Performance

The Schempp-Hirth Discus-2 is a Standard Class sailplane produced by Schempp-Hirth since 1998. It replaced the highly successful Schempp-Hirth Discus.

In plan view the almost crescent shape of the leading edge is similar to the Discus but is tapered in three stages. An entirely new wing section is used. The dihedral towards the tips was greatly increased compared with the Discus. Winglets are an optional extra. A version with a narrow fuselage is called the Discus-2a and the wider fuselage version is called the 2b. The fuselage was specifically designed to be highly crash resistant. In U.S. Air Force service the Discus-2b is known as the TG-15B. The Discus-2 has also been successful though the competition from the Rolladen-Schneider LS8 and the Alexander Schleicher ASW 28 has meant that the Discus-2 has not sold in such great numbers as its predecessor, which went unchallenged for many years. 18 metre version A version with an 18 metre span, with the option of smaller wing tips to fly as a Standard Class glider, was launched in 2004 and designated Discus-2c.[1] When fitted with a small sustaining engine (turbo) it is designated Discus-2T.

The Schempp-Hirth Discus-2 is a Standard Class sailplane produced by Schempp-Hirth since 1998. It replaced the highly successful Schempp-Hirth Discus.In plan view the almost crescent shape of the leading edge is similar to the Discus but is tapered in three stages. An entirely new wing section is used. The dihedral towards the tips was greatly increased compared with the Discus. Winglets are an optional extra. A version with a narrow fuselage is called the Discus-2a and the wider fuselage version is called the 2b. The fuselage was specifically designed to be highly crash resistant. In U.S. Air Force service the Discus-2b is known as the TG-15B. The Discus-2 has also been successful though the competition from the Rolladen-Schneider LS8 and the Alexander Schleicher ASW 28 has meant that the Discus-2 has not sold in such great numbers as its predecessor, which went unchallenged for many years. 18 metre version A version with an 18 metre span, with the option of smaller wing tips to fly as a Standard Class glider, was launched in 2004 and designated Discus-2c.[1] When fitted with a small sustaining engine (turbo) it is designated Discus-2T.

The Schempp-Hirth Discus is a Standard Class glider designed by Schempp-Hirth. It was produced in Germany between 1984 and 1995 but has continued in production in the Czech Republic. It replaced the Standard Cirrus. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus.

The Schempp-Hirth Discus is a Standard Class glider designed by Schempp-Hirth. It was produced in Germany between 1984 and 1995 but has continued in production in the Czech Republic. It replaced the Standard Cirrus. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus.

The Schempp-Hirth Discus is a Standard Class glider designed by Schempp-Hirth. It was produced in Germany between 1984 and 1995 but has continued in production in the Czech Republic. It replaced the Standard Cirrus. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus.

The Distar UFM-13 Lambada (named for the Brazilian dance) is a Czech shoulder-wing, two-seat motor glider originally designed and produced by Urban Air and now built by Distar Air of Ústí nad Orlicí. The Lambada was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules at a gross weight of 472.5 kg (1,042 lb) and US light-sport aircraft rules at 600 kg (1,323 lb). The design is on the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft. The aircraft features a cantilever wing, a T-tail, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear with a steerable tail wheel and a single engine in tractor configuration.

It is often used for advanced training. The Duo Discus replaced the Janus as Schempp Hirth's high performance two seater trainer. Although it shares its name with the highly successful Standard Class Discus, any resemblance is only superficial. It first flew in 1993 and is still in production at the factory in Orlican in the Czech Republic. It has a 20 meter four piece wing that is slightly swept forward so that the rear pilot is close to the center of gravity. Its best glide ratio was measured as 45:1

The FFA Diamant (English: Diamond) is a family of Swiss high-wing, T-tailed, single-seat, FAI Standard Class and Open class gliders that was designed by engineering students under supervision of Professor Rauscher at the ETH Zurich and manufactured by Flug-und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein AG (FFA) of Altenrhein, Switzerland.The Diamant is noted as the first glider that was built entirely from fiberglass, with no other materials, such as balsa, used as a sandwich.

