AL-12: New ultralight sailplane

ISoar wrote:
The US distributor of Aeros hang gliders has announced that the
Ukranian company's ultralight sailplane has had it's first flight.
This craft was built using the wing of Aero's rigid wing hang glider,
the Stalker. It was designed to be towed up by the same tugs hang
gliders use. I wonder what happens when one tries to tow an
ultralight sailplane with the same towplanes we use?

Well, there is "ultralight" and there is ultralight. This one may not
meet the US definition of ultralight if that 80 kilos doesn't include
the rescue system. It still looks like an interesting design for the
microlift category.

The SparrowHawk does meet the US definition of ultralight (less than 155
pounds/70.3 kg), but it has a much higher wing loading (5 to 6
pounds/sqf) than this glider, and can be easily towed with Pawnees, etc.
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA