Glaser-Dirks DG-500

DG-500
A DG-505 ridge soaring in Pennsylvania U.S.A.
Role Two Seater Class sailplane
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Glaser-Dirks






|} The Glaser-Dirks DG-500, and later the DG-505, is a two-seat glider of glass-reinforced plastic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic construction, manufactured in the DG Flugzeugbau GmbH in Bruchsal, Germany.

Design

The glider is a trainer with an 18 metre wingspan or a high-performance glider with 20 or 22 m span. The 20 and 22-metre versions also have winglets. The fuselage is the same in all versions, with the exception of the additional control connections for the wing flaps in the 22-metre version. The single wheel main landing gear on both versions retracts into the lower fuselage.

The DG-500/18 is mainly intended for flight training, and is fully aerobatic with +7/-5 g rating. There is also a motorglider version, the DG-500M.[1] The DG-500/22 can carry up to 160 kg of water ballast which is not possible on the trainer version. Since 2004, the latest version of the DG-500 has been built as the "DG-505 Orion" in Slovenia.

Altitude record

The DG-500 holds the all-time altitude record for manned gliders, at 15,460 m (50,720 ft), on 29 August 2006 by Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson, breaking the previous record by 1,713 ft (522 m).[2] It was a standard DG-500M but the engine had been removed and replaced with liquid oxygen tanks. Additional instruments were installed powered by non-rechargeable batteries. The canopy had double-wall glazing and there was a drogue parachute for an emergency descent from high altitude. Pressure suits were worn.[3] The glider is on display at the Seattle Museum of Flight.[4] The program's second effort at high-altitude gliding is under development with an all new design, the Windward Performance Perlan II.

Variants

DG-500
Initial production with 18 m (59 ft) span wings.
DG-500/18
Aerobatic version
DG-500/22
high performance sailplane with 22 m (72 ft) span wings
DG-500M
Motorglider version of the DG-500, powered by a retractable pylon mounted 44.7 kW (59.9 hp) Rotax 535C engine
DG-500T Elan Trainer
18 m (59 ft) span wings, fixed undercarriage, no flaps, full controls in both cockpits.[5]
DG-505
improved DG-500
DG-505 Orion
Production version built in Slovenia
DG-505MB
Motorglider version of the DG-505 with a retractable Solo Kleinmotoren 2625-02 47 kW (63 hp) engine

Specifications (Elan Trainer)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89,[5][6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 8.66 m (28 ft 5 in)
  • Wingspan: 18 m (59 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
  • Wing area: 16.6 m2 (179 sq ft)
  • Aspect ratio: 19.52
  • Airfoil: root:Wortmann FX-73-K-170/20; tip:FX-73-K-170/22
  • Empty weight: 390 kg (860 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 630 kg (1,389 lb)

Performance

  • Stall speed: 65 km/h (40 mph; 35 kn) at 470 kg (1,040 lb)
  • Never exceed speed: 270 km/h (168 mph; 146 kn) in smooth air
197 km/h (106 kn; 122 mph) in rough air
197 km/h (106 kn; 122 mph) on aero-tow
140 km/h (76 kn; 87 mph) on winch launch
  • g limits: +5.3 - 2.65
  • Maximum glide ratio: 40 at 109 km/h (59 kn; 68 mph)
  • Wing loading: 37.95 kg/m2 (7.77 lb/sq ft)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

  1. ↑ First flight of the DG-500M was in March 1987.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Perlan Project web site". Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Perlan Glider". Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  5. 1 2 John W.R. Taylor, ed. (1988). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. London: Jane's Information Group. pp. 620–621. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
  6. ↑ "DG Flugzeugbau DG-500". sailplanedirectory.com. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
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Aircraft produced by Glaser-Dirks Flugzeugbau, later DG Flugzeugbau
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