Engineering:Schweizer SGS 2-32
| SGS 2-32 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Open-class sailplane |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Schweizer Aircraft Corporation |
| Designer | Ernest Schweizer[1] |
| First flight | 3 July 1962[2] |
| Number built | 87 |
 Schweizer SGS 2-32 |
The Schweizer SGS 2-32 is an American two-seat, mid-wing, two or three-place glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.[3]
The 2-32 was designed to be the highest performance two-place glider available, when it first flew in 1962. The 2-32 has been used as a tourist glider, trainer, cross-country and high-altitude sailplane and has set many US and world records. A total of 87 aircraft were completed.[1][3][4][5]
Design and development
The SGS 2-32 was conceived as a mass-produced sailplane of modest performance to act as a step-up from the SGU 2-22 trainer then in common use in North America. After careful examination of the potential market, the company decided to produce a higher performance sailplane with a greater wingspan instead.[4]
The 2-32 design was started in 1961 and completed with certification under type certificate G1EA on 19 June 1964.[4][6]
The 2-32 is all-metal, with a semi-monocoque aluminum fuselage and cantilever wings of 57 foot (17.37 m) span. It has top-and-bottom divebrakes and an all-flying stabilator tail.[1][3]
The aircraft seats two or three, with one seat in the front cockpit and a double bench seat in the back suitable for two smaller people of 150 lb (68 kg) each, maximum. The aircraft is often described as a "21⁄2 seater".[1][3][4]
The ability to carry two passengers, plus its complete and comfortable interior has made the 2-32 a popular aircraft with commercial glider operators for conducting tourist flights. The ability to carry two passengers doubled profitability for rides.[4]
The first customer aircraft were delivered in 1964, shortly after certification was completed.[4]
The type certificate is currently held by K & L Soaring of Cayuta, New York. K & L Soaring now provides all parts and support for the Schweizer line of sailplanes.[6][7]
Derivative designs
The SGS 2-32 has been the basis of several derivative designs, including:[5]
- Bede BD-2 long range experimental aircraft designed by Jim Bede[5]
- Lockheed QT-2, QT-2PC, QT-2PCII, X-26B (see Schweizer X-26 Frigate)
- Lockheed YO-3 quiet surveillance aircraft[5]
- LTV L450F prototype quiet reconnaissance aircraft[8]
- LTV XQM-93 turboprop a remotely piloted aircraft[5]
- Ryson STP-1 Swallow motor glider[9]
- Schweizer X-26 Frigate United States Navy yaw/roll coupling trainer[10]
Operational history
As soon as it entered service many pilots realized that this high performance two-place sailplane would be ideal to break many of the two-place records previously set by lower performance gliders.[3][4]
At one time the 2-32 held the two-place speed records over 100 km, 300 km and 500 km courses, as well as many distance, out and return and altitude records in both the men's and women's categories. 2-32s were also flown in the 1964 US Nationals.[3][4]
Some of the records set by pilots flying SGS 2-32s include:
- World record two-place out and return flight, 404 miles (654 km), May 23, 1970, Joe Lincoln and Cris Crowl. Lincoln's 2-32, named Cibola, had special longer wings of 67-foot (20 m) span installed that increased performance further.[4]
- World record two-place speed over 100 km (63 miles) Triangle, 74 mph (120 km/h), 1971, Joe Lincoln.[4]
- World record two-place feminine absolute altitude 35,463 feet (10,809 m) and altitude gain 24,545 feet (7848 m), 5 March 1975, Babs Nutt.[1][3]
In May 2014 there were still 58 2-32s registered in the USA[11] and one in Canada.[12]
In USAF service at the United States Air Force Academy the 2-32 was known as the TG-5.
