Glaser-Dirks DG-500

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. The glider is a trainer with an 18 metre wingspan or a high-performance glider with 20 or 22 m span. The 22-metre version also has wing flaps. 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 main landing gear (a single wheel) for 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.

The DG-500 also holds the all-time altitude record for gliders, at 50,000 ft, on 30 August 2006 by Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson in their high-performance research glider, breaking the previous record by 1,713 ft (522 m).

Variants

DG-500

Initial production

DG-500/18

Aerobatic version

DG-500/22

with 22m span wings

DG-500M

Motorglider version of the DG-500

DG-505

improved DG-500

DG-505 Orion

Production version built in Slovenia

DG-505MB

Motorglider version of the DG-505

Specifications (18-metre wings)

General characteristics

• Capacity: 2 pilots (student + instructor) or 1 pilot + 1 passenger
• Length: 8.66 m (28 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 17.20 m (56.43 ft in)
• Empty weight: 380 kg (838 lb)
• Gross weight: 615 kg (1,356 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 270 km/h (168 mph)
• Maximum glide ratio: 39.4
• Rate of sink: 0.58 m/s (114.17 ft/min)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus
  

Related lists

• List of gliders
  

References

• Manufacturer web site