329:(Rolladen-Schneider) with DG's in house DEI NT engine control system. The original Prototype LS8-t (Turbo) was (after difficulties with new EASA regulations trying to export the aircraft to France) converted back to a more or less standard LS8-b where it remains on the British BGA register now redesignated as the LS8-PW (so named after Peter Wright who designed and built the engine installation) with the Competition number F1. It is still unique in being the only LS8 currently on the CAA EASA Annex II list due to its status as a prototype mainly due to the use of unidirectional carbon fibre on the wing skins, an attempt by Rolladen Schneider to improve the surface finish. Production turbos returned to using woven carbon again because of the increased production costs associated with using the more difficult to cut and handle unidirectional material.
325:
experience working in composites, design and the
Formula 1 industry. The prop which extended rapidly through a pneumatic mechanism was belt driven via a belt that ran inside the pylons which were Carbon Fibre aerofoil sections to minimise drag. The engine could be started using a starter motor before deploying the prop with the engine already running, a small alternator then recharged the battery and pneumatic reservoir. Air inlet and exhaust were accomplished through small pneumatic doors it the bottom of the fuselage again to allow engine running with the prop/pylons still in the bay and the main fuselage doors still closed.
131:
25:
308:
recently, first (and nine out of the first ten places) in the 2005 Women's World
Gliding Championships in Klix, Germany. In 2006 World Gliding Championships at Eskilstulna, Sweden, LS8 took the first and third places. LS8 was the winner of 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2007 European Gliding Championship. Many regard it as the best all-round standard class glider.
324:
The development of the sustainer "Turbo" version went through several iterations with the original prototype being manufactured by
Rolladen Scheider for Peter Wright who designed a unique turbo design where the engine remained in the engine bay and drove the propeller via a belt. Peter had many years
307:
at
Omarama, New Zealand; first, second and third in the 1997 World Gliding Championships at St Auban, France; six out of the first ten positions in the 1999 World Gliding Championships in Bayreuth, Germany; the first three places in the 2001 Women's World Gliding Championships in Lithuania and, more
295:
in the United States. Following this lead, Rolladen-Schneider modified an LS6-c by removing the flap handle, resetting the wing at a slightly higher angle of incidence and adding winglets. This experimental prototype outperformed state-of-the-art standard class sailplanes both in side-by-side flight
367:
Mass balancing: the aileron control system is mass balanced, with integral counterweights inside the wings. The ailerons themselves are also mass balanced in the longer-span versions, with up to 1.5 kg of lead added to the leading edges of each control surface. The elevator and rudder are 100%
328:
This arrangement whilst being greatly admired by many was determined by the manufacturer to be too complex and expensive and a much more conventional Turbo design was eventually selected for production by
Rolladen Schneider. The LS design has since been modified by DG after their acquisition of LS
311:
Commercially the LS8 was very successful, due to its competition potential and to the gentle and easy flight characteristics that make it suitable for club and leisure flying. Primarily to cater to the latter market, versions with longer wings and a ‘turbo’ or sustainer version were developed. A
315:
Despite the commercial success of the LS8 the company producing it failed to prosper and after a slightly acrimonious court battle the LS8 and other
Rolladen-Schneider aircraft passed to DG (DG Flugzeugbau) where it is still currently in series production. The LS8 manufactured by DG has some
382:
Turbo: The Solo 2325 engine is mated to a small diameter 'paddle' propeller that sacrifices a small amount of propulsive efficiency in exchange for much smaller drag if the engine fails to start. The hydraulic extender allows instantaneous extension. (DG-built sustainers have conventional
371:
Sealing: all control gaps as well as the control runs inside the wings are fully sealed. The ailerons are sealed by internal Teflon boots. The resultant very low friction ensures exceptionally light stick forces. The horizontal stabiliser and rudder retain Teflon and Mylar strip
453:: self-sustainer version, differs from the previous LS8-t in the same ways as the LS8-s; additionally, an electrically driven spindle and a DEI-NT engine control unit supersede Rolladen-Schneider's hydraulic engine extraction system and the original
375:
Ballast system: 'integral' ballast tanks with two tanks per wing in the LS8-a and subsequent versions. A smaller tank in the tail fin, with a capacity between 3.5 and 12 litres according to version and options, allows centre of gravity
447:: corresponds to the previous LS8-18 model, with a larger main undercarriage, the wing further reinforced for an increased maximum weight of 575 kg in the 18m mode and other minor changes. (11 built, together with LS8-st)
299:
The LS8 that finally emerged in 1994 had a few improvements over the prototype, the most significant being the redesigned ailerons and the lighter and aerodynamically cleaner wing made possible by deleting the flap system.
337:
The LS8 is a flexible and relatively conservative design with high development potential. Although primarily designed to
Standard Class specifications, it has lent itself easily to span extensions, motorisation, etc.
279:
had clearly shown. The tools available at the time were simply not up to the task of reliably predicting the performance in everyday conditions of the newer laminar-flow profiles then emerging from the research labs.
454:
267:
was skeptical of the usefulness of developing a new airfoil. There was no guarantee that the large effort and investment required would bring any palpable gains, as the
872:
364:
control, ailerons with marked differential occupying the outer 50% of the wing's trailing edge. Controls via pushrods with automatic coupling during rigging.
342:
Aerodynamic configurations: winglets are default for all spans; wing tips extending the span to 18 metres are an option available to some versions.