The DG-100 of 1974 is the first sailplane manufactured by Glaser-Dirks, developed from the Akaflieg Darmstadt D-38, the Standard class sailplane was designed by Wilhelm Dirks. The first model had an all-flying tailplane, with anti-balance tabs along the entire trailing edges, and a two-piece canopy (movable and fixed parts), built of GFRP (glass-reinforced fibreglass plastic)/foam sandwich materials and resin impregnated rovings for high strength parts. Successive developments included the DG-100G, DG-101 and DG-101G. Most models are available with water ballast bags in the wings. The DG-101 and DG-101G had improvements such as a single-piece front-hinged canopy, improved crash resistant cockpit and a conventional tailplane (with fixed horizontal stabilizer and articulated elevator). There was also a club version of this sailplane with fixed landing gear. All models featured top-surface-only air brakes.

The DG-300 has a flapless wing with triple taper based on the Falcon designed by Hansjörg Streifeneder, and employs the HQ 21/II, a relatively thick profile (ca. 17.5%). This wing is 'blown' on the underside by 900 small holes to achieve a controlled transition from laminar to turbulent flow without additional drag. However, these holes are prone to clogging due to dirt, moisture and wing surface polishing, which makes them less effective over time. As with any racing glider, the thickness of the wing makes it relatively sensitive to performance degradation due to contamination by insect impacts or rain drops.

It is agile and a good climber, but slightly underperforms compared to its competitors in cruising flight, especially at higher speeds. The later DG-303 version with a new wing profile and winglets was developed that delivers higher performance at low to medium speeds plus increased aileron response. A fully aerobatic version (the Acro) was also sold, stressed for +7/-5g.

The DG-300 has typical DG features, which improve comfort and safety if at a performance cost. It has the large cockpit typical of DG giving excellent comfort, especially in high-altitude flight where the full-length canopy allows the feet to be warmed by sunlight. The view from the cockpit is superb, adding to the pleasure and safety of flight.

After the bankruptcy of Glaser-Dirks the newly founded DG Flugzeugbau GmbH took over the servicing of these gliders.

The operational limits were changed on April 2007 after a defect was detected on the main spar. Aerobatic flight since then is not permitted, even for the Acro versions.

The DG-300 has a flapless wing with triple taper based on the Falcon designed by Hansjörg Streifeneder, and employs the HQ 21/II, a relatively thick profile (ca. 17.5%). This wing is 'blown' on the underside by 900 small holes to achieve a controlled transition from laminar to turbulent flow without additional drag. However, these holes are prone to clogging due to dirt, moisture and wing surface polishing, which makes them less effective over time. As with any racing glider, the thickness of the wing makes it relatively sensitive to performance degradation due to contamination by insect impacts or rain drops.

It is agile and a good climber, but slightly underperforms compared to its competitors in cruising flight, especially at higher speeds. The later DG-303 version with a new wing profile and winglets was developed that delivers higher performance at low to medium speeds plus increased aileron response. A fully aerobatic version (the Acro) was also sold, stressed for +7/-5g.

The DG-300 has typical DG features, which improve comfort and safety if at a performance cost. It has the large cockpit typical of DG giving excellent comfort, especially in high-altitude flight where the full-length canopy allows the feet to be warmed by sunlight. The view from the cockpit is superb, adding to the pleasure and safety of flight.

After the bankruptcy of Glaser-Dirks the newly founded DG Flugzeugbau GmbH took over the servicing of these gliders.

The operational limits were changed on April 2007 after a defect was detected on the main spar. Aerobatic flight since then is not permitted, even for the Acro versions.

The DG-300 has a flapless wing with triple taper based on the Falcon designed by Hansjörg Streifeneder, and employs the HQ 21/II, a relatively thick profile (ca. 17.5%). This wing is 'blown' on the underside by 900 small holes to achieve a controlled transition from laminar to turbulent flow without additional drag. However, these holes are prone to clogging due to dirt, moisture and wing surface polishing, which makes them less effective over time. As with any racing glider, the thickness of the wing makes it relatively sensitive to performance degradation due to contamination by insect impacts or rain drops.

It is agile and a good climber, but slightly underperforms compared to its competitors in cruising flight, especially at higher speeds. The later DG-303 version with a new wing profile and winglets was developed that delivers higher performance at low to medium speeds plus increased aileron response. A fully aerobatic version (the Acro) was also sold, stressed for +7/-5g.

The DG-300 has typical DG features, which improve comfort and safety if at a performance cost. It has the large cockpit typical of DG giving excellent comfort, especially in high-altitude flight where the full-length canopy allows the feet to be warmed by sunlight. The view from the cockpit is superb, adding to the pleasure and safety of flight.

