DG Flugzeugbau GmbH
[ame=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJXJgWCYMEo&feature=related”]Building DG LS Gliders - YouTube[/ame]
Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH
[ame=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_atJwXxcrU&feature=related”]How It’s Made Gliders - YouTube[/ame]
I can vouch for the very high quality of the Schempp-Hirth gliders as I am lucky enough to own one (it`s 25 years old but still good as the day it was made!)
Very cool Mr.Noo. How long do you stay aloft?
Depends on conditions, longest flight is circa 9hrs, furthest distance so far 450km, have flown up to 19,500ft in Lee waves in Scotland (use oxygen over 12,000) on a good day we fill the wings with water (this raises the wing loading, I can carry up to 145kg of water but normally fly with just 100kgs on very good days) water not used when flying in Lee waves as risk of freezing as temps at height are very cold, I have a temp guage in the xxxxpit that goes to -25C and have had it off the scale on numerous occasions, the coldest was -36C, exhaled breath turns to ice but the views are great!!
We have to be very careful descending with the Gell coat, as it gets very brittle at these temps, I come down 5`000ft at a time, hold altitude and let it warm up.
Some pictures, first is circa 12,500ft,
Second, yours truely, the white stuff on my chest is exhaled breath that has turned to ice
And last one is looking North towards Aberdeen (Scotland) from 19,500ft
Very beautiful.
I fly gliders in the States (Arizona) too but have never had an opportunity to fly mountain wave (some day I hope to). Thermals are awesome here though… I’ve released off tow as low as 300-400 AGL (1,800ft MSL) and thermaled all the way up to 14,500ft (could have gone higher but didnt have any O2). Did this twice on the same flight one time (released off tow early and thermaled up to 14,500… did acro all the way down to a low pass the full length of the runway at 2-3ft altitude, near redline, pulled up to trade speed for altitude at the end of the runway and caught another thermal and rode it all the way back up to 14,500… then acro all the way down again… woo hoo! Glider was an ASK-21) Great fun!
Those are some beautiful pics Mr. Noo and great stories both of you. Anymore to tell or pics to share? I fly FPV with my helicopters and quadcopters but I know it’s nothing compaired to the real thing and gliding threw the sky like you plankers. 
How much does a average glider cost + maint.?
Just Perfect Post!!!
Thanks man!!!
Thanks +1
Have plenty but wont bore you all!! Costs, a brand new S-Hirth glider single seat 18m class, fully fitted out with trailer etc would be circa £150k!!!! 15m club class gliders built in the late 70s and 80`s would be £10-30k
wooden Ka6cr gliders are around £3-5k
running costs are very low, insurance and maintainence prob be in the region of 2k a year (depending on glider value).
They are remarkable machines, very responsive and happily cruise on a good day at 100knots, so can cover the ground quite quickly.
I will dig out some pics for you
A Discus 2ct 18m hotship
An ASH 25t landed wheels up!! (no damage done, and no, I was not the pilot!)
And the last one showing wave bars extending out to sea (my favorate form of lift!)
To give you a taste of what fun gliding can be this is a 10min video shot by a friend cliff soaring on the South Coast of England
[ame=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs666zqMw0s&list=UUh3BVtA13RrjNaunW_SJmGQ&index=1&feature=plcp”]Down at the Sea-side! - YouTube[/ame]
Wow nice gliders! That must be a horrible way to live life…
I want one.