by Rick Masters » Sat Feb 03, 2018 9:19 am
I gradually progressed to ridiculously stiff gliders with double-sleeved leading edges.
It never bothered me. You learn to react sooner, sometimes with a bit more input. After a while, you don't even think about it.
I would encourage a competent tinkerer like you to try the carbon fiber for leading edges, crossbar, keel and kingpost, since you are not actually a novice, and see what you think.
Sail billow and shift is a much more important factor in handling at Dockweiler than essentially nonexistent leading edge flexing on your typical laminar low-wind days.
The angular momentum along the vertical axis will also decrease, which could actually provide an improvement in handling on such a large glider.
You may really appreciate the difference.
If it seems tight, you might try taking a bit of tension out of the crossbar.
Assuming you have 2-part LEs, you could use carbon fiber tubing between the nose and crossbar, and aluminum outboard.
Personally, I wouldn't bother, although it would be good to design the inner carbon LEs to accept the original outboard tubes, just in case.
I would think you could get it handling really well and be super light.