After the bankruptcy of Glaser-Dirks the newly founded DG Flugzeugbau GmbH took over the servicing of these gliders.

The operational limits were changed on April 2007 after a defect was detected on the main spar. Aerobatic flight since then is not permitted, even for the Acro versions.

The first model had an all-flying tailplane, with anti-balance tabs along the entire trailing edges, and a two-piece canopy (movable and fixed parts), built of GFRP (glass-reinforced fibreglass plastic)/foam sandwich materials and resin impregnated rovings for high strength parts. Successive developments included the DG-100G, DG-101 and DG-101G, most models are available with water ballast bags in the wings. The DG-101 and DG-101G had improvements such as a single-piece front-hinged canopy, improved crash resistant cockpit and a conventional tailplane (with fixed horizontal stabilizer and moveable elevator). There was also a club version of this sailplane with fixed landing gear. All models featured top-surface-only air brakes. Some later models were also manufactured by the Elan company in Slovenia and can be identified by the word "ELAN" on the fuselage and rudder. The serial number of these gliders is prefixed with "E".

The H-101 differs from the Libelle in having a V-tail, showing its ancestry to the V-tailed Hütter H-30 GFK.[1] Four flush-fitting air brakes were fitted to the trailing edges of the wings, replacing the more conventionally-sited air brakes of the Standard Libelle. The Salto's air brakes are hinged at their mid-points so that half the surface projects above the wing and half below. The Salto prototype first flew on 6 March 1970, and 67 had been delivered by early 1977, when production at Start + Flug GmbH Saulgau ceased. Five more Saltos were built from 1993 to 1996 by the German company "LTB Frank & Waldenberger", bringing total output of Salto gliders to 72.

The H-201 Standard Libelle was a follow-on Standard Class sailplane to the successful H-301 Libelle Open Class glider. It was similar to the H-301, with modifications to meet the Standard Class requirements. The prototype made its first flight in October 1967, with a total of 601 being built. The type soon made its mark in contest flying; one flown by Per-Axel Persson of Sweden, winner of the 1948 World Championships, came second in the Standard Class at the 1968 World Championships at Leszno in Poland. The Libelle and Standard Libelle were very popular and influential designs. Their very light wings and extremely easy rigging set a new benchmark. Their handling is generally easy except that they are quite sensitive to sideslipping and have relatively ineffective air brakes that make short landings tricky for inexperienced pilots.

The H-201 Standard Libelle was a follow-on Standard Class sailplane to the successful H-301 Libelle Open Class glider. It was similar to the H-301, with modifications to meet the Standard Class requirements. The prototype made its first flight in October 1967, with a total of 601 being built. The type soon made its mark in contest flying; one flown by Per-Axel Persson of Sweden, winner of the 1948 World Championships, came second in the Standard Class at the 1968 World Championships at Leszno in Poland. The Libelle and Standard Libelle were very popular and influential designs. Their very light wings and extremely easy rigging set a new benchmark. Their handling is generally easy except that they are quite sensitive to sideslipping and have relatively ineffective air brakes that make short landings tricky for inexperienced pilots.

The H-201 Standard Libelle was a follow-on Standard Class sailplane to the successful H-301 Libelle Open Class glider. It was similar to the H-301, with modifications to meet the Standard Class requirements. The prototype made its first flight in October 1967, with a total of 601 being built. The type soon made its mark in contest flying; one flown by Per-Axel Persson of Sweden, winner of the 1948 World Championships, came second in the Standard Class at the 1968 World Championships at Leszno in Poland. The Libelle and Standard Libelle were very popular and influential designs. Their very light wings and extremely easy rigging set a new benchmark. Their handling is generally easy except that they are quite sensitive to sideslipping and have relatively ineffective air brakes that make short landings tricky for inexperienced pilots.

In 1964 the H-301 Libelle ("Dragonfly") received the first German and first U.S. Type Certificate issued to an all-fiberglass aircraft. It had flaps, water ballast and retractable landing gear. There are two canopy variants: the normal canopy and a sleeker, lower-profiled 'racing' canopy with no side vent. The canopy is unique in that it has a catch that enables the front to be raised by 25 mm (1 in) in flight to provide a flow of ventilating air instead of the more conventional small sliding panel used for this purpose. The American Will Schuemann pioneered several performance-enhancing modifications to the type, including a re-profiled wing, converting the airfoil to a Wortmann section, various fairings, a new canopy and a reshaped fuselage nose. Aircraft incorporating these changes are informally known as 'Schümanised' Libelles.

