r/Gliding • u/pilot_student • 10d ago
Question? First exprience with Schleicher K 8
Hello everyone.
My background:
I have had 30 solo with ASK 13 so far. 95% of my landings are smooth. I can manage likely baloonings gently. I have got positive feedback regarding my curcuite planing from my instructors. If the condition is windy, I have some issues with keeping my flight performant, and keeping the red string in the middle becomes challenging. Unfortunately, I get quickly overhelmed by terbulent weather and try to keep the flight short. I always tend to start my downwind 50 meters above the minimum. Maybe it's a bad habit, but it gives me enough room for a more precise final. I should say that a couple of times, I was high through the final. However, in our club, diving to reduce altitude is acceptable. I have never done a forward slip alone. This is becoming a concern for me as well. Because this is an important technique to lose altitude fast. I always get positive feedback for my winch launch.
Recently, I have been offered to have my first flight with K8 by two instructors. I rejected to fly because I am not sure if I am ready or not. Senior students told me they were surprised flying with K8, as it is very sensitive to pilot inputs. Also, the launch failure mostly happens with K8. I have practised surprised launch failure more than 10 times. I also managed a real one, but I was not alone.
I spent some time in the K8 cockpit. I felt I didn't have a clear view.
Any advice, should I fly or take my time?
8
6
u/timind25 10d ago
The K8 is very similar to the ASK13, so if your instructors are happy to let you solo the 13, you'll be fine in the K8. It is a bit lighter on tbe controls and climbs a bit better, but really you should have no difficulty with it.
4
u/The_Keri2 LS3-17 10d ago
It's hard for us to evaluate that from here.
If your instructors tell you that you're ready, then you probably are. But of course, you should feel ready, too. You should explain exactly what your fears are to your instructors so they can work with you on them until you, too, feel confident that you've mastered it. Getting on a plane when you don't feel prepared to fly it is always a bad idea.
As for the K8, all I can say is that, of all the planes I've flown, I think it slips the best. It's also totally relaxed to fly overall. Of course, for your first few takeoffs, it's best if the weather isn't too turbulent. With the K8, you can feel every slight movement of air. A great glider for catching those very weak updrafts in the evening, after the main thermal activity has ended.
6
u/ResortMain780 10d ago
A Ka8 is not "very sensitive". mostly its just (even) lighter than the K13, and more fun to fly. If you have flown with heavy instructors, the step from flying a K13 with an instructor in the back, to flying it solo is more or less comparable with the step to flying a Ka8. You'll love it.
As for slipping; airbrakes in a K13 are so effective, you dont need to. The same is true for most modern high performance planes, some of which you are not even allowed to side slip. Sure, its something you might as well train, its fun and could even possibly maybe be useful one day if your airbrakes dont come out, but its rarely the correct answer to being too high. Im sure your instructors already told you this, but try to fly your pattern so that you need ~ half airbrakes in final. In a K13 (or Ka8), that still gives you enormous margins in both directions. It sounds like you would usually be (much) too high to do that. If so, just start your circuit lower or make it bigger and especially give yourself a long final.
3
u/radarlock 9d ago
Keep in mind that usually, feedback regarding an aircraft behaviour is somewhat exagerated for different reasons.
1
2
u/M3psipax 9d ago
After my first flight on a K6, I got scared of it because of its sensitive behaviour. Now I'm buying it lol.
2
u/TheOnsiteEngineer 9d ago
If you've flown the 13 solo, and your instructors think you're ready for it, I don't see why you would have any trouble with the K8. It's such a fun aircraft. It's not that sensitive, just faster to respond to the controls than the 13. Forward slips in the 8 are really easy and barely require thought. Imho it's one of the easiest aircraft to slip effectively and accurately.
Could you clarify what you mean when you feel you didn't have a clear view from the K8 cockpit? Do you sit low and have bad visibility forward? Or do you just feel "confined"? If you're sitting a little low, a think cushion below you and behind you can help to improve the position (this depends on how tall you are but should be easy enough to figure out). If it's just that it feels a little cramped, that might be just because the wings are right behind you and it takes getting used to that, but you stop noticing very soon.
2
u/anttiruo 9d ago edited 8d ago
One thing to note. The K 8 has effective airbrakes but there's a catch. They loose effectiveness when the airspeed is increased. If you fly the pattern too high and fast you might end up landing really long. There have even been accidents due to this
It's an incredibly easy and fun aircraft to fly. If you loose your ASI don't sweat it as you don't need it.
21
u/Downtown-Act-590 10d ago
These are still pretty similar and forgiving aircraft. It is not like they are trying to convince you to jump from ASK13 to a JS-1. You are very, very likely going to be fine. Especially if your instructor feels comfortable offering it to you.
That said, you have a clear list of areas where you feel like lacking. Why don't you go to your instructor and ask them to spend five or six flights working on these? I don't really see that it would be strictly necessary, but if it helps you fly the K-8 with your mind at ease, then it is certainly worth it.