Derek assesses the DG-1000's value for training, having flown it in the 18m and 20 metre configurations from aerotow and winch launches this summer, and makes comparisons with the Duo Discus   The photo of Derek and of the DG-1000 below were taken by Neil Lawson of the White Planes Picture Co. As reported by Dick Johnson and Karl Striedick, the DG-1000 is an excellent two-seater, both as an 18 and 20 metre glider. However, having read their articles in recent Soaring magazines, I was still left wondering if the DG had overcome the deficiencies in the Duo Discus, which has been rightly proclaimed as the best handling and performance 20 metre glider up to this time. Other instructors who have flown the Duo must still be wondering if the DG is an improvement. Having flown two competitions in a Duo Discus Turbo, I became critical of several points on this lovely aircraft. In particular the rather ineffective airbrakes make it unwise for an instructor to allow a student to attempt an actual field landing, because even a small excess of speed or height cannot easily be corrected. For this reason it has a limited value for cross-country training. In comparing the two types Karl fails to bring this point out, although he makes a good assessment of their performance. A further point of importance, in my opinion, is the lack of space or provision in the front cockpit for carrying food and water and any other items. This is serious for cross-country training when flights of several hours are the norm. More important is the fact that any articles tucked in between the pilot and the cockpit wall, find there way back into the rear cockpit where they could easily get jammed in the rudder pedals. Another minor critiicism of the Duo is that the undercarriage cannot be operated from the rear cockpit. Having experienced a worrying situation when a student was unable to unlock the undercarriage in a RF5B Sperber motorglider (which also has a similar arrangement), I would be far happier to have the means of lowering it from the rear cockpit. If it can happen to me, it is bound to happen to someone else in the future! I had the opportunity to fly the DG-1000 at Lasham recently and made a number of flights with winch and aerotow launches in both the 18 and 20 metre configurations. As an 18 metre it is very suitable for basic training. It is fully aerobatic and has good characteristics for inverted flying and advanced manoeuvres. The high manoeuvring speed (Va) of 100kts makes it a safer machine for teaching rolling and and other advanced aerobatics and being a beautiful looking machine, is ideal for display flying. I did not fly it with the C of G near the aft limit, but at both mid-range and with the C of G well forward the stalling characteristics were good for training. It<