Stemme S10

Stemme S10
Stemme S10
Role	motor glider
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Stemme AG
Introduction	1980s

The Stemme S10 is a self-launching sailplane produced by Stemme AG in Strausberg (Germany) since the 1980s. The engine is mounted amidships and it features an unusual folding propeller which is stowed inside the aircraft's nose-cone when the engine is not in use.

Design and development

The Stemme S10 also has several unusual features such as a tailwheel undercarriage and a side-by-side cockpit. It does not have a tow hook connection, meaning that it must self-launch. The two main wheels retract & lower electrically, and can also be lowered manually if needed. There is an option to fold wings to reduce hangar span to 11.4 meters (approx 37feet). The engine restart time is 5 seconds. A solar panel can provide additional electrical power during long flights. It has a steerable tailwheel, Schempp-Hirth spoilers and optional winglets. The current variant, the S10-VT, has a variable-pitch propeller which allows more power doing take off, and a new turbocharged Bombadier Rotax engine (formerly used a Limbach L2400).

First seen at the 1996 Berlin Air Show, the S15 variant has a span reduced to 20 m and has two underwing hardpoints for scientific or surveillance sensor pods. There is also an unpiloted version, the S-UAV, again intended for surveillance.

Operational history

An S10 was flown by Klaus Ohlmann as a pure glider for a record distance of 2,463 km (1,330 nm), in a 14-hour flight.

Two examples were used by the United States Air Force Academy between 1995 and 2002 under the designation TG-11A.

The Stemme S10 is similar in appearance to the Caproni A21S Calif, except that most models of the Calif were pure gliders.

Variants

S10

Standard production variant.

S10VC

Surveillance variant with underwing sensor pods.

Specifications (S 10-VT)

Retractable propeller of the Stemme S10: When the engine, which is behind the cockpit, is shut down the prop folds and the nose cone slides back, leaving a clean nose.

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 8.42 m (27 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 23.00 m (75 ft 6 in) (excluding winglets)
• Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 18.70 m² (201.3 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 28.3
• Empty weight: 645 kg (1,422 lb)
• Gross weight: 850 kg (1,874 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914 F2/S1 supercharged flat-four engine, 84.6 kW (113.5 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Cruising speed: 259 km/h (161 mph; 140 kn)
• Stall speed: 78 km/h (48 mph; 42 kn)
• Never exceed speed: 270 km/h (170 mph; 150 kn)
• Range: 1,730 km (1,075 mi; 934 nmi) (maximum fuel)
• Service ceiling: 9,140 m (29,987 ft)
• G limits: +5.3/-2.65
• Maximum glide ratio: 50
• Rate of climb: 4.0 m/s (790 ft/min)

References

• Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5

External links

• Manufacturer's website
• USAF AETC website