That decompression lever is a very clever idea! I’ve ‘windmill’ started my ROTAX powered Challenger Ultralight, and the speed required to get the prop turning was well above 85kts due to the high compression of the 2 stroke engine.
@@PureGlide True. I usually use the electric start to 'air start' the motor because I would need at least 500' of altitude to pitch over and accelerate to windmill speeds before the prop starts turning.
I have an N3 Pup (need to put the wings on...), but...I'm curious, how fast do you think I'd have to go to start a 1/2aVW to wind-start it? The pistons are a bit high on the compression. I really hate starting that thing...It's a tiny motor, but it kicks so darn hard!
@@cluelessbeekeeping1322 That’s a good question. The short answer is: I don’t know because I’m unfamiliar with the 1/2 VW. What I suggest is trying a windmill start under controlled conditions. Set yourself up over a suitable landing area where you can make a power off landing (preferably at a quiet airfield with little or no traffic). Climb up to 3-4000 AGL and leave 1000 feet as a knock it off altitude where you would be in a position to conduct a normal gliding circuit and approach to landing. That’s how I conducted my windmill test. Hope this helps.
@@CLdriver1960 Brother...I've got the ULTIMATE set up...I keep my (need to put the wings on) N3 Pup at a private air strip (bees too), my brother owns it! You offer good advice...treat it like I'm dead sticking! Thanks!
Hey that's awesome, glad you liked it! I have no idea why, but this video sat quietly without much fanfare for months, but just took off like crazy in the past couple of days! So glad it's going to people who appreciate it. Cheers!
@@PureGlide I may be wrong, but I watch a lot of stuff on Engineering (being a Chef??), which covers boats, hairy-planes and many other forms of transport, as well as other more esoteric stuff. Maybe that is why? For once, I shall raise a wee dram to the YT algorithm!
The Algo doth work in mysterious ways... I watch a lot of military aviation/history/GA content, but not much Glider stuff... close enough for the electronic elves though apparently. :) I'm not complaining in the least of course!
Interesting, I should probably target engineering types. A LOT of glider pilots are engineers, or otherwise technical people. In our club we have farmers (usually good at maintaining machinery), software developers, architects, mechanical engineers, dentists, surveyors, pharmacists etc... Cheers!
Not in the video, but the shutdown procedure is the following: - Turn off the fuel. Wait for the engine to stop. - The blades are still spinning. Lower them for 3 seconds out of the airstream. - Wait for the blades to stop spinning, check with the mirror. - Close it completely. Stay tuned for part 2 to see this in action!
@@johngalloway156 The Ventus CT manual states to shut down engine with fuel shut off valve prior to stowing. Anyway to each his own. He is stating the shutdown procedure correctly via the owners manual.
@@MikelLee I know that. I owned 3 SH turbo gliders over the period 1992- 2014. The earlier turbo manuals did indeed say that but it is not necessary and cutting off the fuel/oil mix cuts off the lubrication while the prop is still wind-milling doesn't seem sensible. NB The comment from Pure Glide: "Wait for the engine to stop. - The blades are still spinning" is not correct as the prop is directly driven and the engine has not stopped turning until the prop has stopped turning.
@@PureGlide always follow the manual as that way your warranty is still valid. But the guy is right. Im a 2 stroke mechanic. You never under any circumstances want to run a 2 stroke out of fuel. Running it out of fuel starves the engine of fuel which is also its oil increasing the temp in the engine as it leans out and with no oil mix youll spin a crank bearing or score then seize your pistons.
Flying my Ventus CT from Lasham. Got low so picked a large recently cut corn field. Raised snd started the engine, great, I'm away! 5 seconds later the engine stopped. Lowered the nose and landed without drama. On inspection I had got a kink in the flexible fuel line when I rigged in the morning. Always, always pick a field first before you do anything else.
@@mobilemarshall What you said is very true simplicity=reliability is one of my favorite mantras. On the other hand, most two strokes are working very hard creating a lot of stress. Then factor in they vibrate more. Combine those two factors and you get a lot of failures that more complex but smoother, easier running engines won't have nearly as often. {shrug} It's always a balancing act.
@@davebryant6905 Never done any moto or aviation stuff, but that definitely sounds like my experience of small two stroke engines. She'll run like a wee ripper... right up until she doesn't. I presume in an aviation context, one must be just as diligent regarding maintenance and proper care of a 2-stroke as with any other aero engine.
Nice video, but I teach my student to lower the gear before deploying the engine. The reason is that if the engine will not start (or start properly), then you are in a hurry to land in the paddock and you will likely forget the gear.
Very interesting. I knew that many gliders had auxiliary engines but I never knew they had no starter or throttle. Very basic system. Thanks for sharing this info. Great video!
Oh, "Hi You Tube", I thought you were saying "Hi You Two". That makes more sense - I was the only one watching! Loving your videos, by the way. I have my RA certificate but always interested in other forms of flying (and simulated glides in an LSA is less enjoyable and more stressful!).
I like that type of glider with the two tubes under its long flapy side parts - It has no engine (no spinny thing in front), but is really fast and car carry people - its like magic. I think its called Boink 007 or something like that.
Well, in general the sustainer option is a good development, though it is indeed a kind of „cheating“ compared to regular gliders (sailplanes). Therefore they should treated / compete in a class of their own. Why? Though in a competition the use of the engine will be regarded as an outlanding, it in fact is not. You are flying back to your airfield (or another one). The guy without the sustainer is stuck somewhere out on the ground. You have more and different options with the sustainer, even if only on training flights you do have a certain amount of advantage. Do not get me wrong: I am not against the use of engines on gliders, they certainly have advantages. In contrast they are not regular gliders anymore. I would guess that if you are limited to a glider without any engine you need to put in a lot more safety margins than with a (running) engine. Even if it is only on a training flight, the engine is a big plus. Good if you have one, but to let them compete with pure gliders is like comparing apples to oranges.
Well up until the point you get the engine out in theory it's the same. And in some ways a disadvantage, because you have to start your engine early, not at 200 feet above the ground. Where as without an engine you can try and get away in a thermal down low (even though you shouldn't do that either). Also we still have to have a paddock to land in, as it might not start, so you can't go to places you wouldn't otherwise. Probably the main advantage is not being exhausted after a big retrieve for the next day! Cheers
@@PureGlide Everything you wrote is valid of course. Though - when there are sufficient numbers of gliders with sustainers / self launchers around - it would make sense to compete in a class of their own. Nowadays you have different classes anyway, that „usually“ don‘t mix in competition (unless on club or regional level competitions). I am in no way against sustainers (our club recently bought a brand new Arcus T and I voted for it), but they are a different kind of fish compared to regular gliders. And yes, you are right, they are lots of fun and reduce the risk of outlandings by a high margin. Have a lot of fun with your glider, Cheers from Germany, Michael.
Great info, I was wondering how they would be able to tell that you “cheated” by Using your engine, other than a straight sustaining climb in your track.
