I have also enjoyed looking at the Axel and have a few flights in the PW5. I really liked the Axel videos at Bezmiechowa showing roll off launches.
The visibility was pretty good in the PW-5, but not quite as good as the racing class gliders because your eye line is closer to the leading edge. The visibility is far better than the Carbon Dragon. The basic configuration looks pretty good to me. Because I am fairly heavy, I would sweep the wings forward and taper them to get the CG in the right spot and slightly improve visibility. This is much more complicated to build than a straight constant chord wing, so the tradeoff has to be worth it to you.
There is an excellent hang gliding site (Bear Mountain) a few miles from my home that would allow roll off launching. Jim Maupin and I looked it over closely, but did the bungee launch test at a low hill (Convict in the Cummings Valley near Tehachapi). I am very interested in flying there with an ultralight sailplane. With good visibility, adequate structures, comfortable flying position and excellent handling, you could have a ball.
Dan
Hello all,
I uploaded a comparison between the Carbon Dragon, the PW5 Sailplane, and the Axel Sailplane.
I have studied the Axel and it is quite impressive at 55kg.
It almost appears to me that the Axel and PW5 may be decendents of the CD.
Dan, Kenny or anyone else would this the fuselage configuration of the pw5 or axel be one that would work better for a new CD?
Karl