It is often used for recreational soaring. The cockpit has detailed improvements including better ventilation, relocated airbrake levers to give better purchase, and canopies restrained by gas-filled struts. The unpowered sailplane is cleared for aerobatics similar to the Twin II Acro. Its best glide ratio was measured as 36:1

It is often used for recreational soaring. The cockpit has detailed improvements including better ventilation, relocated airbrake levers to give better purchase, and canopies restrained by gas-filled struts. The unpowered sailplane is cleared for aerobatics similar to the Twin II Acro. Its best glide ratio was measured as 36:1

It is often used for recreational soaring. The G 103 C Twin III is a development of the Twin II with a new ‘Discus’ plan wing of slightly increased span and modified airfoil section. The cockpit has detailed improvements including better ventilation, relocated airbrake levers to give better purchase, and canopies restrained by gas-filled struts. The unpowered sailplane is cleared for aerobatics similar to the Twin II Acro. Its best glide ratio was measured as 36:1

The Astir CS [Club Standard] is of composite (fiberglass/resin) construction, has a large wing area, a T-tail and water ballast tanks in its wings. The large wing area gives good low-speed handling characteristics but its high-speed performance is inferior to other Standard-class gliders. In early versions some of the fuselage frame was wood, but this was replaced with a light alloy casting which sometimes cracks after heavy landings. The tail dolly is unusual by being plugged into a vertical hole. A slightly improved standard-class version, the CS 77, was introduced in 1977. It has a different rudder profile and a slimmer fuselage similar to that of the Speed Astir. The Standard II and Standard III versions followed in the early 1980s, reverting to the higher-profile fuselage and with a reduced empty weight and an increased payload. The Astir CS Jeans was similar to the CS 77, but had a fixed mainwheel and a tailskid. Its cockpit was fitted in blue denim. Later versions were the Club II and the Club III which also had fixed gear, but the Club III had a tailwheel. The numbers built of each type were: 536 CS, 244 CS77, 248 CS Jeans, 61 Club/Standard Astir II and 152 Club/Standard Astir III. A flapped version called the G104 Speed Astir was also produced. The latest in the Astir line is the G102 Standard Astir III, designed by Burkhart Grob and built by Grob Aircraft as a development of the original G-102.

One Astir (now residing at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center), flown by Robert Harris, broke the world absolute altitude record at 49,009 ft (14,938 m) on 17 February 1986. This record lasted until 2006.

The Grob G 103 Twin Astir was a two-seat sailplane developed in Germany in the 1970s by Grob Aircraft AGas a counterpart to the single-seat G 102 Astir then in production. Construction throughout was similar, although to preserve the balance of the design, the wings were given a slight forward sweep. While many two-seat derivatives of single-seat sailplanes have fixed undercarriage, due to the added space restrictions created by the second seat, Grob devised a novel retraction system for the Twin Astir. The single wheel was designed to rotate 90° sideways before retracting "flat" under the rear seat, resulting in a rather unusual seating position. This was only incorporated in early examples, later on, the wheel was fixed. Options offered to customers included whether the front seat should be equipped with flight instruments, and whether water ballast capacity should be installed. Production continued until around 1980, when it was replaced in production by the Twin II, a new and not directly related design originally designated G 118 but later redesignated the G 103a.

The Grob G 103 Twin Astir was a two-seat sailplane developed in Germany in the 1970s by Grob Aircraft AGas a counterpart to the single-seat G 102 Astir then in production. Construction throughout was similar, although to preserve the balance of the design, the wings were given a slight forward sweep. While many two-seat derivatives of single-seat sailplanes have fixed undercarriage, due to the added space restrictions created by the second seat, Grob devised a novel retraction system for the Twin Astir. The single wheel was designed to rotate 90° sideways before retracting "flat" under the rear seat, resulting in a rather unusual seating position. This was only incorporated in early examples, later on, the wheel was fixed. Options offered to customers included whether the front seat should be equipped with flight instruments, and whether water ballast capacity should be installed. Production continued until around 1980, when it was replaced in production by the Twin II, a new and not directly related design originally designated G 118 but later redesignated the G 103a.

The LAK-12 is a Lithuanian mid-wing, single-seat, FAI Open Class glider that was designed and produced by LAK (Litovskaya Aviatsionnaya Konstruktsiya) (English: Lithuanian Aircraft Builders) and later by Sportine Aviacija and Sport Aviation USSR.

