BLANIK AMERICA at the 2000 SSA Convention
In cooperation with the New Mexico wing of the Civil Air Patrol, Blanik America exhibited the latest L23 Super Blanik and the TV-2 enclosed trailer. The exhibit was a great tool for CAP's recruiting efforts. Many thanks go to Louis Braddi and his team.
Also on display was the latest very high performance racer, the LAK-17A, thanks to Stephen Hundley and Jeffrey Baird, the owners of the two very first of the newest LAK-17As in North America.
There were crowds of interested pilots gathering around both sailplanes Blanik America had on display, many of them climbing in and checking out their future ship.
Among the pilots viewing and discussing the LAK-17A were also the world-famous Richard Johnson and Derek Piggot, shown in the picture on the lower left. Dick is talking with Stephen Hundley, on the left, and Derek to Jeff Baird, on the right.
The LAK-17A is an incredibly sleek and elegant glider, designed for racing in two separate FAI classes, in 15 and in 18 meter configurations.
The LAK-17A instrument panel lifts with the canopy, assisted with the gas strut. The top of the panel incorporates the canopy jettisoning handle. The rudder pedals are adjustable in flight over a wide range. Attached to the control stick is the wheel brake handle, and the push-to-talk switch for the mike is at the top of the stick. The right side of the cockpit wall houses the wheel retraction handle, and the water ballast dump handle. The side wall is upholstered if customer chooses de-luxe interior, available in six different color patterns.
Some more details
of the LAK-17A cockpit. The left top picture shows the left aft
wall of the cockpit with the mechanism for adjusting the seat
back rest (can be done in flight). The lower left picture shows
the cockpit wall on the pilot's left - flap handle (grey), the
tow release (yellow), and the spoiler handle (blue). The green
handle in the lower left is the elevator trim. The top right
picture shows the right aft wall of the cockpit - from the top to
bottom the boom mike (here lowered down), the ballast dump
pushrod, gear retraction pushrod, and the seat back adjusting
cable. The bottom right picture shows the three-position
adjustable tiltable head rest mounted at the top of the back
rest. To the right of the head rest is the radio speaker.
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