__NOTOC__ The Alisport Silent 2 is a single seater

sailplane A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the leisure activity and sport of gliding (also called soaring). This unpowered aircraft can use naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to gain altitude. Sailplan ...

of Italian manufacture. It is of the FAI type DU Class glider. It is sold by Alisport ready-to-fly or kit-built as pure glider or self-launching glider.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 132. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X The self-launching version is fitted with a

single-blade propeller A single-blade propeller may be used on aircraft to generate thrust. Normally propellers are multiblades but the simplicity of a single-blade propeller fits well on motorized gliders, because it permits the design of a smaller aperture of the glid ...

belt-driven by a

two-stroke engine A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...

. One Silent 2, two Silent 2 electrics and 25 Silent 2 Self-Launch models had been completed and flown by the end of 2011.Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 41. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851 A version with the

front electric sustainer Front electric sustainer (FES) is a propulsion system for gliders that uses an electric motor powered by batteries and a foldable propeller. It is produced by LZ Design d.o.o. in Logatec, Slovenia. The system uses a 22 kW compact outrunner ...

is available

Design and construction

The fuselage is carbon and glass fiber composite with epoxy resin. The wings have an elliptical planform, vertical or elliptical design winglets. The wing structure includes extensive use of carbon fiber, both in the sandwich skins and in the tapered I-beam wing spar which uses pultruded carbon rods for the spar caps. The wing geometry is notable in that it varies non-linearly from the root to the tip, both in overall planform shape and in wing section profile. The flaperons stretch for 11.0 meters of the full wingspan and their range of motion varies from positive landing L +8°, to +4° for thermalling, to 0°, -4°, and S -8° reflex positions for cruising. Schempp-Hirth-type spoilers extend on the upper wing surface only. There is a fixed main wheel behind the pilot, with shock absorber and drum brake activated via spoiler control lever aft travel.

Safety and operational qualities

The Silent 2 has light ailerons, light elevator, generous rudder. The roll rate is quick because of the lively feel of the ailerons. Stall is predictable and recovery simple. In level flight as airspeed is reduced when approaching the stall speed the sailplane vibrate a little, at this point decreasing the angle of attack results in airspeed increase and normal flight resume, from a climbing attitude the sailplane stall decisively, the nose pitch down gently and recovery is easy with stick forward. Spin entry is obvious and recovered with rudder and stick.

Specifications

References

* Silent 2 Flight Manual * https://web.archive.org/web/20070308124458/http://www.alisport.com/eu/eng/alianti.htm * https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/glider_handbook/ * Soaring March 2005 * https://web.archive.org/web/20070418051732/http://www.glidingmagazine.com/FeatureArticle.asp?id=368 * https://web.archive.org/web/20070202111444/http://www.alisport.com/eu/images/img_news/Volaresett04/VOLARE_SETT04.htm {{Alisport aircraft 2000s Italian sailplanes Glider aircraft Alisport aircraft Electric aircraft

Design and construction

Safety and operational qualities

Specifications

See also

References