Gosh I love this aircraft. Can act like an LSA @ 150MPH all day long and be be a great 30:1 glider for fun flights when timing & conditions are more flexible! My greatest concern is energy management- how slow over the numbers? Super easy to lose altitude with airbrakes, but- other than gliding dirty- how long does it take to get down to 50 knots from say a cruise of 100 knots (50%)?
I only have the long wingtips. No need for short. Higher performance sailplanes add water ballast for faster cross country flights so weight in the Sinus isn’t that critical. That being said, lighter is better for climb rates in thermals and often conditions are weak and being light does help due to lots of time trying to climb. Fuel capacity is 24 gallons. On a day when I could end up a few hundred miles from home at the end of the soaring day I might take off with 9 gallons. Last season I completed 4000km of soaring flight (minimum 50km flights) mostly March-May here in South Florida. I did get one soaring flight in last season of 300km in the Sinus!
@@toddtracy834 hi Todd, great information, thanks, I have a sinus In Ecuador since 6 years ago, most if the time I use it for cruising and volcano flying , and since the air fields I use are a little narrow, I'm afraid I could hit them with my long tips, so I mostly use the short tips , but I do want to explore the sailing part of my sinus, when you soar, how high do you find thermals in Florida? I'm not so happy trying to find them at 2.000'', which flap configuration do you use to climb in thermals? 2 notches? And then for flying between them 0 degrees?, glide speed 50 knots?
Thermals in Florida during the best season of March- May usually allow climb rates of 2-4kts in the Sinus. Cloud bases often start around 3000’ and best bases can be 5000-6000’ and very rarely up to 7000-8000’. I have had many saves from below 1200’ and usually will start the motor if I get to 900’ as long as I have a good landing area below. Thermals here are very narrow especially at low altitude and I find that full flap (18degrees) with 35-45 degree bank and speed of 45-50kt works best. 9 degree flap and 50-55kt also works if thermal diameter is large enough. I generally fly 60-65kt between thermals at zero flap. Florida is completely flat. I bet the highest elevation in the state is around 200’! I wish we had a few volcanoes! I can imagine in Ecuador there might be very few safe landing areas and with a 23:1 L/D it might be difficult to go cross country without being able to remain quite high. Good luck!
@@toddtracy834 thanks for the great information Todd, at the coast we can do soaring in lower terrain, at the Highlands we might be able to do some wave or mountain soaring, but it would be pretty high and with oxigen, I take off at 9.800'', you may see some videos in my channel, welcome to fly here anytime
have a nice day. max speed. 275-300 mph. range 2000 mph. Two-seater plane for $200,000. A 4-seater plane for $300,000. Can I have it done to you or others? please provide information. thanks.