Developed by Pipistrel as one of the first self-launched glider in the microlight category the design used the wings of the Pipistrel Sinus with a new two-seat side-by-side fuselage. To enable the Taurus to self-launch a pop-out propeller is mounted on the rear fuselage driven by a Rotax 503 piston engine. In 2007 the company developed the Taurus Electro with the piston engine replaced by a permanent magnet synchronous three-phase brushless motor.

The Rolladen-Schneider LS7 is a high-performance Standard Class single-seat sailplane produced by Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH from 1988 to 1993.

The LS7 was developed as the successor to the LS4, one of the most successful gliders ever produced.

In a departure from the design philosophy of the LS4, Rolladen-Schneider set out to design the LS7 as an uncompromised competition machine, seeking the highest performance possible with the technology of the time.

Designer Wolf Lemke specified a highly laminar wing profile and developed a high aspect ratio wing. Carbon fibre was extensively used in the construction, along with aramid fibre, to ensure enough strength in spite of slender structural elements and increased loadings. The aileron drive bellcranks were entirely concealed within the wings, with a mere 30mm of usable height at the trailing edge.

The LS7 prototype flew for the first time in the Autumn of 1987, and serial production started in 1988. Winglets were introduced in 1991, yielding the LS7-WL. Many earlier LS7s were converted to this standard. Production ended in 1993 with only 164 aircraft having been built.

The LS-1 Standard Class design was the first aircraft type arising from the partnership between Wolf Lemke and Walter Schneider, who had already worked together as students on the ground breaking Akaflieg Darmstadt D-36. Here, and in subsequent Lemke-Schneider (LS) designs, Wolf Lemke concentrated on the aerodynamics while Walter Schneider contributed mostly to the structural and production issues.

The LS1 made its debut at the 1968 German National Championships, taking first and second place with the designers themselves at the controls. The success of this design increased in the subsequent years until, in 1975, it was the most flown glider in the German Nationals. The LS1 took first place in the 1970 World Championships at Marfa, Texas.

The manufacture of the LS1 was discontinued after the IGC introduced the new unrestricted 15 meter Class in the spring 1977, as the manufacturer needed all its resources to increase production of the LS3. A total of 464 LS1 were built. It was succeeded by the LS2 and LS4. LS1-f - introduced the one-piece canopy, conventional tailplane, redesigned rudder and structural changes that allowed more water ballast and higher flight mass. It also has a reduced wing incidence relative to the fuselage, resulting in noticeably better high speed performance than the earlier LS1 variants. (240 built)

The Rolladen-Schneider LS8 is a Standard and 18 metre class single-seat glider developed by Rolladen-Schneider and in series production since 1995. Currently it is manufactured by DG Flugzeugbau.LS8-18 a plus mass balanced ailerons and an integral tail tank. Can be operated in 15m and 18m mode (438 built, together with LS8-a)

In designing the Mini-Nimbus, Klaus Holighaus incorporated the flapped wings from the Glasflügel 303 Mosquito, with the fuselage of the Standard Cirrus.The wings feature trailing edge terminal speed dive brakes-variable camber flaps that limit the vertical dive speed to a maximum of 70 knots when the dive brakes are fully deployed.

The name "Mini Nimbus" was adopted to distinguish it from longer-wingspan Nimbus models. It first flew on 18 September 1976.

The Mini Nimbus range all feature self-connecting controls, of Glasflügel design, for added safety and ease of rigging, and have been incorporated in all newer Schempp-Hirth models. The trim lever is connected to the flap operating rod and needs to be set only once per flight; thereafter changes in flap setting (-7 to +10 degrees) automatically provides trim compensation.

