The Schleicher ASW 15 is a single-seat
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 ...
designed in 1968 by
Gerhard Waibel and manufactured by
Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co
Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co is a major manufacturer of sailplanes located in Poppenhausen, near Fulda in Germany.
It is also the oldest sailplane manufacturer in the world.
History
The company was founded in 1927 by Alexander Schleicher u ...
. The ASW 15 has shoulder-mounted wings and an all-flying
tailplane
A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplane ...
, with its single tow-release placement a compromise between winching and aerotowing. The later ASW 15B had several improvements, including a tow-release placed on the plane of symmetry, an 11 cm taller
rudder
A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...
, a slightly larger main wheel, and the provision of a 90-litre water
ballast
Ballast is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other than cargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often a ship or the gondola of a balloon or airship, to provide stability. A compartment within a boat, ship, ...
system.
Rot due to
fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...
infestation was found in an early example, leading to an
Airworthiness Directive
An Airworthiness Directive (commonly abbreviated as AD) is a notification to owners and operators of certified aircraft that a known safety deficiency with a particular model of aircraft, engine, avionics or other system exists and must be correct ...
. Starting with serial number 356,
balsa wood
''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as the balsa tree, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma''. The tree is famous for its wide usage in woodworking, with the name ''balsa'' being ...
was abandoned in the construction in favour of synthetic foam.
In 1971 and 1972, the American pilot
Karl Striedieck Karl H. Striedieck II (born April 7, 1937 in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is a world record setting glider pilot, a member of the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame, and an active Holocaust denier. He was an early pioneer of ridge soaring in the Ridge-and-valley Ap ...
set world out-and-return distance soaring records three times flying an ASW 15, including one flight of on October 15, 1972.
It was succeeded by the
Schleicher ASW 19
The ASW 19 is a single-seat glider built by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co, first flying in 1975. It was originally designed as a Standard Class glider, but now mainly competes in the Club Class. The ASW 19 is known for its pleasant handling ...
.
Variants
;ASW 15:Original production version incorporating balsa / fibre-glass sandwich wing construction. Built to pre 1970 Standard class rules the ASW 15 had non-retracting recessed mainwheel and no provision for water ballast; 183 built.
;ASW 15B:Second production version with glass-fibre / foam construction, retractable mainwheel and water ballast tanks; 270 built.
[
;ASW 15M:One ASW 15 converted to a motor-glider powered by a Wankel KM-27 rotary engine, with a fuel tank at an empty equipped weight of ]
Aircraft on display
*US Southwest Soaring Museum
The US Southwest Soaring Museum is an aviation museum, located at 918 E US Route 66, in Moriarty, New Mexico, United States that focuses on the history of gliding in the western United States. The museum is an affiliate member of the Soaring Societ ...
Specifications (ASW 15B)
See also
References
Further reading
*
External links
Sailplane DirectoryASW-15(B) owners and users websiteAlexander Schleicher website
{{Schleicher
1960s German sailplanes
Schleicher aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1968
Shoulder-wing aircraft