M & H Soaring - Winglets

NEWS                                                                               (for Concordia updates, scroll down)

May 25, 2012 CONCORDIA FLIES

Earlier this morning, Dick Butler made the first two flights in his Concordia, at Tullahoma airport. Initial reports are very positive. He says she flies wonderfully. He plans on making a longer thermal flight this afternoon. We hope to post some pictures of the event later today.

Congratulations Dick and Sarah Butler!

Concordia, May 25, 2012

At the RENO convention, M&H announced the production start of all new Ventus2 and Discus winglets. These new winglets are designed by Prof. Mark Maughmer, of Penn State University and we hope to have them available late spring 2012. For images of the new winglets go to our 'Why Winglets' page.

02.06.12

CONCORDIA May 7, 2012T

Trailer fitting in progress - Concordia within 2 weeks of flying.

CONCORDIA April 11, 2012

Roll-Out

Finally, at 5 pm on April 11, 2012, the hangar doors opened and CONCORDIA was rolled out into the sunlight, onto the grass for the first time. Few words were spoken.

CONCORDIA April 1, 2012

Wing clean, sand & buff party!

From L to R: Concordia, Discus A, Ventus 2BX wings

Concordia & Discus A wings, side by side.

CONCORDIA March 27, 2012

And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on.....

Heinz and Andy tandem sanding Concordia center panels.

CONCORDIA March 20, 2012

And now, they are white....

Heinz sprayed the bottoms this morning before leaving for 3 day trip. Andy is starting his magic tonight.

CONCORDIA March 19, 2012

After Heinz and Andy worked with DB in Tennessee over the weekend, they drove home yesterday with the large middle sections of the wings. They now have 3 weeks to finish these 7 meter long panels.

Concordia inner panels fitted to fuselage and ready for detailed painting. DB shop, March17.

Outboard aileron, the size of a dime wide

Within minutes of arriving at Harris Hill after a 14 hrs drive home, Andy and Heinz unload 7 meter long Concordia middle panels into M&H shop.

CONCORDIA March 15, 2012

In preparation of another trip to DB in Tennessee, things got a little silly...

Fastest rowboat on Keuka Lake

Concordia security detail.

CONCORDIA March 7, 2012

Concordia schedule compressed and everyone working full on to have all the wing sections ready by Easter. Here a picture of almost ready inner panel - it shines even before buffing!

And below a picture showing template on wing panel

CONCORDIA Feb. 25, 2012

Concordia wing panels in M&H shop being contoured, sanded, then painted and finished. Lots of 'technical sanding', discussion, and phone calls back and forth with DB's team in Kentucky.

Concordia panels on foreground.

Andy Brayer, the Illuminator, checking Concordia wing surface with a light.

CONCORDIA, Feb. 9, 2012

Fuselage almost ready - DB picking her up today and dropping off wings (4 of the 6 panels). Here are a few pictures of last nights final touches.

Andy & Curtis, saying goodbye - for now

Canopy's on and protective film pulled.

Andy & Heinz, last details

Second ARCUS arrives in US.

01.19.1012

CONCORDIA: 01.05.12

Andy with his pencil, a few of his favorite sanding blocks, water, time, and lots of dedication to DB. Hours and hours of sanding, still going on. Andy Brayer learned about sanding and finishing during his internship at Schempp-Hirth a few years ago, and continued honing his skills thereafter to the point where he now has the eye of a master.

Mr. Detail

New Years Eve

CONCORDIA (on left) sleeping with friends, on the eve of a very important year.

12.28.11

So the first coat of paint had time to cure overnight. Heinz was ready at 6.30am to start wet sanding; still dark, his favorite radio station on, while the wind was gusting 35mph outside. Then suddenly, silence - dark. Power out. Another tree down on a power line. A day wasted, the schedule shot?

Not if you have a trusted Coleman lantern and determination.

Power came back at noon.

12.27.2011

CONCORDIA in paint. The first coat of paint was applied this morning. Here are before and after pictures.

and after....

12.25.2011

CONCORDIA received her second coat of filler on Christmas Day.

12.17.2011    After weeks of initial contouring, CONCORDIA fuselage received her first coat of

filler this weekend. Gel coat before years end?? Here are the before and after pictures.

And after.....

12.20.2011
CONCORDIA

Thanksgiving morning: Concordia is moved into shop.

She won't be this colorful much longer...

