Their motors may still be current technology but sadly, factory support for
maintaining them is not. A DG 400 with a broken crankshaft was recently
rescued from being a conventional launch glider only, by fortuitous sourcing
of a second hand crankshaft by a well connected professional workshop.
My own, Ventus 2CM suffered a burnt piston when engine was 10 years old with
fifty hours engine time. Neither Schempp Hirth or Solo could provide the
required spare parts. "this engine no longer supported" I eventually flew
the glider as a self launcher two years later, after locating a small
workshop with the capability of making pistons from poured metal.
Now my glider is U/S engine again with an U/S water pump. Surprise,
surprise, neither Schempp Hirth or solo can supply the simple seal or
impeller needed to fix it.
It looks likely that I may be able to get the engine airborne again by
fitting an electric water pump, as is currently used on the Arcus.All at
great cost of course and with no apology or explanation from Schempp Hirth
as to why their support of the engine on the Ventus 2CM ceased inside ten
years from manufacture.
Regards
Bob Ward
-----Original Message-----
From: Ross McLean
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 5:53 PM
To: 'Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.'
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] battery power
"Hopefully, electric will triumph and we won't be burning non-renewables"
Where exactly do you figure the energy to recharge the batteries will be
coming from??
ROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: aus-soaring-boun...@lists.internode.on.net
[mailto:aus-soaring-boun...@lists.internode.on.net] On Behalf Of DMcD
Sent: Wednesday, 25 June 2014 10:57 PM
To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] battery power
I love the ability of the virtual world to spread unsubstantiated gossip,
usually with a mindset bend behind it.
Well, it certainly allows you to compare second hand values of cars better
than one might without a virtual world. And the Priapsis does not look that
great. And considering you can get the same or better mileage from a number
of other cars of similar size
I've got no mindset other than the fact that right now, it's regrettably
difficult to see an electric self launcher (ultralight) or sustainer
competing with a petrol powered engine.
A 30 year old DG-400 or ASH 26 is still a working proposition because their
motors are still fairly current technology. When they were new, NiCad
batteries were the state of the art and remember how awful they were in most
cases. I can clearly remember the bang as my expensive SAFT batteries
splatted all over the room courtesy of their state of the art charger.
Hopefully, electric will triumph and we won't be burning non-renewables but
I for one would not want to spend a lot of money on an electric sailplane
right now and the long, long extension cord to recharge it while flying
around our non-electric airfields.
D
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