Glaser-Dirks DG-600
The DG-600 is a glider manufactured by Glaser-Dirks as a successor to the DG-202 and DG-400 series of gliders where carbon fiber reinforced plastics was used.
Design and development
The DG-600 fuselage is based on the fuselage of the DG-400 but with a more slender tailboom which also incorporates a tailfin ballast tank with a capacity of 7 liters. The design of the canopy and the instrument panel is practically the same as on other DG gliders.
The control surfaces incorporate flaperons. The wing has a thinner airfoil and higher aspect ratio than previous types of DG gliders which gives higher performance but at a cost of worse slow-speed characteristics. The negative effects of this design are most pronounced on 15-meter wingspan. These characteristics caused the relative unpopularity of this glider and only 114 aircraft were produced (partially because the moulds were later destroyed in a fire). Later versions with 17 and 18 m wingspan offer better low-speed handling.
Variants
There are three different models of DG-600:
- DG-600/15 - original version with 15 m wingspan
- DG-600/17 - version with 17 m wingspan (later changed to 18 m)
- DG-600M - with Rotax 275 engine, capable of self launching
- DG-600/18
- DG-600M
- DG-600/18M
Specifications
NOTE: The following data represent later versions of DG-600
|
DG-600/15 |
DG-600/18 |
| Crew |
1 |
1 |
| Maiden flight |
14 January 1992 |
14 January 1992 |
| Competition class |
FAI 15 m |
FAI 18 m |
| Wing sections |
HQ35/HQ37 |
HQ35/HQ37 |
| Wing span |
15 m |
18 m |
| Length |
6.83 m |
6.83 m |
| Wing surface |
10.95 m2 |
11.81 m2 |
| Aspect ratio |
20.55 |
27.42 |
| Empty mass |
257 kg |
262 kg |
| Maximum mass |
525 kg |
480 kg |
| Water ballast |
180 kg |
180 kg |
| Wing loading (max. payload) |
47,9 kg/m2 |
40,6 kg/m2 |
| Stall speed |
64 km/h |
62 km/h |
| Sink rate |
0.56 m/s |
0.49 m/s |
| L/D |
45 |
50 |
See also
References
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