How many gliders have engines?

[edinthecloudsParticipant @edintheclouds]

Just seen this on the BBC news site, a AAIB accident report states, pilot was overcome with carbon monoxide from the engine bay during the flight.

BBC news report

Les

[edinthecloudsParticipant @edintheclouds]

Report of a glider crash

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

I'm sure some of the pilots on here can give a better answer, but I remember seeing one with a kind of fold-away engine and prop located behind the cockpit. I was quite impressed by the idea, but I suspect the crashed glider would not have been that type as the engine would be well outside the fuselage whilst running so no fumes could build up.

Rob

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Quite a lot

Motor Glider – Wikipedia

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

Scheibe SF-25 Falke – Touring motor glider

[Lee RogersParticipant @leerogers95060]

Known as an SLMG Self Launching Motor Glider . It requires a licence rating PPLSLMG to fly it . They have been around for over 50 years now. Retractable motors can be of the self launching type or sustainers that will not allow a take off but have enough power to avoid an outlanding. Outlandings can be hairy with 30m of wings and glide ratio better than 50 : 1 so sustainers have gained popularity. Self launching 2 seaters are popular for circuit bashing allowing many more launches in a day.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Clue is in the name.

How many gliders have motors – None

How many motor gliders have motors – all

Some have a fold away motor on a pylon for reduced drag, some look like a normal plane apart from the longer, narrower wings.

[Anonymous]

I've just read the AAIB report; as Peter says the aircraft was a touring motor glider. So more akin to a powered aircraft than a sailplane. I think current licencing distinguishes between self-launching sailplanes and touring motor gliders. I flew a Falke while doing my instructor training – not much to write home about.

Sailplanes and motors are now rather messy. Most self-sustainer engines are retractable. At one time the engine moved out on a pylon with direct drive to a propeller and is normally air start, as is my Nimbus 3DT. Some self-launchers extend the propeller but the engine stays in the fuselage, driving via a belt. This simplifies the pylon design, but is primarily for noise reasons. There are sailplanes that have a motor in the nose and a small propeller at the front where the blades fold back into recesses when not being used.

Tradtionally motors were 2-stroke petrol. But there are now also small jets and of course electric. The jets are impressive, but have the problem of inefficiency inherent in small gas turbines. Electric is a mixed bag. It promises much but so far doesn't quite seem to deliver. And of course battery fires are an ever present problem. There have been a number on the ground but I haven't heard of one in the air, as yet.

Andrew

[Author]

Posts