Description
Open Class gliders often have 24 to 28 metres of wingspan – the new Schleicher AS 35 Mi has only 20. I flew it from the Schleicher factory airfield in Huhnrain to find out how it feels in the air.
Take-off with the engine, cockpit and systems, first impressions in a thermal, roll rate, slow flight and stall behaviour, and an approach to Huhnrain. Tobias Mörsel, project manager of the AS 35 Mi, explains why Schleicher chose 20 m for the Open Class and what is planned with 18 m wingtips. The data: 20 m wingspan, aspect ratio 34, up to 62.1 kg/m² wing loading, 730 kg max. take-off weight.
Thanks to Alexander Schleicher and Tobias Mörsel for making this flight possible on one of the last good days of the season.
Chapters
0:00 Open Class with only 20 m?
0:37 Take-off
1:14 Cockpit & systems
3:00 First impressions in flight
4:32 Roll rate & handling
5:35 Slow flight & stall
6:26 Why 20 m? – Interview with Tobias Mörsel
7:18 Approach & landing at Huhnrain
8:41 18 m wingtips
9:06 Conclusion
#gliding #soaring #AS35