Schweizer SGS 2-32

SGS 2-32
Role Open-class sailplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Schweizer Aircraft Corporation
Designer Ernest Schweizer[1]
First flight 1962[2]
Number built 87

The Schweizer SGS 2-32 is an American two-seat, mid-wing, two or three-place glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.[3]

The 2-32 was designed to be the highest performance two-place glider available, when it first flew in 1962. The 2-32 has been used as a tourist glider, trainer, cross-country and high-altitude sailplane and has set many US and world records. A total of 87 aircraft were completed.[1][2][3][4]

Contents

Design and development

The SGS 2-32 was conceived as a mass-produced sailplane of modest performance to act as a step-up from the SGU 2-22 trainer then in common use in North America. After careful examination of the potential market, the company decided to produce a higher performance sailplane with a greater wingspan instead.[2]

The 2-32 design was started in 1961 and completed with certification under type certificate G1EA on 19 June 1964.[2][5]

The 2-32 is all-metal, with a semi-monocoque aluminum fuselage and cantilever wings of 57 foot (17.37 m) span. It has top-and-bottom divebrakes and an all-flying stabilator tail.[1][3]

The aircraft seats two or three, with one seat in the front cockpit and a double bench seat in the back suitable for two smaller people of 150 lb (68 kg) each, maximum. The aircraft is often described a "21⁄2 seater".[1][2][3]

The ability to carry two passengers, plus its complete and comfortable interior has made the 2-32 a popular aircraft with commercial glider operators for conducting tourist flights. The ability to carry two passengers doubled profitability for rides.[2]

The first customer aircraft were delivered in 1964, shortly after certification was completed.[2]

The type certificate is currently held by K & L Soaring of Cayuta, New York. K & L Soaring now provides all parts and support for the Schweizer line of sailplanes.[5][6]

Derivative designs

The SGS 2-32 has been the basis of several derivative designs, including:[4]

Operational history

As soon as it entered service many pilots realized that this high performance two-place sailplane would be ideal to break many of the two-place records previously set by lower performance gliders.[2][3]

At one time the 2-32 held the two-place speed records over 100 km, 300 km and 500 km courses, as well as many distance, out and return and altitude records in both the men's and women's categories. 2-32s were also flown in the 1964 US Nationals.[2][3]

Some of the records set by pilots flying SGS 2-32s include:

In May 2008 there were still 64 2-32s registered in the USA[10] and one in Canada.[11]

In USAF service at the United States Air Force Academy the 2-32 was known as the TG-5.

Aircraft on display

The National Soaring Museum has two SGS 2-32s in its collection, N2767Z and N8600R, the prototype.[12][13] N8600R is currently on loan to and on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.[14]

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Activate Media (2006). "SGS 2-32 Schweizer". http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=313. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Schweizer, Paul A: Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States, pages 183-265. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988. ISBN 0-87474-828-3
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 32. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
  4. ^ a b c d e Schweizer Aircraft Corp: The Aristocrat - The Schweizer 2-32. Schweizer Aircraft Corp, undated.
  5. ^ a b Federal Aviation Administration (September 2007). "GLIDER DATA SHEET NO. G1EA". http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/5B12B06DD9D759A7862573B100583213?OpenDocument. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 
  6. ^ K & L Soaring (undated). "K & L Soaring, LLC". http://klsoaring.com/. Retrieved 2008-04-05. 
  7. ^ Goebel, Greg. "The Prehistory of Endurance UAVs". VectorSite. Accessed 2010-06-18.
  8. ^ Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973-74. London, United Kingdom: Jane's Yearbooks. 1973. p. 431 ISBN 0 354 00117 5
  9. ^ Jenkins, Dennis R. et al. (June 2003). "AMERICAN X-VEHICLES". http://history.nasa.gov/monograph31.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-08. 
  10. ^ Federal Aviation Administration (May 2008). "FAA Registry". http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/acftinqSQL.asp?striptxt=SGS232&mfrtxt=Schweizer&cmndfind.x=12&cmndfind.y=10&cmndfind=submit&modeltxt=SGS+2-32. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 
  11. ^ Transport Canada (May 2008). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register". http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 
  12. ^ Munson, J. (undated). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html. Retrieved 2008-04-15. 
  13. ^ "N8600R N-Number Search". FAA. http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8600R&x=0&y=0. Retrieved 2 September 2011. 
  14. ^ "General Aviation". http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-museum/aircraft-exhibits/general-aviation/. Retrieved 2 September 2011. 

External links