Yeah funnily enough buying a new glider these days you can buy electric ones. But the range isn't quite the same. 150km vs 450km. That and my glider is 25 years old, so didn't quite have that option when it was purchased :)
Since it works like push-starting a manual transmission car, couldn't you have the glider sitting on the ground and run through the start-up procedures and instead of needing the dive to start the engine, go super oldschool and try spinning the propeller by hand?
Yeah you certainly can! Just tricky to be in the glider and do it so you need a helper. I’ve heard of people making a cordless drill attachment to help too but haven’t tried it myself yet!
based on my past experience owning a self launching ventus. it actually makes it slightly better. for the same glide ratio you can go about 5 knots faster. similar principle to water ballasts
Yeah it makes it harder to climb (because the glider is heavier) but doesn’t change the aerodynamics so the max glide ratio is the same, just at a faster speed. Subscribe for Future videos will cover how ballast on a glider works!
how much efficiency do you lose by flying a 2-seat glider with no one in the empty seat? How much efficiency do you lose by flying a glider with a passenger on aboard? How much efficiency does a Cessna 172 lose when you actually use it to carry payload? Stupid questions
@@SoloRenegade all 3 questions have the same answer. You can fly faster for the same glide ratio. But it is harder to climb due to the extra weight Also at my gliding club the only stupid question is the one you don't ask so dw
Wouldn't this make more sense as a pusher motor? From the way the prop blades fold, it appears the only thing actually holding them deployed when the engine is running, is centrifugal force. I would imagine a great deal of thrust is lost from the system to blade flex. By having it a pusher motor that folded forward, I would think you'd get greater efficiency from the engine
seen this before, though i find it cute that some also use jet engines. PBS TJ-100 is a common little jet used, though some owners have managed to get their hands on Williams F107 WR19's, though it is not unheard of for some to use RC Aircraft engines... mounted in pairs. either 2 on a single popup pylon, or 1 per side on separate popups. while it might seem strange to use "RC Aircraft engines" many of them can get up to and above 89 lbs of thrust per engine.. For example a Jetcat 500 is about 110 pounds of thrust each, 2 of them, 220 pounds.. for a smaller lighter glider that's good for a sustainer engine or even takeoff in some cases. Jetcat 1000 RC motor, is about 1100n thrust or 247 lbs of thrust A pair of those will match the Williams F107 WR19. more then enough thrust to take off though they guzzle fuel much less efficient because of their design, then more purpose built sepecailized engines, each jetcat burns 2.9l per min, so a just for take off at max power, the pair will chew through almost 60 l of fuel, just for a take off and climb. the Williams f107 though even though its twice the thrust is a far more efficiant engine burning about 3.08l/min a max flow rate. but again, those are like hens teeth to get, i'v eonly seen like 2-3 gliders powered with them.
@@PureGlide as i said, the one that use the RC motors are more common. if you see a pink air intake. Its a jetcat. That's pretty much their trademark. Lavander/purple is... ugg i think its AMT? out of the netherlands, and blue is PBS out of Czech.
If the blades pivot forward and are designed to propel the aircraft forward how do the blades not try pivoting forward from the "lift" they create? Does the centrifugal force overcome the thrust produced? I really hope that made sense.
Man having an engine on one of these things just makes so much sense. Just think about it, if you can fly about 8 to 10 hours in one of these gliders. And damn near close to hitting a thousand miles. Just in one glide alone. Having an engine on there could potentially fly you clear across the United States from California to New York, on just one gas tank. Because you don't run the engine the whole way. Hit it for about 5 minutes up to altitude. And you're good for another 8 hours of gliding.
@@PureGlide Well probably not on your engine. But I know there's some people that can get close to a good thousand miles on just one glide. And I've also seen other people instead of a propeller prop, they put these small jet engines on there. I bet that'll do it.
Yeah so my engine has one of the longest ranges. The sawtooth method which is climb, then glide, then climb, then glide etc can get 450km range. Any further and you need some external weather to help. Cheers!
I don't think it is cheating at all but once you put an engine on it you really should not be called a glider anymore. {shrug} I mean my Cessna's can "glide" with the engine off. The turbo 210 I used to own had a 12-to-1 glide ratio. From 25,000 foot I could glide 54 miles! Does that make it a glider? Nope! :)
@@PureGlide "but I bet you don’t have that intent with your Cessna!" LOL! Yeah! Very true! Only when I am practicing for the real thing! BTW on a related note - In 30 years in GA I have had two engine failures. I made it to a runway both times! So practicing gliding pays off even in Cessna's!
Why not? I mean, to even make the thing work to begin with you have to attach a whole plane to it, because gliders are stupid. It's the equivalent of buying a bicycle with no pedals, and having a friend pull you up a hill using their REAL bicycle, so you can coast back down. It's mental retardation.
@@AClRCLEOFLlGHT Jeez man, no need to be so nasty about it! I gotta tell ya though, gliders are not my cup of tea but as a total airhead, lover of all things aviation, if flies then I think it is totally cool! You won't hear me knocking gliders or glider pilots. When my next engine overhaul comes due I may even be thinking real hard about it! lol
I had no idea that physics would allow for a forward folding prop. I thought that the lift from the blades would fold it up. I guess that centrifical force wins.
I asked my gliding engineer about it. He stood quietly for a minute :) I will find an answer for the multitudes of people who have asked. Subscribe so you don't miss the answer!
The rotor blades on helicopters rely 100% on centrifugal forces to keep them from folding up in the exact same way. Some helicopters, such as Robinsons, actually have hinges at the base of the rotor blade that enables the blade to rotate upwards for flapping. Without centrifugal forces the blades would fold upwards in to streamers as you plummet to earth like a stone.
You're in luck, I made a whole episode 2 that answers some of those questions :) th-cam.com/video/ZRTkHh7n55Y/w-d-xo.html As for thrust, here are the engine stats aircraft.solo.global/gb/2350-series/1-solo-aircraft-engine-2350.html
Great video mate, I had no idea that sustainer engines in gliders were even a thing! That seems to be true for quite a few commenters but I see that it has not prevented the Certified TH-cam Experts from telling you everything that's "wrong" with it. :) Noticed a couple of comments regarding jet-assisted gliders which perked my interest, given how far compact jet turbines have come along in the past decade or so. Subbed and hit the bell, looking forward to part two! Cheers from an Aussie born in Ōtāhuhu who is desperate to return to his homeland once this Covid business is over.
Very interesting! do electric options exist? that would eliminate the need for a dive, sure batteries would probably last 10-20 minutes to keep weight down, but maintenance would be much lower!
They sure do, unfortunately I can only afford 35 year old gliders :) If you buy a new one though you can get electric sustainer or self launch these days. Subscribe for future videos where I show them!
