The Schweizer SGU 2-22 is an American two-seat, high-wing, strut-braced, training
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...
built by
Schweizer Aircraft of
Elmira, New York.
[Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine'', pages 26. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920]
The 2-22 was designed to replace the two-place training gliders surplussed at the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Production was started in 1946 and it was produced until 1967, when it was superseded by an improved version, the
SGS 2-33. From the 1940s until the 1960s it was the most numerous two-place training glider in the USA.
Design and development
The end of World War Two resulted in a large number of military training gliders being sold as surplus. These included
Frankfort TG-1s,
Schweizer TG-2s and
Schweizer TG-3s. Most of the surplus gliders sold were not ideal trainers for ab initio civilian student flying, as they had high
wing loading
In aerodynamics, wing loading is the total mass of an aircraft or flying animal divided by the area of its wing. The stalling speed of an aircraft in straight, level flight is partly determined by its wing loading. An aircraft or animal with a ...
s and faster stall speeds. This made them suitable for
aerotow
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word ''soaring'' is a ...
, but not for
winch
A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up) or let out (wind out) or otherwise adjust the tension of a rope or wire rope (also called "cable" or "wire cable").
In its simplest form, it consists of a spool (or drum) attach ...
or
auto-tow
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word ''soaring'' is al ...
launches. Furthermore, many of these surplus two-place gliders had poor visibility from the rear seat where the instructor sat. Due to restrictions on the use of
aluminum
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...
in training aircraft, many surplus gliders had wooden wings, making them unsuitable to be kept outdoors on tie-downs.
Schweizer Aircraft decided to design a two-place trainer that would address these deficiencies and provide a trainer that was easy to fly and would be easy for students to progress quickly on. The new two-place was intended to be a complement to the single-place training glider then in production, the
SGU 1-19.
The SGU 2-22, indicating ''Schweizer Glider, Utility, 2 Seats, Model 22'', was designed by Ernest Schweizer. The aircraft was based on the
SGU 1-7 single place glider of 1937. It used the 1-7's metal wing, single spar and single strut arrangement.
The prototype 2-22 was flown in March, 1946. To gain publicity for the new design company test pilot Frank Hurtt and company engineer Dick Powell used the prototype to set a new two-place duration record of 10 hours 9 minutes on April 10, 1946.
The 2-22 was produced in seven variants and remained in production for 21 years. Production was only curtailed when the
Schweizer SGS 2-33
The Schweizer SGS 2-33 is an American two-seat, high-wing, strut-braced, training glider that was built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.Schweizer, Paul A: ''Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States'', pages 227- ...
was put into production as a replacement. The 2-33 was essentially a refined 2-22, incorporating a longer semi-tapered wing.
The 2-22 has a welded
steel tube fuselage covered in aircraft fabric. The single-spar, constant-chord
aluminum
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...
structure wings feature spoilers on the top surface only and are covered in aircraft fabric. The tail surfaces are made from welded steel tube covered in aircraft fabric.
The 2-22 received type certificate G-18 on 4 October 1946. The type certificate is currently held by K & L Soaring of
Cayuta, New York
Cayuta is a city in Schuyler County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 508.
The City of Cayuta occupies the southeastern corner of the county and is northeast of Elmira. It is part of the Elmira Metropolitan Sta ...
who now provide all parts and support for the Schweizer line of sailplanes.
A number of 2-22s were delivered as kits to the purchaser. These were accepted by the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
as certified aircraft and not
amateur-builts, subject to conditions:
Variants
;SGU 2-22
:The original 2-22 is referred to as a "standard". It featured a 450 lb (204 kg) empty weight and an 830 lb (376 kg) gross weight. The aircraft had a windshield, but no canopy, rear windows or door. Fifty-one "standards" were built. The type was certified on 4 October 1946.
;SGU 2-22A
:The "A" model was a re-design to meet the requirements of the
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...
. It incorporated a lengthened nose and a full canopy, along with a gross weight increase to 900 lbs (408 kg). It was certified on 24 May 1957. A total of three were completed.
;SGU 2-22B
:The "B" model was a "standard" with the gross weight increased to 900 lbs (408 kg). It was certified on 24 May 1957.
;SGU 2-22C
:The "C" model incorporated the changes from the "A" and "B" models and also introduced smaller ailerons. It was certified on 24 May 1957 and 103 were built.
;SGU 2-22CK
:The "CK" model was a "C" model completed by the buyer from a kit. Twenty-eight "CK" kits were completed.
;SGU 2-22E
:The "E" model was the last production model and incorporated larger spoilers, a bigger cockpit, a new-design canopy and changes to the
wing root
The wing root is the part of the wing on a fixed-wing aircraft or winged-spaceship that is closest to the fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, o ...
to allow a skylight to be fitted. The "E" was certified on 10 April 1963.
;SGU 2-22EK
:The "EK" was the kit version of the "E" model. The "EK" was certified on 7 February 1964.
Operational history
Aside from the 2-22As that were delivered to USAFA, later model 2-22s were also supplied to the
USAF
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
and a number were supplied as foreign aid to
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
.
Distance flying in the 2-22 is challenging, given its 17:1 glide ratio. One 2-22 was flown by Al Parker 200 miles (324 km) to complete a Gold distance and Diamond goal leg.
In May 2008 there were still 123 SGU 2-22s registered in the USA. These included:
*2-22 - 19
*2-22A - 1
*2-22B - 0
*2-22C - 28
*2-22CK - 14
*2-22E - 55
*2-22EK - 6
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 Socie ...
Specifications (SGU 2-22)
See also
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schweizer Sgu 2-22
1940s United States sailplanes
Schweizer aircraft
Glider aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1946