I truly believe there is a place for every type and class of sailplane, from
the most simplistic trainer to the cutting edge of technology. I liken our
hobby to car racing or any other sport. Like other activities, it depends
what your aspirations are. How far do you want to take it? Do you need the
latest technology to win contests? Probably not. All the technology in the
world is useless if you don't possess the skill to exploit it. A good
majority of us really aren't that skilled to fly a plane to it's full
potential. However, a smart manufacturer will put their product in the
hands of someone who has the skill to make it work for them. Then when they
win contests, people just "gotta have it!"
I think there is a lot to be said for a good design and there are a lot of
them out there. There are also some not so good designs. The best design
is the one that works best for YOU. You can have the most expensive
(because we all know that the more expensive something is, the better it is,
RIGHT?!?!) plane in the world, but what if you are afraid to fly it? I was
terrified of my first full house plane because I really shouldn't have spent
as much money as I did. So what happened, I flew it so cautiously, my
soaring stagnated. In order to get better at soaring, you have to take some
risk. One more thermal turn down low, following that thermal further down
wind, flying on windy days, unfamiliar fields, etc. I'm not suggesting that
you can't get comfortable with an expensive plane. But, stay within your
means and get good with what you're comfortable flying. Then progress as
your skills and budget allow. Heck, look for last year's greatest thing if
you need to go that route. Chances are, it's still pretty good this year
too!
I believe that competition is very good for soaring. Just attending a
contest is educational. I had been flying for years before I went to my
first contest. I had never used a winch or seen six servo planes.
Naturally, I had to have both afterward! Competition forces manufacturers
to out do eachother and I believe the design lessons learned can have a
trickle down effect. However, competition is not the be all end all of our
hobby. Having fun is the reason for doing all of this. I think contests
are fun. My best flights are usually the ones right after the competition
ends!
In short, spend within your means. The "best" plane in the world is not
necessarily the best plane for you. Get really good with what you have
before you upgrade. If you have to have the best every season, give the
young upstart flyer a good deal on your seconds.
Mike Conte
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