Aircraft on display
The National Soaring Museum has two SGS 2-32s in its collection, N2767Z and N8600R, the prototype.[13][14] N8600R is currently on loan to and on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.[15]
Specifications (2-32)
Data from The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II[2] and Colorado Soaring Association [16]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: two passengers
- Length: 26 ft 9 in (8.15 m)
- Wingspan: 57 ft 0 in (17.37 m)
- Height: 4 ft 0 in (1.22 m) at cockpit
- Wing area: 180 sq ft (16.7 m2)
- Aspect ratio: 18.05
- Airfoil: Root – NACA 633618, Mid – NACA 633618, Tip NACA 43 012A
- Empty weight: 831 lb (377 kg) equipped
- Gross weight: 1,430 lb (648 kg) Above 608 kg (1340 lb) only utility class
Performance
- Stall speed: 46 mph (74 km/h, 40 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 157 mph (252 km/h, 136 kn)
- g limits: +5.8 -3.8 at 164.0 mph; 142.5 kn (264 km/h)
- Maximum glide ratio: 35 at 55.9 mph; 48.6 kn (90 km/h)
- Rate of sink: 124 ft/min (0.63 m/s) at 46.0 mph; 40.0 kn (74 km/h)
- Wing loading: 6.0 lb/sq ft (29.3 kg/m2)
See also
Related lists
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Activate Media (2006). "SGS 2-32 Schweizer". http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=313.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson (1963) (in en, fr, de). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 237–238.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Said, Bob (November 1983). "1983 Sailplane Directory". Soaring Magazine (Soaring Society of America): 32.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Schweizer, Paul A (1988). Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. pp. 183–265. ISBN 0-87474-828-3. https://archive.org/details/wingslikeeagless0000schw.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 The Aristocrat - The Schweizer 2-32. Schweizer Aircraft Corp. n.d..
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Federal Aviation Administration (September 2007). "GLIDER DATA SHEET NO. G1EA". http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/5B12B06DD9D759A7862573B100583213?OpenDocument.
- ↑ K & L Soaring (n.d.). "K & L Soaring, LLC". http://klsoaring.com/.
- ↑ Goebel, Greg. "The Prehistory of Endurance UAVs". VectorSite. Accessed 2010-06-18.. http://www.vectorsite.net/twuav_12.html#m2.
- ↑ Taylor, John W.R. (1973). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973–74. London: Jane's Yearbooks. p. 431. ISBN 0-354-00117-5.
- ↑ Jenkins, Dennis R. (June 2003). "AMERICAN X-VEHICLES". https://history.nasa.gov/monograph31.pdf.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (May 2014). "FAA Registry". http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=SCHWEIZER&Modeltxt=SGS+2-32&PageNo=1.
- ↑ Transport Canada (May 2014). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register". http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp.
- ↑ Munson, J. (n.d.). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html.
- ↑ "N8600R N-Number Search". FAA. http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8600R&x=0&y=0.
- ↑ "General Aviation". http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-museum/aircraft-exhibits/general-aviation/.
- ↑ SGS 2-32 at Colorado Soaring Association
References
- Schweizer, Paul A (1988). Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. pp. 183–265. ISBN 0-87474-828-3. https://archive.org/details/wingslikeeagless0000schw.
- Said, Bob (November 1983). "1983 Sailplane Directory". Soaring Magazine (Soaring Society of America): 32.
- Activate Media (2006). "SGS 2-32 Schweizer". http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=313.
- The Aristocrat - The Schweizer 2-32. Schweizer Aircraft Corp. n.d..
- Federal Aviation Administration (September 2007). "GLIDER DATA SHEET NO. G1EA". http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/5B12B06DD9D759A7862573B100583213?OpenDocument.
- K & L Soaring (n.d.). "K & L Soaring, LLC". http://klsoaring.com/.
- Goebel, Greg. "The Prehistory of Endurance UAVs". VectorSite. Accessed 2010-06-18.. http://www.vectorsite.net/twuav_12.html#m2.
- Taylor, John W.R. (1973). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973–74. London: Jane's Yearbooks. p. 431. ISBN 0-354-00117-5.
- Jenkins, Dennis R. (June 2003). "AMERICAN X-VEHICLES". https://history.nasa.gov/monograph31.pdf.
- Federal Aviation Administration (May 2014). "FAA Registry". http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=SCHWEIZER&Modeltxt=SGS+2-32&PageNo=1.
- Transport Canada (May 2014). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register". http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp.
- Munson, J. (n.d.). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html.
- "N8600R N-Number Search". FAA. http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8600R&x=0&y=0.
- "General Aviation". http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-museum/aircraft-exhibits/general-aviation/.
- Shenstone, B.S.; K.G. Wilkinson (1963) (in en, fr, de). The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II (1st ed.). Zurich: Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 237–238.
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