First close up & touching her

After a long weekend of driving down to Butler's on Friday, spending Saturday fitting the Concordia fuselage in an Open Class trailer and driving all the way back to NY on Sunday, the Concordia fuselage is now at the M&H shop for aerodynamic contouring and painting.

Fuselage will be brought into our shop Thanksgiving morning and work will start day after. Will keep you informed with progress pictures.

Posted 11.20.2011

The ARCUS wins the 2009 German double-seat Nationals this week. Here are some pictures taken during the contest.

The ARCUS triple-panel Shempp-Hirth type dive brakes.

posted 06.05.09

We miss him.

Charlie Spratt

Posted 04.10.09

ARCUS MAIDENFLIGHT, Hahnweide, Germany April 7, 2009

Posted 04.08.09

ARCUS UPDATE posted April 4, 2009

The new ARCUS on the exhibit floor of the AERO show in Germany, April 2 -5, 2009.

Posted 04.04.09

ARCUS UPDATE posted April 3, 2009

Schempp-Hirth reveals its new ARCUS at the AERO in Friedrichshafen, Germany! Here is a picture taken as she was readied for her first trip out of the factory. We will be posting more pictures this weekend of the ARCUS on the exhibit floor.

ARCUS UPDATE posted February 13, 2009

The aerodynamic design of the Arcus wing

After meeting with Dr. Werner Würz at the laminar wind tunnel in Stuttgart in mid 2007, we choose one of his flapped wing profiles as our starting point for the aerodynamic design of the Arcus wing.

Even though the initial performance calculations confirmed the huge potential of this overall concept, we wanted to improve the flight characteristics even further.

To do this, we worked in close co-operation with Dr. Werner Würz and made fundament revisions to the profile which incorporated our various requirements.

At the same time we worked on optimizing the original wing planform in co-operation with Jan Himisch and Professor Karl-Heinz Horstman from DLR Braunschweig. The Arcus Winglets were designed by Professor Mark Maughmer.

The results of these calculations affected the profile design. Once we started optimizing the profile, this in turn required changes to the wing outline and the winglets. Thus, the design of the Arcus wing evolved in several steps. Besides flight performance we, of course, gave special attention to the flight characteristics of the design. The final result was a very striking and unique wing outline. To fulfil the specific aerodynamic requirements at all appropriate places of the wing, we used 6 different wing profiles.

From the outset of the project and as we were working on the aerodynamic optimization of the Arcus wing, we also addressed the flutter behaviour of the airplane. In his research project, Andreas Lutz, in co-operation with Jan Schwochow (from the DLR Göttingen), simulated the flutter characteristics of the sailplane.

With the results of his research we were able to take aeroelactic behavior and requirements into account during the design stage.

As a result of this close and fruitful co-operation between Werner Würz - the DLR Departments in Braunschweig and Goettingen - Professor Mark Maughmer and Schempp-Hirth the Arcus wing meets the challenges and requirements in an effective and outstanding way.

Arcus Profil im Messfeld des Stuttgarter Laminar Windkanals

Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau

The following article appeared in the January 2009 issue of Gliding International:

images/Arcus Gliding Int page 1.pdf

01.29.09

19.11.2008

News Release

to those interested in our new 20 m two-seat glider ARCUS

For several years now we have been working on the idea of a completely new concept for a two-seat glider for the 20 m class. Since this idea has developed into a real project that has taking on concrete forms, we are, in response to many request, issuing this News Release to announce our completely new glider which will be named ARCUS.

In the past years we have been encouraged by the many developmental findings and experiences we obtained from today’s great handling single-seat gliders in knowing we could incorporate that knowledge into a concept for a new two-seat glider. Most important in all this always remained the pure joy of soaring.

Therefore, our goal was to develop a glider that would add significant new elements to the worldwide, increasingly popular two-seat 20 m class and on the other hand, give all those who enjoy flying a two-seater a high performance yet easy to handle and in many cases an independent alternative.

To achieve this, the ARCUS will have a completely new flapped wing. In choosing the profile, both the wing’s geometrical design and the wing’s method of construction were approached in a completely new way. New calculation and simulation programs were combined with tested data and trusted empirical knowledge. Thus, we were able to use a vast body of state of the art optimization knowledge, unavailable before.

From all this information crystallized a beautifully shaped, rather narrow and, above all, prominently arched wing surface – first angled forward, then arched back. This shape called for the appropriate name ARCUS (lat. = the Arc)

It is too early to make claims regarding glide performance. The first rough calculations however are very promising.

But the wing design is not only geared towards glide ratio. With the use of well proportioned wing surfaces and harmonized aerodynamics, we tried to achieve the best possible handling and climb results also under high wingloading. The flaps play an important role in this. Especially in the configuration of self-launcher, the flaps will provide the additional C a necessary for a smooth take-off performance. In addition, the integrated full span flaperons will provide impressive manoeuvrability.

For the fuselage we are using the new "L"-cockpit already used in the new
NIMBUS-4 DLM and DUO DISCUS-xL. The feedback from our customers regarding its ergonomics, safety and roominess is overwhelmingly positive so there will be no wishes outstanding here.

To complete a comfortable ride, we will install the sprung gear used on the DUO DISCUS-xL with its light and well braking Beringer wheel.

The ARCUS will be available in various engine configurations. In addition to the pure glider configuration – most likely the standard version – there will also be a sustainer version using the reliable Oehler-Turbo system with the Solo 2350-engine and its new automatic ILEC control unit. As mentioned earlier, there will also be a self-launching ARCUS. For this version we will use the already certified NIMBUS-4DM Binder system with the Solo 2625-2 engine, from which we expect a superior take-off performance and climb rate.

As a unique alternative, we also plan on offering an electrical version. This will be made possible through our co-operation with Lange Aviation in Zweibrücken. This is also where the engine will be installed and serviced.

The work on the new ARCUS is in full swing. The prototype’s fuselage has already been built and we are in working on the wing molds at full blast. Of course, lots of work remains to be done. So as not to put ourselves under unnecessary time pressure which may force us to make compromises, we are not setting a deadline for completion. Nevertheless, we are working hard to get this new sailplane in the air in 2009. At this point it is not sure if we can start the production line the same year.

We are sending you this News Release because you have shown interest in a glider like this in the past. Even though not all details have been worked out at this time, we offer you the opportunity to purchase a position on this new glider. For setting this option, please contact your Schempp-Hirth dealer.

We hope our concept for this new glider appeals to you and that we may hear from you again.

Yours sincerely,

Schempp-Hirth

Flugzeug-Vertriebs-GmbH.

Tilo Holighaus "Biggo"

H.-G. Berger

PS.

If you are interested in the electric version of the engine and have questions about the technology used and options available, we ask you to contact Lange Aviation directly. Their contact information is

Lange Aviation GmbH.

Brüsseler Straße 30, 66482 Zweibrücken

Phone +49 6332 / 9627-0

eMail: Info@Lange-Flugzeugbau.com

12/22/08

Ventus – 2cxa         the 18m racing machine

With this sailplane, we are introducing our a-type fuselage into the 18m class. This agile and spirited 18m racing machine is designed as the answer to the needs and wishes of the competition pilot seeking ultimate performance.

Although the a-type fuselage basic cockpit shape and fuselage-wing intersections are unchanged, the new Ventus -2cxa has a longer overall fuselage length and a newly designed larger tail that better compliments the 18m wings.

The significantly reduced surface area of the a-type fuselage - compared to the Ventus-2cx – keeps the drag to an efficient minimum and is uncompromisingly designed for high-performance. This performance gain is especially noticeable at high speeds. Because the new fuselage has a narrow wing junction, the effective wing area is increased, which results in a further performance gain at best L / D speeds.

The cockpit of the new fuselage has a slightly longer design and can now accommodate pilots up to 1.9m height. The fuselage is also 2 cm wider, offers more leg-room, and generally provides more room compared to the old fuselage. Even tall pilots will find ample space in this new, drag reduced fuselage!

As an additional safety feature, the canopy rim is cut back slightly, thus allowing better visibility. To further increase comfort and safety, the a-type fuselage now has a suspended, 5 inch Beringer aluminum wheel with a superior working disc brake.

The result of these advanced design features adds a sporty character to the well-known agile flight characteristics of the Ventus-2cx, which has already convinced a number of diehard 15m pilots to switch to the 18m class. A change made easy as we offer optional 15m wingtips for those pilots flying competitions in both classes.

However, the Ventus-2cxa is not only the obvious choice for competition pilots, but also for those pilots who wish to enjoy the latest technology and ultimate flying performance!