@@PureGlide cool! Seeing how much brushless DC motors have improved for RC planes, I would have expected it :) And don't worry, your "35 year old glider" looks killer to all of us who can only dream of something similar! Cheers from Italy and thanks for the reply
I agree the engine is not an advantage in competitions, even is a disadvantage with more weight, and at least the turbo which needs to dive to start takes more altitude than some people use for landing circuits. But there is one competition advantage, and that is that on those outlanding days, when sometimes other competitors arrive back late at night after long retrieves, the turbo pilots can motor home for a relaxed evening. Saves on fatigue :-) Unless you're the one who have to go retrieve all the other pilots after returning :D
@@PureGlide It started with turbo pilots going to contests without crew, "since I will always get home I don't need a crew". Then it evolved into the pure glider pilots: "I won't need a crew because the turbo pilots can come retrieve me". And now no one has a crew :)
Very interesting video. I imagined those Engines were there to get you out of trouble at low level. But it seems a fair amount of forward planing is required. Including a dive!!
Hi yes we have our own training system and glider pilot license, which can be converted to a PPL-G if we need an official CAA qualification for overseas use.
I love gliders, because they are elegant, silent and high tech. The modern electric motors fit much better then a screaming and farting combustion engine, IMHO. 😁
Probably better than an electric sustainer but not as good as a jet engine. I don’t doubt the 2 stroke is more fuel efficient yet it lacks the James Bond kudos you would get with the Jet and that’s worth a lot of mileage.. 😎
Love all your stuff Tim. Did you say you would do a video on jet powered gliders? That would be very interesting. A bit of background info if I may be so bold, I'm a 67 year old former glider pilot living in the north east of England. I ceased flying in 1997 but continue to fly as a virtual pilot on Microsoft FSX and Condor 2. Always look forward to seeing new stuff from you. Take care and keep up the excellent work.
Thanks John, Stefan made a good video about flying the jet recently, so thought I’d wait a bit before making one. Check out his video I suggest. Thanks for your support! Cheers Tim
Yes, if the jet engine is sized accordingly. You still have the same two classifications for jet powered gliders, Turbo and SLG. Turbo = "get yourself back home"-jet and SLG = Self Launch Glider. The Turbo jet option is less powerful and not suitable for SLG but plenty for sustained flight. Jet sustainer vs 2-stroke sustainer, the jet will get you home faster (...and cooler IMHO!) Climb rate will be similar but optimal cruise speed while under power will for the jet be considerably faster because jets are more efficient at speed.
one of these days someones gonna program their tesla to tow launch them and then go park... and hitch up the trailer and come to the paddock when needed... hahaha
Are you seeing many electric motogliders yet? That's kinda my dream, fly solely on lift, and the sun, and lift is also from the sun when you get right down to it.
another good one PG - look forward to hearing more about these in the future. how much fuel and what's the endurance roughly. also does it increase your ias?
"My damn engine has stopped working again! I'm going down... really slowly". Actually I can't talk to air traffic control with the engine going, need to get a headset thing for that!
@@PureGlide Removing the headset is a prudent social distancing measure. This aircraft is a model of safety, hats off to you, siir! Seriously, though, it must be nice not to need a headset. I fly helicopters, I'd be deaf.
Had a good chuckle at this one! "Are you declaring an emergency? Do you require immediate clearance for landing?" "Maybe in a bit. It's quite a nice day up here, I'll get back to ya."
About the folding blades: How do they stay straight when using the engine? Is the centrifugal force enough? Or do the blades need some counterbalance to keep them unfolded? Maybe they have like a centrifugal lock in the hub?
Yes its cheating!!!! With the ability to up n go....you are likily able to try to find that thermal just a little further out and lower down than someone that has to consider a proper circuit and landing options.
Not quite true, if you want to use the engine you have to start it higher than you could possibly find a thermal without an engine. Some people who fly contests deliberately don't use the engine at times so they can try and find the thermal down lower than their engine cut off height.
Something about the preview image just screamed NZ to me. 🤣 Confirmed the moment you started talking. 👍 EDIT: God this country is gorgeous. Need to get my glider license at some point.
thanks for the video :) i seen a glider take off over my house the other day out of one of the busiest GA airports in the world. i was very confused hahaha.
Good question, gliders are designed to be carried with a lot of weight including the engine.ore weight means more energy is required to climb, but you can glide at the same glide ratio but faster. This is why you can fill the wings up with water. An engine is like permanent water on board. The downside is you can’t dump it before landing so you have more energy when landing
Do you know anybody in NZ who uses Jet engine on sailplane? In Europe some companies fit jet engine on gliders. As I know it doesnt give enough trust to takeoff.
Oh, do I miss that hobby! But without money, hence without a private glider, you depend on a club (Germany) and this brings not just lots of human friction and tension, it also eats up lifetime and weekends beyond mercy. When I was active, I always had the desire for jumping in a lake or cycling through that lovely landscape, smelling the forrest etc., sensations from which I was cut off due to flying. As it feels to me now, the grass is always greener on the other side.
Aussie here, I visited Southern Germany/Northern Austria a few years ago and as much as I love our natural landscapes, it certainly feels like the grass is greener over there. :) I hope to get back over there some day and visit the north, German food and hospitality is fantastic! I do hope you are able to go for a glide again some day, it must be an amazing thing to do in such a beautiful country. Cheers from Sydney.
Are the blades extended only by centrifugal force? Even if they push air backwards? Or is there some kind of locking mechanism in de center of the hub?
Haha you're not the only one who had that idea :) Seriously the actual difference is a glider usually flies without the engine, while most aeroplanes try to primarily fly WITH an engine running. Not many aeroplane pilots turn off their engines for fun very often...
In the uk a glider like yours is still a glider, but if it can self launch it requires a motor glider licence PPL SLMG. Which is more costly than learning to glide.
I'm kinda confused as to why this has "turbo" in the name... That engine doesn't have a turbo, nor does it have anything to do with a turbo whatsoever. Is it just like one of those marketing ideas to give it a cool sounding name?
Weirdly adding weight doesn't change the glide ratio (because the aerodynamics aren't changing). However it takes more energy to lift the glider into the air (with thermals) but then can glide faster at the same glide ratios.
Huh.... sounds like that thing is poorly designed, and could be designed better so you don't require to dive just to start the damn thing... But hey that's just my opinion.
Yeah some of them you don't have to dive start, but then it has a starting motor of some sort. And that means it's another thing that can fail and maintain. So in some ways the simplicity is good! The modern electric gliders have that main advantage, where you can literally press a button and away it goes.
Not exactly cheating in a contest, but having the power option is an advantage for those equipped. Not because one couldn't land out in some unknown and not inspected field, but because one would not, in many cases, opt for an outlanding, but instead, be much more conservative to avoid the inconvenience and possible unseen problems inherent in landing out.
In some ways it would be good, but it is another component that can fail. Sometimes the simplicity is good. The modern self launching gliders do have starters. But overall they are a lot more complex, and have a lot more go wrong, more often. So pluses and minuses...
No stupid questions - yes if we mis-judge the weather, or simply make a mistake we can use it to get home, or get higher. We still have to have a potential field to land in because it might not start. And if we land in a field it means we have to have someone collect us, which can take hours. So it makes life a lot easier and less stressful :)
Generally yes you have to for any aircraft depending on the airfield. At our home club we have a bulk annual fee to cover all our landing fees, for all club aircraft.
