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.
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
- ↑ First flight of the DG-500M was in March 1987.
- ↑
- ↑ "Perlan Project web site". Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
- ↑ "DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Perlan Glider". Retrieved 15 November 2013.
- 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.
- ↑ "DG Flugzeugbau DG-500". sailplanedirectory.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
External links
DG-500 | |
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A DG-505 ridge soaring in Pennsylvania U.S.A. | |
Role | Two Seater Class sailplane |
National origin | Germany |
Manufacturer | Glaser-Dirks |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to DG-500. |