HP-18J Twin Turbine Self-Launch Sailplane

Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris

On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 4:16:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris, thanks for sharing! Could you please post some photos of the jet installation? Inquiring minds want to know how you did it, i.e. are the jets retractable or do they stay outside?

Uli
AS

Nice. what's your fuel capacity and are you running diesel?

On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 1:44:14 PM UTC+12, AS wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 4:16:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris, thanks for sharing! Could you please post some photos of the jet installation? Inquiring minds want to know how you did it, i.e. are the jets retractable or do they stay outside?

The last video talked about retracting the engines once they cooled below 30 C (preferably 25 C). Which seems awfully cold. I can't imagine what bad would happen if they were 50 or 60.

There doesn't seem to be an excess of power. More like sustainer than self-launcher.

I was surprised how slowly the glider was flown during climb (60 knots). Effective power should be a lot higher at 80 or 90 knots (constant thrust), without a lot more airframe drag.

I was also surprised how low and slow and far out the end of downwind and base were flown, especially considering there was already flap out on downwind. And considering that HP18s can do very steep approaches. It's not an ASW12 :-)

Very nicely done!

I'm interested in the FAA's take on this and will you, as the builder,
have to get a Letter of Authorization to fly it since it's a jet?

On 7/23/2016 1:28 AM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 1:44:14 PM UTC+12, AS wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 4:16:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris
Chris, thanks for sharing! Could you please post some photos of the jet installation? Inquiring minds want to know how you did it, i.e. are the jets retractable or do they stay outside?
The last video talked about retracting the engines once they cooled below 30 C (preferably 25 C). Which seems awfully cold. I can't imagine what bad would happen if they were 50 or 60.

There doesn't seem to be an excess of power. More like sustainer than self-launcher.

I was surprised how slowly the glider was flown during climb (60 knots). Effective power should be a lot higher at 80 or 90 knots (constant thrust), without a lot more airframe drag.

I was also surprised how low and slow and far out the end of downwind and base were flown, especially considering there was already flap out on downwind. And considering that HP18s can do very steep approaches. It's not an ASW12 :-)

--
Dan, 5J

Noise is usually a big problem with this type of power plant.

If the noise is exceptionally loud, we could not allow a takeoff at our gliderport.

The towplanes (Pawnee) produce a lot of noise, however, it is in a different sound level, and more acceptable. Further, the locals are used to it after 40 plus years

A turbine launch would draw more attention to towing activities and perhaps draw more attention to noise made our conventional towplanes.

Tom Knauff

I timed the takeoff by watching the altimeter and it appeared to be climbing 500 to 600 fpm.








On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 12:28:36 AM UTC-7, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 1:44:14 PM UTC+12, AS wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 4:16:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris, thanks for sharing! Could you please post some photos of the jet installation? Inquiring minds want to know how you did it, i.e. are the jets retractable or do they stay outside?

The last video talked about retracting the engines once they cooled below 30 C (preferably 25 C). Which seems awfully cold. I can't imagine what bad would happen if they were 50 or 60.

There doesn't seem to be an excess of power. More like sustainer than self-launcher.

I was surprised how slowly the glider was flown during climb (60 knots). Effective power should be a lot higher at 80 or 90 knots (constant thrust), without a lot more airframe drag.

I was also surprised how low and slow and far out the end of downwind and base were flown, especially considering there was already flap out on downwind. And considering that HP18s can do very steep approaches. It's not an ASW12 :-)

On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 8:30:45 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
Very nicely done!

I'm interested in the FAA's take on this and will you, as the builder,
have to get a Letter of Authorization to fly it since it's a jet?

On 7/23/2016 1:28 AM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 1:44:14 PM UTC+12, AS wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 4:16:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris
Chris, thanks for sharing! Could you please post some photos of the jet installation? Inquiring minds want to know how you did it, i.e. are the jets retractable or do they stay outside?
The last video talked about retracting the engines once they cooled below 30 C (preferably 25 C). Which seems awfully cold. I can't imagine what bad would happen if they were 50 or 60.

There doesn't seem to be an excess of power. More like sustainer than self-launcher.

I was surprised how slowly the glider was flown during climb (60 knots).. Effective power should be a lot higher at 80 or 90 knots (constant thrust), without a lot more airframe drag.

I was also surprised how low and slow and far out the end of downwind and base were flown, especially considering there was already flap out on downwind. And considering that HP18s can do very steep approaches. It's not an ASW12 :-)

--
Dan, 5J

I chatted with Chris while he was at Owl Canyon. This is his four project and he had to search for a good, uncompleted HP-18 kit. Nearing completion, he had to obtain a glider rating to fly it. He consulted closely with Bob Carlton during this project, indeed the engines are from Bob's jet Silent.. Chris has an interesting story to share and I hope it will appear in Soaring or Sport Aviation.

Frank Whiteley

On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 8:44:14 PM UTC-5, AS wrote:
On Friday, July 22, 2016 at 4:16:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Here are a couple of links from my latest project. The sailplane is a Richard Schreder HP-18 kit from the 70's that I built over the last 4 to 5 years. I am using twin Jetcat P300 turbines for self-launch and sustained flight. There are numerous modifications that have been incorporated into the aircraft including the turbine installation.

First flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YepD4f9igW8 The best section is from 1:30 to 2:00 into the clip.

Colorado fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9BjPPhgWxo Short take of a turbine fly by from Owl Canyon Colorado in June.

Cockpit self-launch and climb out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsc3wvxr95Y Takeoff from our local soaring field in Wisconsin using the turbines.

Restart and fly by: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpgpWOG-9jI In flight turbine start and fly by.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris, thanks for sharing! Could you please post some photos of the jet installation? Inquiring minds want to know how you did it, i.e. are the jets retractable or do they stay outside?

Uli
AS

Uli,

The entire build was documented on the HP Glider Forum Web site https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/...bums/238228337

The turbines are retracted into the turtle deck.

Thanks,
Chris

On Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 12:38:11 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Nice. what's your fuel capacity and are you running diesel?

I started with Jet A and switched to gas station diesel. 5% turbine oil is also mixed for bearing lubrication.

The fuselage fuel cell holds just under 7 gallons. I have wing tanks that hold an additional 7 gallons which I currently am not using.

Thanks,
Chris