Soaring Clubs with Motor Gliders?

[David Corum]

I am a member of a soaring club in S.E. Pennsylvania that is investigating the feasibility of purchasing a motor glider for club use. We wanted to contact some other clubs with motor gliders to better understand the issues and challenges involved. Does anyone know of any soaring clubs in the U.S. with motor gliders in their fleet? Thanks!

 

[Guest airusa]

I do not know of any soaring clubs that own self launch gliders for general membership use.  However I am very familiar with a particular self launch glider, that is generally spoken about as a Touring Motor Glider and this is the SunDancer.  I will try and include a photo or two.  The SunDancer is an SLSA and is operated under the Light Sport rules. It is a simple aircraft to maintain. It has a Rotax either 80 or 100 hp engine that has a very low fuel consumption. 

It is a two place aircraft with 100 pounds baggage, with gross weight of 1320 pounds. Total fuel capacity is 26.2 gallons and that is good for 7.5 hours of flight time at cruise power. Unless one plans on a long cross country flight very seldom it is necessary to go to full fuel.  Maybe 6 gallon per tank, and that will be 3 to 4 hours of fuel.  It will cruise nicely at 100 knots in smooth air.  Or, when you find left, shut down and use no fuel.  If you are interested in looking at something like this, I sell them.  Send me an email to joekulbeth.airusa@gmail.com  for call 559-960-7873. 

  

[fbernaby]

I know a club that had a motor glider in the US and that was the one based at VA61.

The motor glider they had is one I currently own, a Scheibe SF25C, which this club used as the tow plane and primary trainer.

This is common practice in Europe but not so common here.

I use this glider as my trainer at Treasure Coast Motorgliding and fine it an extremely effective teaching tool.

I can offer a student a full hour of flight instruction for $145. When performing circuit practice this hour could account for eight to ten flights based on winds and traffic.

The capital expense is two to three times what you might layout for a non motorized trainer but you don't need a towplane to do the glider training.

It also makes cross country training more accessible.

Frank Bernaby

Treasure Coast Motorgliding