Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2

{{Short description|German single-seat glider, 1994}}

{{More footnotes needed|date=December 2012}}

{{Infobox aircraft

| name=Ventus-2

| image=Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2b glider being launched at Lasham Airfield in UK.jpg

| caption=Ventus 2b being winch-launched at Lasham airfield

| type=15 metre-class and 18 metre-class sailplane

| national_origin=Germany

| manufacturer=Schempp-Hirth

| designer=

| first_flight=1994

| introduction=

| retired=

| status=

| primary_user=

| number_built=627

| developed_from=

| variants=

}}

The Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 is a sailplane produced by Schempp-Hirth since 1994. It replaced the highly successful Schempp-Hirth Ventus.

Design and development

The Ventus-2a and 2b are 15 metre sailplanes. The 'a' version has a narrow fuselage and the wider fuselage version is called the 2b. Winglets are used with these models. The 18 metre span Ventus-2c was introduced in 1995 and was almost an entirely different aircraft with a different fuselage and wings, but it has the option of shorter tips with winglets to fly as a 15-metre sailplane.

From 2003 the Schempp-Hirth Discus-2 fuselage was used for all versions, which now have the designations 2ax, 2bx and 2cx. Flight tests in 1996 showed that the 15 metre version had a glide angle of 46:1 but only after considerable work on sealing gaps and by using turbulators.

The narrow fuselage Ventus-2a has been highly successful in competitions with consecutive World Championship wins from 1995 to 2003. A narrow fuselage version with an 18-metre span, the Ventus 2cxa has also been built.

Some Ventus-2c and 2cx are fitted with small Solo 2350 sustaining engines (turbos) and are designated with a T suffix, while some are self-launching with a more powerful Solo 2625 and have the suffix 'M'. The 2cT climbs at up to 0.9 m/s (177 ft/min) and the 2cM at over 3 m/s (590 ft/min). Ranges for the powered versions in saw-tooth operation are {{convert|370|km|mi|abbr=on}} and {{convert|840|km|mi|abbr=on}} respectively. The 2cxa has been designed to take a jet engine. A small number of Ventus 2 were fitted with the front electric sustainer.

Production of the 2a and 2b has reached 168 aircraft, while the 2c, 2cT, and 2CM have reached 459.

A replacement model, the Ventus 3, first flew on 29 January 2016 and serial production started in April 2016.

Specifications (Ventus-2cx with 15 metre wings)

{{Aircraft specs

|prime units? = met

|crew=One

|capacity=200 kg (440 lb) water ballast

|length m=6.81

|length ft=22

|length in=4

|span m=15.00

|span ft=49

|span in=21

|height m=1.30

|height ft=4

|height in=3

|wing area sqm=9.7

|wing area sqft=104

|aspect ratio=23.3

|empty weight kg=290

|empty weight lb=640

|gross weight kg=525

|gross weight lb=1,155

|max speed kmh=285

|max speed mph=180

|glide ratio=46

|sink rate ms=0.51

|sink rate ftmin=100

}}

See also

{{aircontent

|see also=

|related=

|similar aircraft=

|lists=

}}

References

{{commons category|Schempp-Hirth Ventus}}

  • [http://www.schempp-hirth.com/ Specifications of Schempp-Hirth gliders]

{{Schempp-Hirth}}

{{Italian military aircraft}}

Ventus-2

Category:1990s German sailplanes

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1994

Category:Electric aircraft

Category:T-tail aircraft

Category:Motor gliders