Rolladen-Schneider LS10
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| The LS10-a and a DG-808B at Niederöblarn, Austria. | |
| Type designation | LS10-a |
| Competition class | 18 metre |
| Number built | 1 (prototype) |
| Crew | 1 |
| Length | 6.72 m |
| Height | 1.33 m |
| Cockpit width | 0.61 m |
| Cockpit height | 0.80 m |
| Wingspan | 18 m |
| Wing area | 11.4 m² |
| Aspect ratio | 28.4 |
| Empty mass | ca. 305 kg |
| Water ballast | 190 kg |
| Tail water ballast | 7.5 kg |
| Maximum mass | 600 kg |
| Wing loading | 30 - 53 kg/m² |
| Maximum speed | 280 km/h |
| Maneuver speed | 190 km/h |
| Stall speed | 66 km/h |
| Minimum sink | 0.51 m/s unballasted |
| Glide ratio | > 48 |
The Rolladen-Schneider LS10-a is a prototype 18 metre sailplane that first flew in 2003 and currently is in pre-production development at DG Flugzeugbau.
History
By the mid-nineties Rolladen-Schneider, prodded by customers, began designing a successor to the LS6. Development was protracted, as the LS8 and LS9 projects had higher priority and company owner Walter Schneider felt the LS6 was still competitive.The initial design development was made under Wolf Lemke, and subsequent development up to the LS10-a prototype had Werner Scholz as principal designer.
The first flight took place at Egelsbach in June 6, 2003. This was followed by extensive flight-testing and contest evaluation. The prototype was entered in the Hockenheim and Bayreuth contests in 2004 and the German Nationals in Lüsse in 2005, winning all of them, and took second place in the 2005 European Championships in Nitra, Slovakia.
DG Flugzeugbau expects to start serial production of the LS10 in late 2006. The company is engaged in an extensive redesign to reduce production costs, and is pursuing the lengthy certification process.
The 15 metre version is likely to be developed in the future. A ‘turbo’ version is also planned, using the engine installation of the LS8-st.
General description
- The LS10 differs from the LS6 mainly in the wing. In structure, fuselage and systems, it is very similar to its predecessor.
- The initial concept specified an elliptical leading edge similar to the SZD-55-1 or Scimitar. The prototype adopted a triple-tapered shape that is easier to build and - most importantly - to repair.
- The wing is built in four parts. By changing wing tips, 15 and 18 metre spans will be possible. The partition line for the wing extensions was brought further inboard, to accommodate optimum plan-forms for both spans and for easier glider assembly. This concept was pioneered by Schempp-Hirth with their Ventus 2c.
- The aerofoil was derived from the FX 81-K-130 profile used in the LS6, having as improvements: higher performance at the low and high ends of the speed range, and very low sensitivity to turbulence, rain and bugs.
- The wings have turbulator tape on the underside to prevent laminar separation bubbles. This suggests the profile lacks the clean natural transition of the Wortmann profile of 1981 and is probably more extensively laminar.
- The production version will have a thicker profile at the wing root, especially modified for the turbulent flow in the vicinity of the fuselage (as with other recent gliders including the LAK-17a, ASW 28, DG-1000, Discus-2 and the eta).
- Due to the taller undercarriage, the LS10 rides on the ground with a higher angle of attack than an LS6. Lower speeds at take off and landing ensue. This increases safety when aerotowing from short runways and in the unavoidable outlandings.
- The LS10 has the typical LS full-span flaperons and large, double-blade air brakes, and Hänle-type automatic control connections.
- The LS10 flying qualities are reportedly excellent. Werner Scholz describes an improvement over the already outstanding handling of the LS6 'about the same as switching from the LS4 to the LS8' and Gerhard Marzinzik of the German aviation magazine 'Aerokurier' reports that 'the LS10 flies as if it could read the mind of the pilot'.
- Although a mock-up for a new fuselage with a larger cockpit had been prepared at Rolladen-Schneider, the prototype LS10-a uses an LS6-c fuselage with minor changes including some details carried over from the LS8-b.
- The cockpit of the LS10 is identical to the LS6-c cockpit and has the very good ergonomics and crashworthiness of that model.
- The ballast system has four integral tanks in the wings. The outboard tanks are filled first and dumped last for better spanwise load distribution. The tail ballast system is identical to that of the LS8-b.
Sources
- [LS-Flugzeugbau website]
- [Aerokurier Aviation Magazine]
- Marzinzik G, LS10: Meistermacher?, Aerokurier, Aug 2004
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