Who cares if it has an engine. I think its akin to an airbag or a seatbelt in a car. 90% of the time you probably dont need it hell maybe even 99% but its nice to have in that 1% or more other times.
Yeah exactly right- we use it if we are getting too low to use the weather to stay up. It could be thermals, or wind on a ridge. If either stop working, then the engine will help get us home. Cheers!
Yeah, problem is my glider is 35 years old, they didn't make them back then. But yes you can buy a brand new glider with electric propulsion. Subscribe for future videos that cover that! And google: FES glider
i love how there's just 2 strings of yarn taped onto the outside of the cockpit lmao i have an idea of what purpose they serve but can someone tell me the purpose of them?
It's really important for a glider to fly perfectly straight to be as efficient as possible. We control that with the rudder with our feet. If you're on a slight angle, it means you're flying sideways to some extent. The string makes it clear if we are straight or not. It shows any yaw of the aircraft. A made a video about why I have 2 of them! th-cam.com/video/OR9zJwcGxoQ/w-d-xo.html
That decompression lever is a very clever idea! I’ve ‘windmill’ started my ROTAX powered Challenger Ultralight, and the speed required to get the prop turning was well above 85kts due to the high compression of the 2 stroke engine.
Yeah I bet! Cool you can do it if needed, but that’ll be quite a dive
@@PureGlide True. I usually use the electric start to 'air start' the motor because I would need at least 500' of altitude to pitch over and accelerate to windmill speeds before the prop starts turning.
I have an N3 Pup (need to put the wings on...), but...I'm curious, how fast do you think I'd have to go to start a 1/2aVW to wind-start it? The pistons are a bit high on the compression. I really hate starting that thing...It's a tiny motor, but it kicks so darn hard!
@@cluelessbeekeeping1322 That’s a good question. The short answer is: I don’t know because I’m unfamiliar with the 1/2 VW.
What I suggest is trying a windmill start under controlled conditions. Set yourself up over a suitable landing area where you can make a power off landing (preferably at a quiet airfield with little or no traffic).
Climb up to 3-4000 AGL and leave 1000 feet as a knock it off altitude where you would be in a position to conduct a normal gliding circuit and approach to landing.
That’s how I conducted my windmill test.
Hope this helps.
@@CLdriver1960 Brother...I've got the ULTIMATE set up...I keep my (need to put the wings on) N3 Pup at a private air strip (bees too), my brother owns it!
You offer good advice...treat it like I'm dead sticking! Thanks!
Clever safety mechanism. No need for lockouts or cutoff switches.
Yeah it is clever, they haven't changed it much in 35 years....
It’s just like an E bike having A battery this little engine is used for assistance to extend your flight time
Yeah good way to put it! Cheers
what E bike doesnt have a battery?
@@TheWizardGamez the ones with really long extension cords
Nah pedal assist is cheating.
they have electric assist gliders you know, so exactly like a ebike. They can take off on their own.
YT algorithm served this up to me this morning, randomly. Mate, that is so cool. Never knew that was even a thing. Fly safe!
Hey that's awesome, glad you liked it! I have no idea why, but this video sat quietly without much fanfare for months, but just took off like crazy in the past couple of days! So glad it's going to people who appreciate it. Cheers!
@@PureGlide I may be wrong, but I watch a lot of stuff on Engineering (being a Chef??), which covers boats, hairy-planes and many other forms of transport, as well as other more esoteric stuff. Maybe that is why?
For once, I shall raise a wee dram to the YT algorithm!
The Algo doth work in mysterious ways...
I watch a lot of military aviation/history/GA content, but not much Glider stuff... close enough for the electronic elves though apparently. :)
I'm not complaining in the least of course!
Interesting, I should probably target engineering types. A LOT of glider pilots are engineers, or otherwise technical people. In our club we have farmers (usually good at maintaining machinery), software developers, architects, mechanical engineers, dentists, surveyors, pharmacists etc... Cheers!
Algorithm delivers again!
Not in the video, but the shutdown procedure is the following:
- Turn off the fuel. Wait for the engine to stop.
- The blades are still spinning. Lower them for 3 seconds out of the airstream.
- Wait for the blades to stop spinning, check with the mirror.
- Close it completely.
Stay tuned for part 2 to see this in action!
Don't stop by shutting the fuel and thus the lubrication. No need. Just switch off the ignition.
@@johngalloway156 The Ventus CT manual states to shut down engine with fuel shut off valve prior to stowing. Anyway to each his own. He is stating the shutdown procedure correctly via the owners manual.
@@MikelLee I know that. I owned 3 SH turbo gliders over the period 1992- 2014. The earlier turbo manuals did indeed say that but it is not necessary and cutting off the fuel/oil mix cuts off the lubrication while the prop is still wind-milling doesn't seem sensible. NB The comment from Pure Glide: "Wait for the engine to stop. - The blades are still spinning" is not correct as the prop is directly driven and the engine has not stopped turning until the prop has stopped turning.
@john interesting I haven't tried switching the ignition off before the fuel. I'll try it sometime. Yes I was just doing what the manual said.
@@PureGlide always follow the manual as that way your warranty is still valid.
But the guy is right. Im a 2 stroke mechanic. You never under any circumstances want to run a 2 stroke out of fuel. Running it out of fuel starves the engine of fuel which is also its oil increasing the temp in the engine as it leans out and with no oil mix youll spin a crank bearing or score then seize your pistons.
Flying my Ventus CT from Lasham. Got low so picked a large recently cut corn field. Raised snd started the engine, great, I'm away! 5 seconds later the engine stopped. Lowered the nose and landed without drama. On inspection I had got a kink in the flexible fuel line when I rigged in the morning. Always, always pick a field first before you do anything else.
Thanks for sharing! Yeah that's a great example of why you have to :)
@@davebryant6905 2 strokes are known for reliability if maintained... simplicity=reliability
A braided fuel line can really pay for itself! Very kink and heat resistant!
@@mobilemarshall What you said is very true simplicity=reliability is one of my favorite mantras. On the other hand, most two strokes are working very hard creating a lot of stress. Then factor in they vibrate more. Combine those two factors and you get a lot of failures that more complex but smoother, easier running engines won't have nearly as often. {shrug} It's always a balancing act.
@@davebryant6905 Never done any moto or aviation stuff, but that definitely sounds like my experience of small two stroke engines. She'll run like a wee ripper... right up until she doesn't. I presume in an aviation context, one must be just as diligent regarding maintenance and proper care of a 2-stroke as with any other aero engine.
Nice video, but I teach my student to lower the gear before deploying the engine. The reason is that if the engine will not start (or start properly), then you are in a hurry to land in the paddock and you will likely forget the gear.
Excellent point, thank you!
Hmmmm, to each his own but I would never intentionally increase drag while low and slow on the off chance I will forget to increase drag later.
Beautiful Landing too.
