Best Overall Motorglider available today?

On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 7:50:57 PM UTC-7, AS wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 4:59:35 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
Stemme.Â* Except for acquisition cost...

On 9/15/2020 12:34 PM, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 2:28:37 PM UTC-4, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Something thats available used this year maybe
Not pie in the sky vaporware
Perhaps 2G's 26?

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Dan, 5J

What about the 'poor man's version' of the Stemme, the Pipistrel Taurus? I am not sure what the deal is reg. the Rotax 503, which according to the Rotax website is no longer in production but they are advertising an E-version. Side-by-sides rock! ;-)

Uli
'AS'

Pipistrel made a life-time buy of engines, and I assume parts, from Rotax when they introduced the Taurus.

Tom

On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 7:56:12 PM UTC-7, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 7:50:57 PM UTC-7, AS wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 4:59:35 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
Stemme. Except for acquisition cost...

On 9/15/2020 12:34 PM, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 2:28:37 PM UTC-4, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Something thats available used this year maybe
Not pie in the sky vaporware
Perhaps 2G's 26?

--
Dan, 5J

What about the 'poor man's version' of the Stemme, the Pipistrel Taurus? I am not sure what the deal is reg. the Rotax 503, which according to the Rotax website is no longer in production but they are advertising an E-version. Side-by-sides rock! ;-)

Uli
'AS'
Pipistrel made a life-time buy of engines, and I assume parts, from Rotax when they introduced the Taurus.

Tom
Hi Nick -
I only know what I know, and that's limited, and subject to my opinion. The gas powered Taurus didn't perform well enough at 6,000 foot atlitude (Parowan) so at least one owner decided to keep flying at Sea Level and skip Parowan. The 2 cycle Solo engine on the DG-800's shake a lot and require an owner that is pretty savy about maintaining them and doing engine work. There is a lot more that an owner can do on the Solo engine than hte rotary engine installations without resorting to experts. The 26E is very smooth running and doesn't shake AT ALL! I think the rotary engine is much more reliable than the Solo, but when something really goes wrong, a lot of owners (including me) end up running to Rex at Williams for help. Rex now can pull the rotary engine apart and do work on it, but until recently, the engine used to have to go back to Austria for repair...and it's EXPENSIVE for a new engine. I've been very fortunate, that in 19 years with the ASH-26E, I have only broken a drive belt. Changing a drive belt requires engine removal and quite a bit of disassembly. Fortunately for me, it was at Parowan, and the Schleicher Factory "engine guy" (Mario Link) was there at Parowan and volunteered to change my belt along with Holgar Weitzel (sp?). I have had only VERY minor maintenance issues otherwise. There are excellent user groups for DG's and Schleichers (thank you Eric Greenwell and Jim Herd).
With towplanes getting more rare, unfortunately more of us need to move to motorgliders. There are lot's of advantages and lots of disadvantages with motorgliders!
Buying tows is MUCH cheaper than maintaining a motorglider. I'm sure you've read Eric Greenwells' excellent Motorglider publications available for FREE on www.motorglider.org (see publications).
It sure is nice though, when the line for aero tows is an hour long, to decide that.....Oh, I think I will take-off, let's see oh,.............RIGHT NOW!!!!! And off you go.
I also have my Phoenix, and love it dearly, but it is a LOW performance glider capable of great flights, but it's just not in the same league with the high performance sailplanes.
Best wishes.
Russ

Thoughts on the Pipistrel Sinus?

We owned one for a couple of years.Â* It's very light and was a handful
at Moriarty during our windier months.Â* It will thermal and gain
altitude, but not with a sailplane.Â* It's a great cruiser, capable of
exceeding redline in level flight, so be careful with the throttle.Â* The
Rotax ULS delivered 100 hp with no more than around 7 gallons/hour at
max power, IIRC, and it cruise it burned under 4 gph.Â* Oh, and it has a
ballistic parachute.

On 9/16/2020 5:56 AM, wrote:
Thoughts on the Pipistrel Sinus?

