Schleicher ASW 28

The ASW 28 is a Standard Class glider with a fifteen-metre span built of modern fibre reinforced composites. The manufacturer of the ASW-28 is Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. The 'W' indicates this is a design of the influential and prolific German designer Gerhard Waibel. Serial production started in 2000.

ASW 28
ASW 28-18
Role Standard-class sailplane
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Schleicher
Designer Gerhard Waibel
First flight ca. 2000
Number built >144
External image
Schleicher ASW 28 approaching to land

Design and development

The ASW 28 is a single-seat shoulder-winged composite construction sailplane with a T-shaped horizontal tailplane and 15 metre wingspan. The upper wing surface has Schempp-Hirth airbrakes.

As all Standard Class sailplanes, the ASW-28 does not have flaps or other lift-enhancing devices. It has tall winglets, a retractable undercarriage and a water ballast system. The structure is a complex composite of carbon, aramid and polyethylene fibre reinforced plastic. This permits a light structure with the strength to carry large amounts of water ballast, thus permitting the widest possible range of wing loadings for weak and strong soaring weather.

The ASW-28 supersedes the ASW 24 in the manufacturer's production line. It has – like its competitors Rolladen-Schneider LS8 and Schempp-Hirth Discus-2 – a version with wing extensions for the increasingly popular 18 metre Class, the ASW 28-18. The sustainer (non-self-launching) variant of the 18 metre version is the ASW 28-18 E. The sustainer uses a SOLO 2350 18 hp two-stroke engine.

Variants
ASW 28
Production variant with 15 metre wingspan.
ASW 28-18
Production variant with either a 15 metre or 18 metre span, also optional engine installation.
ASW 28-18 E
Production variant with a 13.2 kW (18 hp) SOLO 2350 2-stroke sustainer engine.

Specifications (with 15 metre wings)

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Capacity: 200 kg (440 lb) water ballast
  • Length: 6.59 m (21 ft 7 in)
  • Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
  • Height: 1.30 m (4 ft 3 in)
  • Wing area: 10.5 m2 (113 sq ft)
  • Aspect ratio: 21.4
  • Airfoil: DU 99-147 and DU 99-125
  • Empty weight: 240 kg (528 lb)
  • Gross weight: 525 kg (1,155 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × SOLO 2350 (ASW-28-18E only) , 13 kW (18 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 270 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn)
  • Maximum glide ratio: 45
  • Rate of sink: 0.56 m/s (110 ft/min)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References
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