Thank you! The trick is to only put the good ones online :)
Very interesting. I knew that many gliders had auxiliary engines but I never knew they had no starter or throttle. Very basic system. Thanks for sharing this info. Great video!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it!
Gliding reaches a new level of cool at 9:51!
Awesome video
Thanks a lot! Glad you liked it
The engine got up the same way I do in the mornings. Sound and all.
lol
Oh, "Hi You Tube", I thought you were saying "Hi You Two". That makes more sense - I was the only one watching! Loving your videos, by the way. I have my RA certificate but always interested in other forms of flying (and simulated glides in an LSA is less enjoyable and more stressful!).
Hi yeah there's only two viewers in total ;)
I like that type of glider with the two tubes under its long flapy side parts - It has no engine (no spinny thing in front), but is really fast and car carry people - its like magic.
I think its called Boink 007 or something like that.
Well, in general the sustainer option is a good development, though it is indeed a kind of „cheating“ compared to regular gliders (sailplanes). Therefore they should treated / compete in a class of their own. Why? Though in a competition the use of the engine will be regarded as an outlanding, it in fact is not. You are flying back to your airfield (or another one). The guy without the sustainer is stuck somewhere out on the ground. You have more and different options with the sustainer, even if only on training flights you do have a certain amount of advantage. Do not get me wrong: I am not against the use of engines on gliders, they certainly have advantages. In contrast they are not regular gliders anymore. I would guess that if you are limited to a glider without any engine you need to put in a lot more safety margins than with a (running) engine. Even if it is only on a training flight, the engine is a big plus. Good if you have one, but to let them compete with pure gliders is like comparing apples to oranges.
Well up until the point you get the engine out in theory it's the same. And in some ways a disadvantage, because you have to start your engine early, not at 200 feet above the ground. Where as without an engine you can try and get away in a thermal down low (even though you shouldn't do that either). Also we still have to have a paddock to land in, as it might not start, so you can't go to places you wouldn't otherwise. Probably the main advantage is not being exhausted after a big retrieve for the next day! Cheers
@@PureGlide Everything you wrote is valid of course. Though - when there are sufficient numbers of gliders with sustainers / self launchers around - it would make sense to compete in a class of their own. Nowadays you have different classes anyway, that „usually“ don‘t mix in competition (unless on club or regional level competitions). I am in no way against sustainers (our club recently bought a brand new Arcus T and I voted for it), but they are a different kind of fish compared to regular gliders. And yes, you are right, they are lots of fun and reduce the risk of outlandings by a high margin. Have a lot of fun with your glider, Cheers from Germany, Michael.
Have you ever tried to take off with a sustainer???
I've GOT to get a glider before I get too old...wanted one my entire life, since I was a kid!
No I haven't, but I know people have. The tricky part is getting it started on the ground...
@@PureGlide You totally should dry it! Take bets on how long it takes (or will it take off???)
Ah, was wondering if that was at Waharoa, yip.... nice
Sure was
Glad you did this video. I was wondering about the engine.
How does the weight affect it's ability to glide?
Another great question! I’ll have to include that in part two :) basically it makes the glider heavier, just like adding ballast in the wings would.
More weight = harder to climb in a thermal, but can glide faster at the same glide ratio. Weirdly :)
I like the XT90 charge port lol
They are gone! I didn’t like the panel mounts for them. Replaced with XLR mounts, much sturdier
@@PureGlide I just thought it was interesting to see them in an application other than RC stuff, which is where I use them all the time!
Great info, I was wondering how they would be able to tell that you “cheated” by Using your engine, other than a straight sustaining climb in your track.
Cheers
Your ignition switch is wired to your data logger.
@@Trevor_Austin yea, I got that from the video. I meant I was wondering about these engines and how they would tell before I saw this video.
Great, now I need a glider.
Excellent my plan is working :)
I commend you on your desige. A lot of hrs spent on this. I suppose it''s better than a coupla jato bottles.
Oh thanks! You know I didn’t make this eh? It’s a commercial product :)
Love the videos, would like to know if that little retractable engine could be used for take off. I assume not because of the way it's starts
Hi correct, this one can’t because it doesn’t have a starter or throttle. However they do a make a version that does self launch. It’s the Ventus cM
Well there goes the glider engine joke when I get asked what I'm collecting 🤔
haha sorry about that
With the available lipo battery technique you might consider a brushless engine..much more powerful les complicated.
Yeah funnily enough buying a new glider these days you can buy electric ones. But the range isn't quite the same. 150km vs 450km. That and my glider is 25 years old, so didn't quite have that option when it was purchased :)
Stay tuned for future videos that talk about other types of gliders including jet and electric...
@@PureGlide ah yeah 25 years ago i head a flashlight with a little crank on it to produce electricity
That was neat, thanks for sharing!
Cheers!
channel name: "pure glide" video: let me show you my motor. hm. also: since when do two stroke engines have turbos? never heard of that.
;)
Since it works like push-starting a manual transmission car, couldn't you have the glider sitting on the ground and run through the start-up procedures and instead of needing the dive to start the engine, go super oldschool and try spinning the propeller by hand?
Yeah you certainly can! Just tricky to be in the glider and do it so you need a helper. I’ve heard of people making a cordless drill attachment to help too but haven’t tried it myself yet!
how much "efficiency" do you lose by having a glider which is heavier than normal because of the weight of the engine?
based on my past experience owning a self launching ventus. it actually makes it slightly better. for the same glide ratio you can go about 5 knots faster. similar principle to water ballasts
Yeah it makes it harder to climb (because the glider is heavier) but doesn’t change the aerodynamics so the max glide ratio is the same, just at a faster speed. Subscribe for Future videos will cover how ballast on a glider works!
how much efficiency do you lose by flying a 2-seat glider with no one in the empty seat?
How much efficiency do you lose by flying a glider with a passenger on aboard?
How much efficiency does a Cessna 172 lose when you actually use it to carry payload?
Stupid questions
@@SoloRenegade all 3 questions have the same answer. You can fly faster for the same glide ratio. But it is harder to climb due to the extra weight
Also at my gliding club the only stupid question is the one you don't ask so dw
Wouldn't this make more sense as a pusher motor? From the way the prop blades fold, it appears the only thing actually holding them deployed when the engine is running, is centrifugal force. I would imagine a great deal of thrust is lost from the system to blade flex. By having it a pusher motor that folded forward, I would think you'd get greater efficiency from the engine
Good question! I guess this is the design, hasn’t changed for over 20 years as it seems to work well. Brand new ones are almost identical
seen this before, though i find it cute that some also use jet engines.
