The Silent Family Silent Glider M is a German

ultralight trike An ultralight trike is a type of powered hang glider where flight control is by weight-shift. These aircraft have a fabric flex-wing from which is suspended a tricycle fuselage pod driven by a pusher propeller. The pod accommodates either a ...

motor glider A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: a fixed-wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (MoP), capable of sustained soaring flight ...

, designed by Helmut Grossklaus and produced by

Silent Family Silent Family is a German aircraft manufacturer based in Westerrade and owned by Helmut Grossklaus. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of ultralight trikes.Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Avi ...

of Westerrade. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 221. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X

Design and development

The Silent Glider M was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

microlight Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with aile ...

category and the US

FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles Ultralight aircraft in the United States are much smaller and lighter than ultralight aircraft as defined by all other countries. In the United States, ultralights are described as "ultralight vehicles" and not as aircraft. They are not req ...

rules. It features a cable-braced rigid

hang glider Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame cover ...

-style

high-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing co ...

, weight-shift pitch controls and aerodynamic roll controls, a single-seat enclosed cockpit with a

bubble canopy A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility. The designs of bubble canopies can drastically vary; s ...

, retractable

tricycle landing gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...

and a single engine in pusher configuration. The aircraft is made from composites, with its double surface rigid wing mounted with the pitch control bar though a slot in the bubble canopy. The pilot seating position is reclined. Various rigid wings can be used and the typical one has a span. The powerplant is a single cylinder, air-cooled,

two-stroke 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 ...

, Hirth F33 engine or, optionally, a Geiger or Flytec

electric motor An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate for ...

, powering a two-bladed folding composite propeller. With the Hirth engine the aircraft has an empty weight of and a gross weight of , giving a useful load of . With full fuel of the payload is . The Silent Glider M can use the

Aeros Stalker The Aeros Stalker is the name given to two families of Ukrainian high-wing, single-place, hang gliders, that were designed and produced by Aeros of Kyiv and introduced in 1991 and 1999 respectively. Neither line is in production.Bertrand, Noel; ...

, A-I-R Atos or Flight Design Exxtacy wings, which are provided by the builder. The fuselage and wing combination produces a 20:1

glide ratio In aerodynamics, the lift-to-drag ratio (or L/D ratio) is the lift generated by an aerodynamic body such as an aerofoil or aircraft, divided by the aerodynamic drag caused by moving through air. It describes the aerodynamic efficiency under giv ...

and a minimum sink rate of 0.8 m/s (160 ft/min).Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 58. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X

Variants

;Silent Glider M :Version powered by a Hirth F33 petrol engine ;Silent Glider e-M :Version powered by a Geiger electric motor, introduced in 2009 ;Silent Glider ME :Version powered by a Flytec HPD10 electric motor

Specifications (Silent Glider M)

References

External links

* {{Silent Family aircraft 2000s German sport aircraft 2000s German ultralight aircraft Single-engined pusher aircraft Ultralight trikes