Sustainer/turbo gliders

Hi Renny

"My choice for sustainer is the FES"


On what glider?


Thanks

Paul

On Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 5:09:55 AM UTC-6, Paul B wrote:
Hi Renny

"My choice for sustainer is the FES"


On what glider?


Thanks

Paul

Paul,
I own a LAK-17B FES, but it is also available on the Silent 2 Electro (which is also a self-launcher), and it is also now being offered by Schempp-Hirth for the Ventus 2cxa FES.
Thx - Renny

Is this one yours, Renny?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnHaBF9VTcM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnHaBF9VTcM

On 4/4/2015 4:52 PM, Renny wrote:
On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 11:08:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Was hoping to get comments regarding a glider with a sustainer engine. Would you buy another one, are you happy with the sustainer, do you wish you had gotten a motor glider, a pure glider, how do you fly differently, do you actually get more soaring in or less because of the extra weight......

do you use headsets for hearing protection with engine running... engine can achieve a positive rate of climb to what density altitude....? Am considering purchasing a glider with a sustainer and am looking for all information I can get. i am a Western USA pilot, but have flown in many parts of the country.
My choice for sustainer is the FES (Front Electric Sustainer) for the following reasons:

1. It is extremely simple to operate.
2. It is very, very reliable.
3. It is very quiet.
4. It does a fine job at high elevation airports like Moriarty which is at 6,200 feet.
5. The "range" of 60 miles (or so depending on battery charge) is enough to get me back to Moriarty or to another airport.
5. If it were not to start, there is absolutely no additional drag penalty.

I will, most likely, never own another glider without one!
Thanks - Renny



--
Dan Marotta

On Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 10:11:46 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
Is this one yours, Renny?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnHaBF9VTcM




On 4/4/2015 4:52 PM, Renny wrote:



On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 11:08:53 PM UTC-6, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:


Was hoping to get comments regarding a glider with a sustainer engine. Would you buy another one, are you happy with the sustainer, do you wish you had gotten a motor glider, a pure glider, how do you fly differently, do you actually get more soaring in or less because of the extra weight......

do you use headsets for hearing protection with engine running... engine can achieve a positive rate of climb to what density altitude....? Am considering purchasing a glider with a sustainer and am looking for all information I can get. i am a Western USA pilot, but have flown in many parts of the country.


My choice for sustainer is the FES (Front Electric Sustainer) for the following reasons:

1. It is extremely simple to operate.
2. It is very, very reliable.
3. It is very quiet.
4. It does a fine job at high elevation airports like Moriarty which is at 6,200 feet.
5. The "range" of 60 miles (or so depending on battery charge) is enough to get me back to Moriarty or to another airport.
5. If it were not to start, there is absolutely no additional drag penalty.

I will, most likely, never own another glider without one!
Thanks - Renny







--

Dan Marotta

Dan,
Negative...Mine actually did a test flight self-launch at the factory in Lithuania in 2011, but in the Flight Manual it is very specific about its operating limitations with the following statement:

"LAK-17B FES is a self-sustaining powered sailplane and is prohibited from taking off solely by the means of its own power."

Somehow this turned into a FES thread, not what I had intended. I would like comments from those with curent generation pop up factory installed sustainers. I noticed the POH's do not have performance information other than Standard conditions. Say if you have a solo 2350 what is the ceiling of climb ability? What are actual achieved results? Do you find you get less soaring as you have to stop looking for lift at a much higher altitude, and yo have a high minimum wing loading. Are you happy with the sustainer or do you wish you had gotten a pure glider? What are the downsides, the upsides. Have you experienced a failure to extend or to start, any idea what is the glider ration with engine extended. Do you prefer the two blades of Schleicher designs or the five blades of Schempp-Hirth, anyone flow a JS with jet? Does the sustainer make your flights safer as the possibility of a land is reduced. Has anyone suffered a failure resulting in damage? I am looking for as much information as the readers are willing to share. As for FES, we can start another thread but for this discussion I am interested in factory installed sustainers. Thank you all very much for your time and input.

On Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 4:03:05 PM UTC-6, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Somehow this turned into a FES thread, not what I had intended. I would like comments from those with curent generation pop up factory installed sustainers. I noticed the POH's do not have performance information other than Standard conditions. Say if you have a solo 2350 what is the ceiling of climb ability? What are actual achieved results? Do you find you get less soaring as you have to stop looking for lift at a much higher altitude, and yo have a high minimum wing loading. Are you happy with the sustainer or do you wish you had gotten a pure glider? What are the downsides, the upsides. Have you experienced a failure to extend or to start, any idea what is the glider ration with engine extended. Do you prefer the two blades of Schleicher designs or the five blades of Schempp-Hirth, anyone flow a JS with jet? Does the sustainer make your flights safer as the possibility of a land is reduced. Has anyone suffered a failure resulting in damage? I am looking for as much information as the readers are willing to share. As for FES, we can start another thread but for this discussion I am interested in factory installed sustainers. Thank you all very much for your time and input.

Jonathan,
Understand, but for the record, the FES was a "factory installed sustainer." With that you will hear not a word more from me on this subject....
Good luck in your research and have a safe soaring season.
Thx - Renny

On Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 3:03:05 PM UTC-7, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Somehow this turned into a FES thread, not what I had intended. I would like comments from those with curent generation pop up factory installed sustainers. I noticed the POH's do not have performance information other than Standard conditions. Say if you have a solo 2350 what is the ceiling of climb ability? What are actual achieved results? Do you find you get less soaring as you have to stop looking for lift at a much higher altitude, and yo have a high minimum wing loading. Are you happy with the sustainer or do you wish you had gotten a pure glider? What are the downsides, the upsides. Have you experienced a failure to extend or to start, any idea what is the glider ration with engine extended. Do you prefer the two blades of Schleicher designs or the five blades of Schempp-Hirth, anyone flow a JS with jet? Does the sustainer make your flights safer as the possibility of a land is reduced. Has anyone suffered a failure resulting in damage? I am looking for as much information as the readers are willing to share. As for FES, we can start another thread but for this discussion I am interested in factory installed sustainers. Thank you all very much for your time and input.

I do not own a sustainer, rather a motorglider (ASH26e) but some of the experience is relevant. 1) If you are looking at any auxiliary engine as a safety device, I think you will eventually be disappointed if not injured. 2) An engine significantly increases the pilot workload at just the moment you would like it to be reduced, that is when low and looking for lift or a landing site. 3) An engine increases maintenance for a glider by around 2x or maybe more. These are realities that must be considered along with any perceived benefits.

On Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 7:55:55 PM UTC-4, jfitch wrote:
An engine increases maintenance for a glider by around 2x or maybe more.

2x? Dream on!!!

I owned a V2CXT for 4 years. Started the engine every flight. It never failed. Not one time. I never touched the solo
engine. Never even changed the spark plugs. An excellent machine. 5U

5U, did you ever use the engine for a low save, is there such a thing or is it always a save from 2,000 agl? How long do you run the engine on each flight, what type of climb rate did you achieve to what density altitude? thank you