PBS TJ-100 is a common little jet used, though some owners have managed to get their hands on Williams F107 WR19's, though it is not unheard of for some to use RC Aircraft engines... mounted in pairs. either 2 on a single popup pylon, or 1 per side on separate popups. while it might seem strange to use "RC Aircraft engines" many of them can get up to and above 89 lbs of thrust per engine.. For example a Jetcat 500 is about 110 pounds of thrust each, 2 of them, 220 pounds.. for a smaller lighter glider that's good for a sustainer engine or even takeoff in some cases. Jetcat 1000 RC motor, is about 1100n thrust or 247 lbs of thrust A pair of those will match the Williams F107 WR19.
more then enough thrust to take off though they guzzle fuel much less efficient because of their design, then more purpose built sepecailized engines, each jetcat burns 2.9l per min, so a just for take off at max power, the pair will chew through almost 60 l of fuel, just for a take off and climb. the Williams f107 though even though its twice the thrust is a far more efficiant engine burning about 3.08l/min a max flow rate. but again, those are like hens teeth to get, i'v eonly seen like 2-3 gliders powered with them.
Yeah I'd like to make a video about jet engine gliders sometime! Cheers
@@PureGlide as i said, the one that use the RC motors are more common. if you see a pink air intake. Its a jetcat. That's pretty much their trademark. Lavander/purple is... ugg i think its AMT? out of the netherlands, and blue is PBS out of Czech.
If the blades pivot forward and are designed to propel the aircraft forward how do the blades not try pivoting forward from the "lift" they create? Does the centrifugal force overcome the thrust produced?
I really hope that made sense.
Yeah it doesn’t make sense, except you are right, the centrifugal force is more powerful than the lift force. Well must be, as it works!! Cheers!
Man having an engine on one of these things just makes so much sense. Just think about it, if you can fly about 8 to 10 hours in one of these gliders. And damn near close to hitting a thousand miles. Just in one glide alone. Having an engine on there could potentially fly you clear across the United States from California to New York, on just one gas tank. Because you don't run the engine the whole way. Hit it for about 5 minutes up to altitude. And you're good for another 8 hours of gliding.
Haha not sure your numbers are quite right, but the concept is kinda right!
@@PureGlide Well probably not on your engine. But I know there's some people that can get close to a good thousand miles on just one glide. And I've also seen other people instead of a propeller prop, they put these small jet engines on there. I bet that'll do it.
Yeah so my engine has one of the longest ranges. The sawtooth method which is climb, then glide, then climb, then glide etc can get 450km range. Any further and you need some external weather to help. Cheers!
@@PureGlide Well the world record for the longest glider flight is a little over a thousand miles.
I don't think it is cheating at all but once you put an engine on it you really should not be called a glider anymore. {shrug}
I mean my Cessna's can "glide" with the engine off. The turbo 210 I used to own had a 12-to-1 glide ratio. From 25,000 foot I could glide 54 miles! Does that make it a glider? Nope! :)
Haha true I guess the intent is to not use the engine most of the time, but I bet you don’t have that intent with your Cessna!
@@PureGlide "but I bet you don’t have that intent with your Cessna!"
LOL! Yeah! Very true! Only when I am practicing for the real thing!
BTW on a related note - In 30 years in GA I have had two engine failures. I made it to a runway both times! So practicing gliding pays off even in Cessna's!
Excellent, good to hear :)
Why not? I mean, to even make the thing work to begin with you have to attach a whole plane to it, because gliders are stupid. It's the equivalent of buying a bicycle with no pedals, and having a friend pull you up a hill using their REAL bicycle, so you can coast back down. It's mental retardation.
@@AClRCLEOFLlGHT Jeez man, no need to be so nasty about it!
I gotta tell ya though, gliders are not my cup of tea but as a total airhead, lover of all things aviation, if flies then I think it is totally cool! You won't hear me knocking gliders or glider pilots.
When my next engine overhaul comes due I may even be thinking real hard about it! lol
I had no idea that physics would allow for a forward folding prop. I thought that the lift from the blades would fold it up. I guess that centrifical force wins.
I asked my gliding engineer about it. He stood quietly for a minute :) I will find an answer for the multitudes of people who have asked. Subscribe so you don't miss the answer!
The rotor blades on helicopters rely 100% on centrifugal forces to keep them from folding up in the exact same way. Some helicopters, such as Robinsons, actually have hinges at the base of the rotor blade that enables the blade to rotate upwards for flapping. Without centrifugal forces the blades would fold upwards in to streamers as you plummet to earth like a stone.
Awesoe stuff Tim thanks for another great video
Glad you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for part 2 that will cover all the things I forgot to put in this one :)
did the manufacturer list how much thrust the engine delivers?
and how much fuel per hour does it consume? and what is the fuel storage capacity?
You're in luck, I made a whole episode 2 that answers some of those questions :) th-cam.com/video/ZRTkHh7n55Y/w-d-xo.html
As for thrust, here are the engine stats aircraft.solo.global/gb/2350-series/1-solo-aircraft-engine-2350.html
the compression lever is a neat fix. let the prop spin up, then release and it works like an inertia starter. Clever.
Yeah simple eh!
You demonstrate how the extended engine with a stationary propeller does not produce much drag. What about when the propeller is windmilling?
Hi at landing speed it simply doesn't. If I were to dive and go faster it might. Cheers!
This always feeds my interest for glider engines, there arent too many vids anywhere!
Glad I can help!
Well you've found yourself at one of the best channels.
@@TheSoaringChannel i know right
Glider engine videos are rarified air.
Great video mate, I had no idea that sustainer engines in gliders were even a thing!
That seems to be true for quite a few commenters but I see that it has not prevented the Certified TH-cam Experts from telling you everything that's "wrong" with it. :)
Noticed a couple of comments regarding jet-assisted gliders which perked my interest, given how far compact jet turbines have come along in the past decade or so.
Subbed and hit the bell, looking forward to part two! Cheers from an Aussie born in Ōtāhuhu who is desperate to return to his homeland once this Covid business is over.
Cheers! Yeah I'll try and get some videos about the jets and electric gliders out in the not too distant future. Nice to have you onboard :)
Do you have any input to the gliders now with the turbine engines? They seem pretty good and hardly any drag according to the manufacturers.
Yeah I'd like to make a video on jet engines, once I've got a bit more footage of them
Very interesting! do electric options exist? that would eliminate the need for a dive, sure batteries would probably last 10-20 minutes to keep weight down, but maintenance would be much lower!
They sure do, unfortunately I can only afford 35 year old gliders :) If you buy a new one though you can get electric sustainer or self launch these days. Subscribe for future videos where I show them!
@@PureGlide cool! Seeing how much brushless DC motors have improved for RC planes, I would have expected it :) And don't worry, your "35 year old glider" looks killer to all of us who can only dream of something similar! Cheers from Italy and thanks for the reply
I agree the engine is not an advantage in competitions, even is a disadvantage with more weight, and at least the turbo which needs to dive to start takes more altitude than some people use for landing circuits.
But there is one competition advantage, and that is that on those outlanding days, when sometimes other competitors arrive back late at night after long retrieves, the turbo pilots can motor home for a relaxed evening. Saves on fatigue :-) Unless you're the one who have to go retrieve all the other pilots after returning :D
Exactly right! I thought I would end up being more relaxed but in the end I go on a retrieve anyway :)
@@PureGlide It started with turbo pilots going to contests without crew, "since I will always get home I don't need a crew". Then it evolved into the pure glider pilots: "I won't need a crew because the turbo pilots can come retrieve me". And now no one has a crew :)
Is it trespassing to land on someone's field w/out prior permission?
