makes the long-winged motorglider version of the Katana.
And the venerable, all aluminum Czech Blanik is available in a powered version.
And some of the high-zoot glass sailplanes are available in "self-launching" versions, with small two strokes and climb props that retract once they've gotten you in the air.
Web search engines on these keywords should get you fresh links if you're interested.
-- Ryan Young, January 16, 2002
Your big hairy white dog will be just the thing to keep you warm at altitude, just make sure he can keep very very still and has his own O2! ;^) My trainer was the Krosno KR-2 Puchatek, and was fortunate to have Gary Speight as my instructor.Safe flights, Hernan
-- Hernan Mapua, January 21, 2002
I've never flown a plane, but I did get to go soaring in a Grob on Oahu, Hawaii. Highly recommended.Also, one of my best friends from college owns a Christen Eagle, which, if you ever get the chance to fly in one, (or a Pitts, or any aerobatic biplane with a competition-class pilot) it is a life-changing experience.
-- Gen Kanai, January 23, 2002
Although I appreciate the utility of a motorglider, I'd like to suggest that it misses half the point; the element of risk involved while searching out lift in a true sailplane is what makes the game. Those moments spent near the ground, hunting weak lift from any source available; thermal, ridge, shear... suddenly rewarded with just enough gain to bring the ship back to an altitude high enough that I can again gamble on my direction....those moments are acid-etched; they are real. Later, catching a strong thermal, I am elated, truly transported by the achievement. I'm not convinced my feeling would be as deep had I a convenient Rotax aboard. Well, to each his own; see you at 10,000 feet!
-- Jim Hultman, February 14, 2002
The March 2002 issue of AOPA Pilot has an article on the Stemme (there's also a review of the other plane Philip's interested in, the DA40). The author flew with Steamboat Soaring Adventures in Steamboat Springs, CO (http://www.soarsteamboat.com/)
Philip, if you don't have a copy, someone at your flight school will (I'll let you read mine if you give me a ride in the DA40!)
-- Greg Ames, March 4, 2002
I have written an online gliding simulator. Flight Club is open source and may be of interest to nerds as well as pilots. See you at cloud base. :)
-- Dan Burton, June 5, 2002
As a soaring pilot I highly recommend getting your soaring rating.There are a couple of places that I would recommend in New York State. The first is Knauf's place, Ridge Soaring (now Keystone), and the Harris Hill Soaring club. Both are big, year round operations, soaring knows no season.
Now if you want to take a couple of weeks (or a month off) come down to Florida to Seminole Lake Glider Port (http://www.soarfl.com), we also fly all year long, and are the biggest commerical operation on the East coast.
Also one motor glider that I would recommend is the DG series of sail planes, excellent sail planes that are self-launching.
But don't force yourself into a motor glider.
Also join the SSA, and use thier website to find the soaring sites near you.
-- Shawn Clark, June 7, 2002
I've never flown a Stemme or the Diamond Xtreme, so I don't want to knock either aircraft. However, IMHO most people would be better served by bypassing them and flying conventional (powerless) single-seat gliders. A motorglider has the undoubted convenience of self-launching, but beyond that it hasn't got much going for it: it's simply neither fish nor fowl, plus far too expensive.BTW, may I add that all too many pilots get caught up in the 'ghettos' of power flying vs. soaring; it's common to hear people sneering away when they have only tried one sort of flying and have little or no experience of the other. Personally I enjoy both, they each have their pros and cons.
-- Roger Harris, June 24, 2002