Loosely based on the original Nimbus HS-3 prototype, the production version that eventually surfaced as the Nimbus-2 was a very different glider with many improvements over the problematic prototype. The wing was shortened to 20.3 metres and was built in four sections to make it easier to rig and transport. It received Schempp-Hirth air brakes fitted in the upper surfaces and a tail braking-parachute, plus camber-changing flaps. It had an all-flying T-tail similar to the Standard Cirrus as well as the general layout of its fuselage.The Nimbus-2 was successful in competitions, twice winning the Open Class in World Gliding Championships: Göran Ax (Sweden) in 1972 and George Moffat (USA) in 1974. It was also popular with record-seekers. Bruce Lindsey Drake, David Napier Speight and Sholto Hamilton "Dick" Georgeson jointly set a World Goal and Free Distance record of 1,254 km in New Zealand in 1978, Doris Grove a feminine Out and Return record of 1,127 km in 1981, Yvonne Loader a feminine Height Gain record of 10212 m in 1988, and Joan Shaw a feminine Distance record of 951.43 km in 1990, all flying Nimbus-2. At its time several national and world records were held by Nimbus-2M's in the FAI motorglider category. In 1979 Klaus Holighaus, the glider's designer, completed the first 1,000 km triangle in Germany flying a Nimbus-2.

The Nimbus-2 was succeeded by the Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3.

The Standard Cirrus was designed by Dipl. Ing. Klaus Holighaus and flew for the first time in March 1969. It is a Standard Class glider with a 15 metre span and no camber-changing flaps. The all-moving tailplane, a feature of many designs of that period due to its theoretically higher efficiency, caused less than desirable high-speed stability characteristics, and so modifications were made to the early design. Even so, the glider is still very sensitive in pitch. By April 1977, when production by Schempp-Hirth ended, a total of 700 Standard Cirruses had been built, including 200 built under licence by Grob between 1972 and July 1975. A French firm, Lanaverre Industrie, had also built 38 Standard Cirruses under licence by 1979. VTC of Yugoslavia also licence-built Standard Cirruses, reaching approximately 100 by 1985. Improvements were made with the Standard Cirrus 75. These included better air-brakes with an increased frontal area.

The Standard Cirrus was designed by Dipl. Ing. Klaus Holighaus and flew for the first time in March 1969. It is a Standard Class glider with a 15 metre span and no camber-changing flaps. The all-moving tailplane, a feature of many designs of that period due to its theoretically higher efficiency, caused less than desirable high-speed stability characteristics, and so modifications were made to the early design. Even so, the glider is still very sensitive in pitch. By April 1977, when production by Schempp-Hirth ended, a total of 700 Standard Cirruses had been built, including 200 built under licence by Grob between 1972 and July 1975. A French firm, Lanaverre Industrie, had also built 38 Standard Cirruses under licence by 1979. VTC of Yugoslavia also licence-built Standard Cirruses, reaching approximately 100 by 1985. Improvements were made with the Standard Cirrus 75. These included better air-brakes with an increased frontal area.

The ASW 24 was designed by Schleicher's Gerhard Waibel, with Delft University professor Loek Boermans undertaking the role of aerodynamicist. The prototype made its first flight in 1987, having entered serial production later the same year. It nominally remained in production until 2000, although only a score were built in the mid-to-late 1990s.

The ASW 24 was designed by Schleicher's Gerhard Waibel, with Delft University professor Loek Boermans undertaking the role of aerodynamicist. The prototype made its first flight in 1987, having entered serial production later the same year. It nominally remained in production until 2000, although only a score were built in the mid-to-late nineties

The ASW 24 was designed by Schleicher's Gerhard Waibel, with Delft University professor Loek Boermans undertaking the role of aerodynamicist. The prototype made its first flight in 1987, having entered serial production later the same year. It nominally remained in production until 2000, although only a score were built in the mid-to-late nineties

The ASW 24 was designed by Schleicher's Gerhard Waibel, with Delft University professor Loek Boermans undertaking the role of aerodynamicist. The prototype made its first flight in 1987, having entered serial production later the same year. It nominally remained in production until 2000, although only a score were built in the mid-to-late ninetiesThe ASW 24E is a nominally self-launching variant employing a Rotax 275 engine and a propeller mounted on a retractable pylon. The engine installation is peculiar for its small size and power, more typical of a turbo, and for its manual start with a pilot-operated ripcord.

The ASW 27 is a 15 metre Class glider built of modern fibre reinforced composites, which first flew in 1995 and was certified in 1997. The manufacturer of the ASW 27 is Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. The 'W' indicates this is a design of the influential and prolific German designer Gerhard Waibel.The ASW 27 has plain flaps, winglets, a retractable undercarriage and a water ballast system. The structure is a complex composite of carbon, aramid and polyethylene fibre reinforced plastic. This permits a light structure with the strength to carry large amounts of water ballast, thus permitting the widest possible range of wing loadings for weak and strong soaring weather. The strong fuselage was tested for crash protection by dropping one from a crane.