Technically maybe, but I've never had a problem, most farmers are happy to help
Very interesting video. I imagined those Engines were there to get you out of trouble at low level. But it seems a fair amount of forward planing is required. Including a dive!!
Yeah exactly right! Gotta use it early. I just tried to start it down low next to the airfield recently, and it didn’t start, so ended up landing😆
Hi, liking your content.
Quick question regarding flying an engine equipped glider, do you need a different licence? Say a PPL?
Keep up the good work.
Hi yes we have our own training system and glider pilot license, which can be converted to a PPL-G if we need an official CAA qualification for overseas use.
I love gliders, because they are elegant, silent and high tech. The modern electric motors fit much better then a screaming and farting combustion engine, IMHO. 😁
Yeah and if you have a spare hundreds of thousands of dollars you can buy one! Luckily we don’t have to use the engine very often :)
@@PureGlide Seems like the manufaturers have a 90+% margin obviosly. Batteries cost
@@Stefan_Dahn lekker genederlandst pik, “a question of time”, man man man
That’s a very cool and informative video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.👍🏼
Thanks for watching!
LOL, No one noticed the *“NOT VERY - PURE GLIDE”* at the end?! {That’s sooo funny!} 😃 😄 😁
Good info for the engine enthusiasts BTW… 👍
;)
why wouldn't you have an engine starter?!?! starter = takeoff use case EZ
Simplicity! It takes a lot of time and effort and more complicated systems to self launch.
How does a Kiwi fly a Glider ? With a Ingene aye ! Cheers
Nuw Zelunder's love em!
Probably better than an electric sustainer but not as good as a jet engine. I don’t doubt the 2 stroke is more fuel efficient yet it lacks the James Bond kudos you would get with the Jet and that’s worth a lot of mileage.. 😎
Yeah not quite as cool as a jet, but the sustainer can go the furthest distance (400km or so)!
@@PureGlide - Yep.. 400km is useful. If you need to sustain that distance of course. Though I’ll take the jet and a radius of a mile please. :)
Your videos are very calming, I think it might be the New Zealand accent. Keep up the great work
Thanks mate, appreciate it! And I edit out the boring bits too :)
Love all your stuff Tim. Did you say you would do a video on jet powered gliders? That would be very interesting. A bit of background info if I may be so bold, I'm a 67 year old former glider pilot living in the north east of England. I ceased flying in 1997 but continue to fly as a virtual pilot on Microsoft FSX and Condor 2. Always look forward to seeing new stuff from you. Take care and keep up the excellent work.
Thanks John, Stefan made a good video about flying the jet recently, so thought I’d wait a bit before making one. Check out his video I suggest. Thanks for your support! Cheers Tim
What about gliders with jet engines ? Can they take off by themselves ?
Stay tuned for another video about Jet gliders!
Yes, if the jet engine is sized accordingly. You still have the same two classifications for jet powered gliders, Turbo and SLG. Turbo = "get yourself back home"-jet and SLG = Self Launch Glider. The Turbo jet option is less powerful and not suitable for SLG but plenty for sustained flight. Jet sustainer vs 2-stroke sustainer, the jet will get you home faster (...and cooler IMHO!) Climb rate will be similar but optimal cruise speed while under power will for the jet be considerably faster because jets are more efficient at speed.
@@soaringhal Can you cruise 300 kph with jet sustainer ?
one of these days someones gonna program their tesla to tow launch them and then go park... and hitch up the trailer and come to the paddock when needed... hahaha
Congrats, you turned your glider into a standard prop-driven airplane. :P
Yeah next time you're flying a normal plane, ask the pilot to turn off the engine and become a glider, and see the enthusiasm!
Are you seeing many electric motogliders yet? That's kinda my dream, fly solely on lift, and the sun, and lift is also from the sun when you get right down to it.
Yeah we've got several electric gliders in NZ, one even can self launch. Stay tuned for future videos!
th-cam.com/video/a2cDwdR6BTs/w-d-xo.html shows electric take off
@@ronaldglider Nice! I think I want one!
@@skyearthocean5815 This is the one I want : th-cam.com/video/vcPCLPyXOYE/w-d-xo.html
@@Johan-ex5yj Nice! Does anyone make a two place so you can take someone up?
another good one PG - look forward to hearing more about these in the future. how much fuel and what's the endurance roughly. also does it increase your ias?
Thanks yeah good things to cover in the next one, cheers
So if your engine ever went out, you'd have the embarrassment of having to tell the tower that you're a glider and your engine is out
"My damn engine has stopped working again! I'm going down... really slowly". Actually I can't talk to air traffic control with the engine going, need to get a headset thing for that!
@@PureGlide Removing the headset is a prudent social distancing measure. This aircraft is a model of safety, hats off to you, siir! Seriously, though, it must be nice not to need a headset. I fly helicopters, I'd be deaf.
Had a good chuckle at this one!
"Are you declaring an emergency? Do you require immediate clearance for landing?"
"Maybe in a bit. It's quite a nice day up here, I'll get back to ya."
About the folding blades:
How do they stay straight when using the engine? Is the centrifugal force enough? Or do the blades need some counterbalance to keep them unfolded? Maybe they have like a centrifugal lock in the hub?
Yeah it takes very little to make them spin and flip out, and then the airflow puts pressure on them. Cheers!
Yes its cheating!!!!
With the ability to up n go....you are likily able to try to find that thermal just a little further out and lower down than someone that has to consider a proper circuit and landing options.
Not quite true, if you want to use the engine you have to start it higher than you could possibly find a thermal without an engine. Some people who fly contests deliberately don't use the engine at times so they can try and find the thermal down lower than their engine cut off height.
Something about the preview image just screamed NZ to me. 🤣 Confirmed the moment you started talking. 👍
EDIT: God this country is gorgeous. Need to get my glider license at some point.
Cheers mate!
thanks for the video :) i seen a glider take off over my house the other day out of one of the busiest GA airports in the world. i was very confused hahaha.
How long does the engine run? I imagine the fuel could change your glide characteristics so using it would make you glide slower?
450km using the saw tooth method. I'll have to cover that in another video! Stay tuned for Part Two
Extra weight has surprisingly little effect on the performance of a high performance sailplane.
They fill the wings with water sometimes, so the extra weight is not a problem for say a big gasoline tank.
What is a 1.7 knot climb? Can you convert to feet per min?
What is the weight penalty with having to carry the engine all day?
Good question, gliders are designed to be carried with a lot of weight including the engine.ore weight means more energy is required to climb, but you can glide at the same glide ratio but faster. This is why you can fill the wings up with water. An engine is like permanent water on board. The downside is you can’t dump it before landing so you have more energy when landing
Do you know anybody in NZ who uses Jet engine on sailplane? In Europe some companies fit jet engine on gliders. As I know it doesnt give enough trust to takeoff.
