The Rolladen-Schneider LS5 was an
Open Class single seat
glider aircraft
A glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Most gliders do not have an engine, although motor-gliders have ...
designed by
Rolladen-Schneider
Rolladen-Schneider was a major glider manufacturer. It originally made rolling doors and shutters and was run by Willi and Walter Schneider based in Egelsbach near Frankfurt, Germany. Walter was a keen glider pilot and recruited a sailplane des ...
. Only a single unit was built.
Design and development
The LS5 was announced in 1980 as
Rolladen-Schneider
Rolladen-Schneider was a major glider manufacturer. It originally made rolling doors and shutters and was run by Willi and Walter Schneider based in Egelsbach near Frankfurt, Germany. Walter was a keen glider pilot and recruited a sailplane des ...
’s entry into the exclusive
Open Class. The economic viability of the design was compromised, however, with the arrival in 1981 of the
Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3
The Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 3 is a glider built by Schempp-Hirth.
Design and development
The Nimbus-3 uses carbon-fibre extensively and has a new wing profile compared with the Nimbus-2. It has a four-piece carbon-fibre wing with a 22.9 metre s ...
and the
Schleicher ASW 22
The ASW 22 is an Open Class glider built by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co which first flew in 1981. The 'W' in the designation indicates that this is a product of the German designer Gerhard Waibel. An ASW 22 broke the world 750 km tria ...
, both of which outclassed the predicted performance of the yet-to-fly LS5. Although the moulds had already been completed, Rolladen-Schneider decided not to pursue further development. Klaus Mies from Kaiserslautern used these moulds to produce one glider of the type. This homebuilt prototype made its maiden flight in 1988, receiving the registration number D-7742. It is based at
Marpingen
Marpingen is a municipality in the district of Sankt Wendel, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated approximately 8 km west of Sankt Wendel, and 25 km north of Saarbrücken.
The municipality contains the urban areas Marpingen, Urexweiler ...
in Germany.
Specifications
See also
*
List of gliders
This is a list of gliders/sailplanes of the world, (this reference lists all gliders with references, where available)
Note: Any aircraft can glide for a short time, but gliders are designed to glide for longer.
By nationality
*List of Americ ...
References
*Geistmann D, Segelflugzeuge in Deutschland, Motorbuch Verlag
LS-Flugzeugbau websitesailplanedirectory.com
{{Rolladen-Schneider aircraft
1980s German sailplanes
Rolladen-Schneider aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1988
T-tail aircraft