I just flew our brand new Stemme S10 glider from Strausberg, Germany to Pennemunde, Germany (yes where the V2 rockets were developed) .
It has a liquid cooled Rotax 914, 115HP turbocharged engine. It's maximum powered service ceiling is 30,000 feet (higher than Mt. Everest) What an incredible machine. It's a great glider, with a best lift over drag of 50 to 1. Because the engine is behind the cockpit, and the prop is completely hidden up front, it has no powerplant created drag, like so many other "so called" motor-gliders. So, once up to altitude, one can shut off the engine, stow the prop, and expect high performance soaring action.
But, more interestingly, it's also a very good cross country aircraft. It's seating position is "zero gravity" and amazingly comfortable. The engine has very little vibration and is extremely quiet. The prop turns at a lazy 2100 RPM, so prop noise is also minimal.
The prop has 2 settings, a take off position, and a cruise position. It takes about 2 minutes for the prop to go from one position to the other. It does this by 12V heating elements, that expand wax in 2 pitch control capsules. They move the complex mechanism that changes the blade pitch. The airplane needs no other prop settings. Since it's a folding prop driven by a driveshaft and gearbox, this design is a logical choice.
My trip to Pennemunde was quite remarkable. As you might expect, nothing but rubble remains of the buildings and test sites. However, there is an excellent museum there, located in the (rather horrific) huge old powerplant. That old powerplant is as spooky/creepy/awful smelling as humanly possible, as you might expect anything from that time in Germany to be. Yet, the rocket displays were remarkable, with plenty of technical bits to keep me interested.
The fuselage assembly below is not of an S10, but the S10 is similar construction. Very robust!
It has a liquid cooled Rotax 914, 115HP turbocharged engine. It's maximum powered service ceiling is 30,000 feet (higher than Mt. Everest) What an incredible machine. It's a great glider, with a best lift over drag of 50 to 1. Because the engine is behind the cockpit, and the prop is completely hidden up front, it has no powerplant created drag, like so many other "so called" motor-gliders. So, once up to altitude, one can shut off the engine, stow the prop, and expect high performance soaring action.
But, more interestingly, it's also a very good cross country aircraft. It's seating position is "zero gravity" and amazingly comfortable. The engine has very little vibration and is extremely quiet. The prop turns at a lazy 2100 RPM, so prop noise is also minimal.
The prop has 2 settings, a take off position, and a cruise position. It takes about 2 minutes for the prop to go from one position to the other. It does this by 12V heating elements, that expand wax in 2 pitch control capsules. They move the complex mechanism that changes the blade pitch. The airplane needs no other prop settings. Since it's a folding prop driven by a driveshaft and gearbox, this design is a logical choice.
My trip to Pennemunde was quite remarkable. As you might expect, nothing but rubble remains of the buildings and test sites. However, there is an excellent museum there, located in the (rather horrific) huge old powerplant. That old powerplant is as spooky/creepy/awful smelling as humanly possible, as you might expect anything from that time in Germany to be. Yet, the rocket displays were remarkable, with plenty of technical bits to keep me interested.
The fuselage assembly below is not of an S10, but the S10 is similar construction. Very robust!
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