Sure do, we've got several JS1 and JS3 gliders in New Zealand that have jet engines. Subscriber for future videos to see them!
Have a look at this : th-cam.com/video/mOIBClkjPFY/w-d-xo.html
Oh, do I miss that hobby! But without money, hence without a private glider, you depend on a club (Germany) and this brings not just lots of human friction and tension, it also eats up lifetime and weekends beyond mercy. When I was active, I always had the desire for jumping in a lake or cycling through that lovely landscape, smelling the forrest etc., sensations from which I was cut off due to flying. As it feels to me now, the grass is always greener on the other side.
Aussie here, I visited Southern Germany/Northern Austria a few years ago and as much as I love our natural landscapes, it certainly feels like the grass is greener over there. :)
I hope to get back over there some day and visit the north, German food and hospitality is fantastic! I do hope you are able to go for a glide again some day, it must be an amazing thing to do in such a beautiful country. Cheers from Sydney.
@@sixstringedthing Sydney, the capitol of Ausgladyistan
Yeah it does use a lot of time as a hobby :)
Interesting insight... thank you very much for sharing!
My pleasure!
Are the blades extended only by centrifugal force? Even if they push air backwards? Or is there some kind of locking mechanism in de center of the hub?
Centrifugal force only! Cheers
Very cool….
Thanks!
That must cost a pretty penny
About $60k USD for the whole glider
Not enough power to do solo take off from the ground?
I think I can hook you up with some tuning crew who can tweak your turbo... 😅
Haha that would be epic :)
Is there really that much heat between the engine/no engine peopel in the gliding community? I had no idea! how funny.
A little bit! Not too bad :)
Is it still a glider then?
Ask a plane pilot to turn off their engine and see how keen they are to be a glider
There's a word for a glider that can self-launch. It's called an "airplane," if you'll pardon my lighthearted sarcasm XD Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Haha you're not the only one who had that idea :) Seriously the actual difference is a glider usually flies without the engine, while most aeroplanes try to primarily fly WITH an engine running. Not many aeroplane pilots turn off their engines for fun very often...
A winch is also cheating. Just throw yourself off a mountain side. Or not, you know. It's a hobby, just do whatever the fuck you like.
Haha well said
In the uk a glider like yours is still a glider, but if it can self launch it requires a motor glider licence PPL SLMG. Which is more costly than learning to glide.
Yeah a sustainer doesn’t require much more than a normal glider license here too
I'm kinda confused as to why this has "turbo" in the name... That engine doesn't have a turbo, nor does it have anything to do with a turbo whatsoever.
Is it just like one of those marketing ideas to give it a cool sounding name?
No idea, it was called a turbo before I knew about gliders!
How much does the extra weight cut into your glide ratio?
Weirdly adding weight doesn't change the glide ratio (because the aerodynamics aren't changing). However it takes more energy to lift the glider into the air (with thermals) but then can glide faster at the same glide ratios.
@@PureGlide Thanks, that makes sense, actually my High School physics is coming back to me now, appreciate the refresher!
Huh.... sounds like that thing is poorly designed, and could be designed better so you don't require to dive just to start the damn thing... But hey that's just my opinion.
Yeah some of them you don't have to dive start, but then it has a starting motor of some sort. And that means it's another thing that can fail and maintain. So in some ways the simplicity is good! The modern electric gliders have that main advantage, where you can literally press a button and away it goes.
That's exactly how a Velosolex moped starts! I really enjoyed this episode - good work. I'm already subscribed but Thumbs Up at least.
Awesome, thank you!
Not exactly cheating in a contest, but having the power option is an advantage for those equipped. Not because one couldn't land out in some unknown and not inspected field, but because one would not, in many cases, opt for an outlanding, but instead, be much more conservative to avoid the inconvenience and possible unseen problems inherent in landing out.
Yip! Exactly right.
If there is no electric start surprised there is a battery. I see they do these with small jetcat turbines now too.
Yes it would be good! And these days quite possible. I think the modern ones do have it.
dont like the starting procedure, would it have added to much weight to install a starter? dont get it
In some ways it would be good, but it is another component that can fail. Sometimes the simplicity is good. The modern self launching gliders do have starters. But overall they are a lot more complex, and have a lot more go wrong, more often. So pluses and minuses...
whats the battery for if you are bump starting it? jsut the raise and lowering motor?
Yeah exactly. It can also be used to power the instruments in the glider too, so not wasted.
Might be a stupid question but: why is it used? In case of emergency when there is no field to land? Or just to climb higher?
No stupid questions - yes if we mis-judge the weather, or simply make a mistake we can use it to get home, or get higher. We still have to have a potential field to land in because it might not start. And if we land in a field it means we have to have someone collect us, which can take hours. So it makes life a lot easier and less stressful :)
Man...one thing I KNOW is bad for motors is to NOT let them warm up. There's a 100% chance you'll score the piston.
Oh how do I do that with a 2 stroke with no throttle? It's all or nothing :)
@@PureGlide Ya...I thought that may have been one of those...I guess install a carb or buy insides prematurely. How many hours does that motor last?
without engine - GLIDING, with engine - NOT GLIDING. Simple as fuck
Basically! We only whip it out as a last resort
do you pay landing fees?
Generally yes you have to for any aircraft depending on the airfield. At our home club we have a bulk annual fee to cover all our landing fees, for all club aircraft.
Brit's and their English.....
"Hill start". You sir have driven too many Saabs.
Haha
Who cares if it has an engine. I think its akin to an airbag or a seatbelt in a car. 90% of the time you probably dont need it hell maybe even 99% but its nice to have in that 1% or more other times.
Yeah agreed! Although it's more like 10% of times it's useful!
I dont know anything about gliders, But can you keep flying with the help of that engine is there is to wind to glide on ? 😗🙄🧐🧐
Yeah exactly right- we use it if we are getting too low to use the weather to stay up. It could be thermals, or wind on a ridge. If either stop working, then the engine will help get us home. Cheers!
Seems like an electric/lithium battery solution would be a lot more elegant and solve a lot of your complaints. Do they make any?
Yeah, problem is my glider is 35 years old, they didn't make them back then. But yes you can buy a brand new glider with electric propulsion. Subscribe for future videos that cover that! And google: FES glider
i love how there's just 2 strings of yarn taped onto the outside of the cockpit lmao i have an idea of what purpose they serve but can someone tell me the purpose of them?
It's really important for a glider to fly perfectly straight to be as efficient as possible. We control that with the rudder with our feet. If you're on a slight angle, it means you're flying sideways to some extent. The string makes it clear if we are straight or not. It shows any yaw of the aircraft. A made a video about why I have 2 of them! th-cam.com/video/OR9zJwcGxoQ/w-d-xo.html
why oh why cant air traffic controllers and pilots learn to just speak in plain English!!!!!
The more you listen to it, the more normal it becomes. And you can a lot of the time!
Neato!
Thanks!
Really? The batter indicator is just three lights? I'd rather look at an actual percentage.
My other equipment has a proper battery monitor, so no don't actually use the engine battery button ever!