Wilga don't know such thing like "too much altitude". With glide ratio 5.5 at best you have wide variety of glide paths. Add full flaps and you're hanging on seatbelts. After releasing the tow at you get to ground very quickly , reduce manifold to bottom of green arc ( 450 mm Hg ) go for 200-210 km/h and VSI stops after reaching lover limit of -10 m/s and stays there . And you're friendly to engine too thanks to wonderful device that covers cylinders.
It is no issue to have ground roll of 200-300 feet thanks to Wilga low approach speed of around 100 km/h ( 54 knt ) and big drag. I'm still to shy to try method of even shorter ground rolls,we call it umbrella. You go for full flaps and speed of 80-90 km/h , at this speed you've 3point attitude. Just before touchdown add some power to produce ground cushion
Be sure to watch your ground roll and don't let her go to one way or another because you will end up with wing catching the ground. I have never landed Wilga on tarmac but I've heard some horror stories about that
and when I had a choice I always went for grass.
Towing performance depends from one machine to other. This season I've flown Wilga
with rather poor performance , in hot summer days with 2seater 20 % of time vsi was showing descent
( on climb power ) Engine was fine with smooth running , good mags & sparks but maybe it didn't develop 260 hp. Without use of thermals tow to 1200m took 20 min ( something good for hour builders
I used thermals as a help and tow time were reduced to 15 min.
She can be real maintenance hog. This year I've flown one Wilga for whole summer season ( 80 hrs and 650 landings ) I had :
- fouled sparks
- toe brake spring broke
- cylinders covers not fully opening ( random issue )
- air valve malfunction , so sometimes there was no pneumatic pressure to start the engine so hand propping went back to action
- oil leaking from top covers of valve rods , dripping onto exhaust. It created some nice "air show mode"
There time limits on airframe , engine and prop , so maintenance cost are rather high. Many aeroclubs in Poland sells Wilga in very good condition for a price of scrap. They just don't have money to keep'em running. Take a look ( allegro in Poland is something like ebay in US ) :
http://allegro.pl/item246319991_samolot_pzl_wilga.html
from description :
Very good paint , hangared . Complete instruments. Mnfcd 1972 , TT 2643 h 38 ' , 41h left till next airframe overhaul.
Buy now price: 7300 euro and no offers