--
Dan, 5J

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 4:16:46 PM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
We owned one for a couple of years. It's very light and was a handful
at Moriarty during our windier months. It will thermal and gain
altitude, but not with a sailplane. It's a great cruiser, capable of
exceeding redline in level flight, so be careful with the throttle. The
Rotax ULS delivered 100 hp with no more than around 7 gallons/hour at
max power, IIRC, and it cruise it burned under 4 gph. Oh, and it has a
ballistic parachute.
On 9/16/2020 5:56 AM, charles wrote:
Thoughts on the Pipistrel Sinus?
--
Dan, 5J

I was thinking to use it as a long distance low cost/hr cruiser. Sort of like sailboat cruising. Not in a hurry to get where I'm going.

What do you think about its thermaling ability? Do you agree that visibility in, say, 45 degree banked turns is terrible? or is it like, say a Cessna 152 (not great but not terrible)? I wouldn't be soaring it with other gliders in gaggles or such. Just cruise-thermaling to save fuel.

Was also thinking to use it to teach off-field landing approaches at various clubs around the US.

Glide ratio appears to vary depending on config. 30:1 is advertised but tech data shows 27:1 for one model and 23:1 for the heavier model:

https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/sinus/

Ben

On 9/16/2020 5:56 AM, charles wrote:
Thoughts on the Pipistrel Sinus?

Glide ratio appears to vary depending on config. 30:1 is advertised but tech data shows 27:1 for one model and 23:1 for the heavier model:

https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/sinus/

Ben
My flights in a Pipistrel Sinus showed that in a 45-degree bank, the sink rate is quite dramatic, and it takes strong thermals to soar effectively. I enjoyed giving rides to power pilots in which we'd fly around for awhile in airplane ,mode; then I'd stop the engine and feather the prop, and let the airplane pilot glide to a landing (they always handed it back to me at pattern altitude).
Lots of fun, but not a "sailplane" in the XC sense. I can't imagine flying it in weak conditions.
Dan J

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 6:57:02 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Thoughts on the Pipistrel Sinus?
If you are interested in a Touring Motorglider, the Phoenix is the way to go. With the wing tips removed (takes 30 seconds, each weighing 15 lbs) the wingspan is 35 ft and the plane will comfortably fit in any standard T hangar. The Sinus wingspan with tips removed is over 40’ making it a challenge to fit in a regular size T hangar.

On Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 3:23:30 PM UTC-6, Mike Schumann wrote:
On Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 6:57:02 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Thoughts on the Pipistrel Sinus?
If you are interested in a Touring Motorglider, the Phoenix is the way to go. With the wing tips removed (takes 30 seconds, each weighing 15 lbs) the wingspan is 35 ft and the plane will comfortably fit in any standard T hangar. The Sinus wingspan with tips removed is over 40’ making it a challenge to fit in a regular size T hangar.

My Phoenix is not a substitute for a hi performance sailplane, I've owned a few, but it is a substitute for a light airplane, it is easy to live with, has the big canopy sailplane view, 2 seats side by side, doesn't need a towplane, of which I've owned a few, and climbs nicely in good lift.
Mine has the optional tow hook, haven't used it yet, but its there in case I ever want another sailplane, nearest tow for me is way too far away,
living on an airport means in a few minutes I can be checking out the clouds or taking a sunset flight down the beach.

Hey There Russ Owens
Hello to you and yours!
Thanks for the response.
Question on the ASH25E
It the Rotary engine eats itself up and you drop it off at Rex's shop to fix it, whats your educated guess to completely replace it with all the extra bits.
Nick
T

Nick Kennedy wrote on 9/17/2020 5:06 PM:
Hey There Russ Owens
Hello to you and yours!
Thanks for the response.
Question on the ASH25E
It the Rotary engine eats itself up and you drop it off at Rex's shop to fix it, whats your educated guess to completely replace it with all the extra bits.
Nick
T

Probably should ask Rex, or pilot that's had to do it, and not somebody like Russ
(or me) that hasn't had any problems.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1