solar glider video

Some nice video of Klaus Ohlmann soaring in the I_Care 2 solar glider
near Serres (France)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO03XNnT84U


--
Peter Scholz
ASW 24
JE

Very interesting configuration. The first thing I noticed was the
oversized surfaces in the tail. The second thing I thought was "But
there is no motor, why the heck is this thing solar in the first
place???".

Only then did I notice that the motor was in the tail (I was looking
for the standard boom mounted unit). So that has something to do with
the overrsized tail surfaces. Aerodynamic or structural or both?

But what is the advantage of the motor in the tail? I can think of
one disadvantage - you can't retract it.

At 02:18 20 September 2010, ContestID67 wrote:
But what is the advantage of the motor in the tail? I can think of
one disadvantage - you can't retract it.

A perfectly sensible configuration for an electric motorglider, saves the
weight and complexity of the retraction mechanism, negligible drag with
the propeller blades folded back. The only surprise (to me, anyway) is
that this setup hasn't shown up on any non-solar electric motorgliders,
yet...

Marc

It is a very interesting and elegant design.

However, putting all the weight of the electric motor so far back in the
tail must be balanced in the nose - by a longer nose that would otherwise be
necessary.

Paul Remde

"Marc Ramsey" wrote in message
...
At 02:18 20 September 2010, ContestID67 wrote:
But what is the advantage of the motor in the tail? I can think of
one disadvantage - you can't retract it.

A perfectly sensible configuration for an electric motorglider, saves the
weight and complexity of the retraction mechanism, negligible drag with
the propeller blades folded back. The only surprise (to me, anyway) is
that this setup hasn't shown up on any non-solar electric motorgliders,
yet...

Marc

On Sep 19, 11:39*pm, Marc Ramsey
wrote:
At 02:18 20 September 2010, ContestID67 wrote:

But what is the advantage of the motor in the tail? * I can think of
one disadvantage - you can't retract it.

A perfectly sensible configuration for an electric motorglider, saves the
weight and complexity of the retraction mechanism, negligible drag with
the propeller blades folded back. *The only surprise (to me, anyway) is
that this setup hasn't shown up on any non-solar electric motorgliders,
yet...

Marc

See:
http://www.lange-aviation.com/htm/en...ntares_h3.html

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:39:19 +0000, Marc Ramsey
wrote:


A perfectly sensible configuration for an electric motorglider, saves the
weight and complexity of the retraction mechanism, negligible drag with
the propeller blades folded back. The only surprise (to me, anyway) is
that this setup hasn't shown up on any non-solar electric motorgliders,

somewhere, I've seen a proposal for a motorglider with the prop in the
same position, driven by a traditional engine (in the fuselage) via
hydraulic transmission (pump, hi-pressure lines all the way to the top
of the tail, propeller).

Just can't remember anything more. It must have been a long time.

Aldo

On Sep 20, 5:01*am, "Paul Remde" wrote:
It is a very interesting and elegant design.

However, putting all the weight of the electric motor so far back in the
tail must be balanced in the nose - by a longer nose that would otherwise be
necessary.

Paul Remde

.... which dictates a larger vertical stab.

On Sep 20, 9:51*am, cernauta wrote:

somewhere, I've seen a proposal for a motorglider with the prop in the
same position, driven by a traditional engine (in the fuselage) via
hydraulic transmission (pump, hi-pressure lines all the way to the top
of the tail, propeller).

Just can't remember anything more. It must have been a long time.

Aldo

The University of Stuttgart has a hydrogen powered experimental ship
based on the Pipistrel Taurus that has this same basic configuration.

http://www.pipistrel.si/news/hydroge...r-construction

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:51:22 +0200, cernauta wrote:

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:39:19 +0000, Marc Ramsey
wrote:


A perfectly sensible configuration for an electric motorglider, saves
the weight and complexity of the retraction mechanism, negligible drag
with the propeller blades folded back. The only surprise (to me,
anyway) is that this setup hasn't shown up on any non-solar electric
motorgliders,

somewhere, I've seen a proposal for a motorglider with the prop in the
same position, driven by a traditional engine (in the fuselage) via
hydraulic transmission (pump, hi-pressure lines all the way to the top
of the tail, propeller).

There's also the Windex 1200 http://www.windex.se It is a motor glider
with a conventional motor mounted on front of the fin in a tractor
configuration and the same claimed glide performance as a Standard
Cirrus. It seems to have become commercial rather than a home build in
1999.

Does anybody know why they chose that configuration?
The website stopped being updated in 2001. Has anything happened since?
Has anybody seen one in the flesh?


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |