Glider colour regulations
Discussion
Can someone fill me in please on the guidelines regarding the colour scheme of a glider? I know a fibreglass glider has to be white for heat dissipation reasons - but given the variety of colours of K6/8/13 I've seen, what are the rules for a canvas kite?
When I get around to getting my own bus, I wouldn't mind the traditional entry-step of a K6 - which I have seen In a variety of colours from blue to green to all-over-yellow. I hit on the idea the other night of getting one, and doing it up in the colours of a Jagdstaffeln Albatros - which were, of course, famed for their lurid colours
When I get around to getting my own bus, I wouldn't mind the traditional entry-step of a K6 - which I have seen In a variety of colours from blue to green to all-over-yellow. I hit on the idea the other night of getting one, and doing it up in the colours of a Jagdstaffeln Albatros - which were, of course, famed for their lurid colours
ChemicalChaos said:
Thanks Ben 
NO problems with dark-colour-induced solar heating damage like a composite kite then? (come to think of it, why DO fibreglass gliders appear to be damaged so easily when you dont see black TVRs melting on a hot day?)
I don't believe so - plenty of dark blue wooden kit around. NO problems with dark-colour-induced solar heating damage like a composite kite then? (come to think of it, why DO fibreglass gliders appear to be damaged so easily when you dont see black TVRs melting on a hot day?)
Well for a start a TVR's body is under no structural load to speak of, and I may be wrong but I reckon its structural makeup is very different to that of a glider's wing or fus anyway. Have a feel of something which has non-white tips next time you're on the airfield on a sunny day, you'll find them to be remarkably hotter than anything white-coloured. Wilhelm Dirks of DG has written something about the whole white-colour thing somewhere, have a google.
However there is such a thing as a Pik-20, a Finnish built 15m Class glider which due to some kind of baking process during construction, could be painted any colour - I think the prototype was all-over yellow.
Ginetta G15 Girl said:
There's no real reason why glass ships should be white - the PIK-20 was bright orange over 35 years ago!
Ahem.Big News said:
However there is such a thing as a Pik-20, a Finnish built 15m Class glider which due to some kind of baking process during construction, could be painted any colour - I think the prototype was all-over yellow.
Sorry, I should have scrolled up!
My Uncle, John Hulme, was the sole UK Importer of the PIK as far back as 1976 (I think). It was orange not yellow.
I bought an orange PIK from him in the early 80s.
A fun glider to fly albeit the u/c 'wind down' system was rather 'interesting'!
In its time, as a flapped 15m sailplane it was pretty cutting edge.
My Uncle, John Hulme, was the sole UK Importer of the PIK as far back as 1976 (I think). It was orange not yellow.
I bought an orange PIK from him in the early 80s.
A fun glider to fly albeit the u/c 'wind down' system was rather 'interesting'!
In its time, as a flapped 15m sailplane it was pretty cutting edge.
Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Monday 21st April 23:43
Ginetta G15 Girl said:
Sorry, I should have scrolled up!
My Uncle, John Hulme, was the sole UK Importer of the PIK as far back as 1976 (I think). It was orange not yellow.
I bought an orange PIK from him in the early 80s.
A fun glider to fly albeit the u/c 'wind down' system was rather 'interesting'!
In its time, as a flapped 15m sailplane it was pretty cutting edge.
Sounds quite a nice little glider!My Uncle, John Hulme, was the sole UK Importer of the PIK as far back as 1976 (I think). It was orange not yellow.
I bought an orange PIK from him in the early 80s.
A fun glider to fly albeit the u/c 'wind down' system was rather 'interesting'!
In its time, as a flapped 15m sailplane it was pretty cutting edge.
Reminds me, I was talking to a chap at the Mynd (Ben, you'll know who this is - the Brummie accented fellow that owns just about every vintage plane going, and races at Reno). He was regaling me with tales about a Russian air force glider built in the cold war, that was stressed to something like 12g with a plywood monocoque
Apparently they were towed up to FL200 with trainee fighter pilots in them, and the pilots had a dogfight on the way back down again! A few still exist in the old USSR countries apparently, would definitely be an interesting kite to own!
Anyway - taking procrastination to new levels, I've photoshopped a K6 in the liveries of some of best aces Jagdgeschwader 1 - the famous "Flying Circus".
Which do you think would look the best?
Leutnant August Von Raben:
Hauptmann Bruno Loerzer:
Offstv. Adolf Schreder:
and of course, Rittmeister Manfred Von Richtofen:
.jpg)
[/b]
Current works in progress are:
Leutnant Fritz Rumey:
Leutnant Hans Bohning:
and Rittmeister Kurt-Bertram von Döring:
ChemicalChaos said:
Sounds quite a nice little glider!
It was The PIK20A used flaps as speedbrakes so it fell into the (then) 15m (unflapped) Std Class. Having said that, at around that time the 3 Std Class ships of choice were the Standard Cirrus (probably best for 'penetration'/final glide), the Schleiker ASW 15 (probably best overall), and the Glasflugel Libelle (probably best for 'scratching'). The PIK 20A beat them all hands down.
The PIK20B had flaperons with an intermediatte setting between 0 and Land Flap.
Mine was a PIK20D which had airbrakes as well as flaps (-12 to +20 degrees) and was really the first of the 15m flapped competition ships.
ChemicalChaos said:
Reminds me, I was talking to a chap at the Mynd (Ben, you'll know who this is - the Brummie accented fellow that owns just about every vintage plane going, and races at Reno). He was regaling me with tales about a Russian air force glider built in the cold war, that was stressed to something like 12g with a plywood monocoque
Apparently they were towed up to FL200 with trainee fighter pilots in them, and the pilots had a dogfight on the way back down again! A few still exist in the old USSR countries apparently, would definitely be an interesting kite to own!
Would that be the Lunak? I once met an fascinating chap who defected from Czechoslovakia to Australia in the late 50's. He was an aeronautical engineer and Mig 15 pilot and also spoke of fighter training in the Lunak. He said that some aspects of the cockpit layout were specifically designed to replicate the Mig.Apparently they were towed up to FL200 with trainee fighter pilots in them, and the pilots had a dogfight on the way back down again! A few still exist in the old USSR countries apparently, would definitely be an interesting kite to own!
ETA: More specifically I think the reason for the big bubble canopy was to give pilots visibility for dogfighting similar to that in the jets of the era.
Edited by AnotherClarkey on Sunday 27th April 09:58
If you are looking for a colourful glider then this looks pretty good value..
http://adverts.gliderpilot.net/?op=s3&id=9300
Less than my running costs a year ! And just as much fun as long as you set your targets realistically.
I had a great season in a club Ka8 back in '87, did all my silver and my first 6 or 7 field landings
great glider to cut your teeth on, before moving onto something more sporty
looks to be based at Lyvden, and a closed trailer https://www.flickr.com/photos/122513781@N02/sets/7...
http://adverts.gliderpilot.net/?op=s3&id=9300
Less than my running costs a year ! And just as much fun as long as you set your targets realistically.
I had a great season in a club Ka8 back in '87, did all my silver and my first 6 or 7 field landings
great glider to cut your teeth on, before moving onto something more sporty
looks to be based at Lyvden, and a closed trailer https://www.flickr.com/photos/122513781@N02/sets/7...
Ginetta G15 Girl said:
It was
The PIK20A used flaps as speedbrakes so it fell into the (then) 15m (unflapped) Std Class. Having said that, at around that time the 3 Std Class ships of choice were the Standard Cirrus (probably best for 'penetration'/final glide), the Schleiker ASW 15 (probably best overall), and the Glasflugel Libelle (probably best for 'scratching'). The PIK 20A beat them all hands down.
That's because it was cheating with those trailing-edge fla-...sorry, 'brakes' The PIK20A used flaps as speedbrakes so it fell into the (then) 15m (unflapped) Std Class. Having said that, at around that time the 3 Std Class ships of choice were the Standard Cirrus (probably best for 'penetration'/final glide), the Schleiker ASW 15 (probably best overall), and the Glasflugel Libelle (probably best for 'scratching'). The PIK 20A beat them all hands down.
LOL
I'd flown my Late Father's ASW 15, and it was a nice ship which IMHO blew the Cirrus and Libelle into the weeds, but the PIK was a revelation.
Admittedly I wanted to get into 19m ships - my Da had a Kestrel 19 (which was a joy to fly) but I always hankered after a Nimbus.
Then the Air Force really rather got in the way as a job.
I'd flown my Late Father's ASW 15, and it was a nice ship which IMHO blew the Cirrus and Libelle into the weeds, but the PIK was a revelation.
Admittedly I wanted to get into 19m ships - my Da had a Kestrel 19 (which was a joy to fly) but I always hankered after a Nimbus.
Then the Air Force really rather got in the way as a job.
Big News said:
really love Libelles and they are perfect for typical UK weak days, but I'm not really the right shape.
From what I saw of a certain Libelle trying to land crosswind at Denbeigh, I'd take the hit on scratch performance in return for something a bit heavier and therefore resistant to gusts!(awaits banter along the lines of Libelle pilot skills or oft-suggested lack thereof
)Edited by ChemicalChaos on Monday 28th April 03:16
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff