PAULS EMAIL

G'day all,

I must have missed something here, Mat states

"Remember it has killed nearly everyone who has built one.... so it is something to be careful about."

Mat Replies :I did make an error here and apologize, but it has killed an abnormally amount of pilots compared to those that are flying it.

I communicated with both Hans Lohr and Bob(?) Otis both who have built and Flown a WR, add in Mush and myself and nobody has told me they were nearly killed? How does that saying go..."It takes but a single distortion or lie to destroy your credibility for all time"

We each have our own experiences to relate and I do not believe that anyone here means to be dishonest about those experiences: those are subjective: But also look at the other items I list about the plans and construction methods, those can easily be checked and verified. Please someone list and go over those points! Those are part of the safety factor as well. There is no question that the windrose has potential....but it was advertised as though it was a proven aircraft! How about getting the Maupins to list the changes they say I made ( I made none aerodynamically).....is that not dishonest?

By the way I fly my WR one evening (when I thought it was last chance before losing a temporary hangar spot) when the conditions were VERY marginal. I only had the 1 flight and was bumped and tossed all over the sky. It was as rough a flight as I have ever had, The Windrose impressed me enormously for while I was less than comfortable, at no stage did the WR lack full authority.

I too have had similar expereiences, however in a strong turbulent thermal at mid day when circling, the Windrose handles poorly when compared to other Gliders, such a ASK-21, Grob 103, Grob 102. Schwiezer 1-34 etc. It enters a spin to readily! Some experience listed in the planes you fly would give the reader a most realistic meaning to the flight characteristics. I especially noticed quite a difference in the feel of the rudder. I was also dissappointed in the airspeed I had to fly making small thermals difficult to center in to avoid spinning.

Best regards Paul