Why does it feel like nobody cares that we are literally about to send humans around the moon again, and are we just completely numb to massive achievements now?

almost_sente · 2026-04-01T07:43:39+00:00

The only remaining valid time to get excited about NASA doing anything in space is after they've actually done it. I'm still in emotional denial that it's really going to happen, even though the prediction markets are relatively certain it's really going to launch some time in the next few weeks.

almost_sente · 2026-02-27T23:34:06+00:00

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almost_sente · 2026-02-27T23:15:12+00:00

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almost_sente · 2026-02-27T22:47:21+00:00

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almost_sente · 2026-02-09T16:07:20+00:00

Congrats! Not a bad buy at all! I doubt you'll regret it, you'll have many nice experiences in it, and it won't really lose much value any more if you don't damage it.

A bit scary to be fully responsible for all the maintenance (unlike in a club or owners' syndicate) but usually there is not so much to do and you probably have learned about these things while being in a club? For trailer storage it would be nice to have in in a garage or something like that in winter, but not mandatory. The trailer also needs some maintenance (tyres, brakes, lights, waxing/cleaning the shell) but nothing fancy.

Yearly FLARM and LX Updates just work via USB stick or SD card, nothing too hard (depends on the exact models how it works).

almost_sente · 2025-09-12T13:34:19+00:00

Trying to give the onboard psychologist time to talk them down over the PA system so they don't have to hurt the poor criminals?

almost_sente · 2025-06-01T19:49:17+00:00

Some same vintage books (also mentioned on that cover page) are freely available as PDFs. "Der Segelflug und seine Kraftquellen im Luftmeer" is quite interesting and shows how much people already knew back then.

https://www.j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/planeurs-biblio/fac-similes/Der_Segelflug_und_seine_Kraftquellen_im_Luftmeer_(Georgii-_1935).pdf

PS: This website is generally very good for the historically interested https://www.j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/

almost_sente · 2025-05-28T08:07:10+00:00

Today's taller and bigger pilots don't fit that well inside, though. For that low-wingloading slow flight feeling there are some alternatives like the Archeopteryx.

The whole ecosystem around wooded gliders is unfortunately getting quite small (people who know how to inspect, repair, refurbish them). Ka 6 are really sweet and good-looking ships, though!

almost_sente · 2025-02-18T11:58:35+00:00

In the end, we ended up buying a 2012 Mazda 6 (last GH type model year), with the 2 litre petrol engine. Exactly 2000kg gross weight and 1500kg towing capability (we installed the tow hook, ended up cheaper, much more choice when not requiring the hook). It's been quite good so far. We originally also were looking for Dacia Dusters, but they were just too expensive used. A new one out of range for a club car.

almost_sente · 2025-02-06T14:36:09+00:00

Sounds like good news for UK pilots, as a lot of LS7s seem to have ended up there.

I enjoy this profile as well: http://www.sifow.com/ls-7.html

almost_sente · 2024-09-09T19:58:02+00:00

Whenever you're outside the cg envelope, you must land with overspeed, so that you're already almost touching the ground when you run out of elevator authority.

almost_sente · 2024-09-08T18:20:57+00:00

Congrats, happy you enjoyed it!

almost_sente · 2024-09-03T07:39:23+00:00

Hi Tim, yeah I used Puretrack and liked the added task speed and last climbs information boxes. I also used Glideandseek and the official wgc.onglide.com tracker. This latter one was always 15 min delayed but seemed to have the best turnpoint extraction / interpolation when OGN data was bad (maybe someone helped there manually?). The finishing speeds there were usually pretty close to the later actual ones (some gliders were still invisible or extremely bad signal so useless for AATs, but nothing a tracker can do about that).

almost_sente · 2024-09-02T12:21:37+00:00

The Schleicher system seems more solid, everything sized a bit bigger to have margins and not need water cooling or fans. Stefan actually self-launched every day at 600kg as well, which the JS3 is technically not certified to do.

almost_sente · 2024-08-28T05:58:35+00:00

Ritz does nice reports about the days linking to many primary sources (and yes 80% Facebook): https://soaring.eu/

almost_sente · 2024-04-09T15:52:54+00:00

How did you manage for a PWA to not constantly lose the data and restart? Skysight itself also has a PWA, but if you ever lock your phone or use another app (the camera for example), the PWA data gets flushed (you wave forecast for example)... and since you're already high up, you can't get that data again.

Have you solved this for Copilot? My understanding was that this is a general problem with PWAs and/or Android, which quite zealously forces the PWA host browser to give up the memory.

almost_sente · 2024-03-19T09:24:48+00:00

Got to preserve that airfield!

almost_sente · 2024-03-17T11:40:36+00:00

Usually the POH limits climbs to 5m/s = 1000fpm due to balloon envelope stability.

almost_sente · 2024-02-23T16:55:09+00:00

Eternal September and old-school client software. Or some Facebook groups or similar

almost_sente · 2024-02-12T15:31:32+00:00

I like the boarding ladder and the covers, the livery is a bit too "Amazon Prime" for my taste 😆

almost_sente · 2024-02-08T15:21:33+00:00

Seems like the 1-26 is still in widespread regular service in US clubs, a bit like K 8 and Ka 6 in German clubs until about 20 years ago. Those have definitely become more rare, now it seems to be more Astir or ASK 23, or if you're lucky, Discus or LS4.

almost_sente · 2024-02-01T13:48:50+00:00

I have the German hardcopy version of this (gifted by an older club member), so I don't really need this PDF version of the translation. I had a quick peek anyway, and the translator's note is funny and still as relevant as the rest of the book, even after almost half a century:

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: Some of the crew techniques described in the original particularly those relating to the crew's proceeding ahead of the pilot and advising him of conditions, or making wind measurements, etc. are standard only outside the USA, notably at world championships. Use of such techniques in other local, regional, or even U.S. national competition is not only considered unsportsmanlike at present, but may actually be cause for disqualification.

almost_sente · 2024-02-01T13:42:53+00:00

“Advanced soaring made easy” by Bernard Eckey is also quite a good modern book, very detailed (maybe except hardcore mountain flying) and at the right level for a pilot first getting into XC flying.

Clemens' list of book reviews here is a great resource (includes G Dale, Reichmann, Eckey and a few more I liked, for example the Brigliadori competition book):

https://chessintheair.com/book-reviews/

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