288:
360:
Control system: conventional, split elevator/horizontal stabiliser for longitudinal control and top surface
Schempp-Hirth air brakes for
413:: as LS8-a plus mass balanced ailerons and an integral tail tank. Can be operated in 15m and 18m mode (438 built, together with LS8-a)
865:
89:
61:
42:
419:: as LS8-18. Structurally prepared (wings and fuselage) for retrofit of a self-sustainer engine (36 built, together with LS8-t)
68:
998:
988:
858:
407:: version with stronger spars and integral water tanks allowing conversion into an LS8-18 (438 built, together with LS8-18)
345:
Structure: wings, winglets, ailerons and horizontal stabilizer are carbon/foam sandwiches; the elevator has a mixed carbon/
257:
221:
75:
108:
316:
alterations to the mainwheel, the Turbo version etc., and slightly different model designations from the originals.
983:
57:
379:
Wheel brake: operated by pressing on the rudder pedals (in DG-built versions also coupled to the air brake lever).
287:, which first flew in 1983, was however achieving surprisingly good results flying with locked flaps in the non-
881:
46:
957:
401:: original version with LS6-c style ballast bags, removable fin tank and span limited to 15 metres (6 built)
304:
272:
993:
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82:
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35:
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Following the transfer of ownership, subtype designations and specifications changed slightly.
284:
268:
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237:
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construction. The longer span versions have a stronger main spar. The cockpit is a double
8:
941:
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225:
256:, in spite of its advanced design, did not recapture the lead and, with flagging sales,
241:
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171:
150:
146:
850:
782:
354:
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801:
Ian
Mountain joint owner LS8-PW based on flight manual amendments for the LS8-PW
441:: as the previous –a model except the spar is not reinforced for span extension.
175:
312:
total of 491 examples of all subtypes had been manufactured by
December 2005.
977:
835:
Ewald J, LS8-st: 15/18 Meter Standard-Turbo made by DG, Segelfliegen Sep 2005
249:
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tests and in contests including the German Championships at Neustadt-Glewe.
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and in series production since 1995. Currently it is manufactured by
24:
425:: -b with self-sustainer ('turbo') (36 built, together with LS8-b)
838:
809:
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Examples of the LS8 scored second, fourth and fifth in the 1995
346:
673:
16:
Standard/18 metre class single-seat German glider, 1994
880:
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
975:
866:
244:to new arrivals, in particular the excellent
674:Specifications (LS8-18 with 15-metre wings)
457:controller. (11 built, together with LS8-s)
873:
859:
755:280 km/h (175 mph, 152 kn)
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
976:
383:electricity-driven spindle extension).
854:
392:
240:had lost its leading position in the
821:Simons M, Segelflugzeuge 1965–2000,
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47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
707:15.00 m (49 ft 3 in)
13:
828:Ewald J, For Clubs and Champions,
701:6.72 m (22 ft 1 in)
14:
1015:
719:10.5 m (113 sq ft)
713:1.33 m (4 ft 4 in)
558:Typical empty weight in service,
471:Version-specific characteristics
429:
816:Fundamentals of Sailplane Design
260:went back to the drawing board.
236:By the mid–to–late eighties the
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23:
767:0.59 m/s (116 ft/min)
34:needs additional citations for
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1:
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695:202 kg (414 lb) water ballast
999:Aircraft first flown in 1994
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989:Rolladen-Schneider aircraft
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740:525 kg (1,155 lb)
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305:World Gliding Championships
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818:, College Park Press, 1999
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839:German-language Knowledge
734:250 kg (550 lb)
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465:front electric sustainer
58:"Rolladen-Schneider LS8"
984:1990s German sailplanes
830:Sailplane & Gliding
680:General characteristics
810:DG-Flugzeugbau website
598:Maximum wing loading,
206:Rolladen-Schneider LS8
759:Maximum glide ratio:
515:Tail water ballast,
353:shell for increased
43:improve this article
890:Single seat gliders
845:Sailplane Directory
472:
283:The 15–meter Class
138:General information
882:Rolladen-Schneider
652:Fuel Tank volume,
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393:Rolladen-Schneider
258:Rolladen-Schneider
222:Rolladen-Schneider
216:class single-seat
172:Rolladen-Schneider
994:Electric aircraft
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783:List of gliders
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151:18 metre-class
147:Standard-class
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60: –
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54:Find sources:
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32:This article
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20:
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884:glider types
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293:Sports Class
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195:First flight
182:Number built
167:Manufacturer
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99:January 2010
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
746:Performance
615:Engine type
291:sanctioned
232:Development
978:Categories
958:LSD Ornith
832:, Aug 1999
814:Thomas F,
789:References
717:Wing area:
627:Solo 2325
610:50 / 50.4
593:525 / 575
501:Wingspan,
351:fibreglass
265:Wolf Lemke
69:newspapers
705:Wingspan:
693:Capacity:
689:One pilot
621:Solo 2325
521:3.8 / 5.5
362:glidepath
263:Designer
153:sailplane
772:See also
388:Variants
214:18 metre
210:Standard
711:Height:
699:Length:
647:ca. 23
607:50 / 46
496:LS8-st
484:LS8-18
463:with a
461:LS8-neo
190:History
161:Germany
83:scholar
825:, 2004
761:ca. 43
641:ca. 23
510:15/18
493:LS8-s
490:LS8-t
487:LS8-b
481:LS8-a
451:LS8-st
411:LS8-18
372:seals.
347:aramid
333:Design
277:DG-600
273:ASW 24
252:. The
246:Discus
218:glider
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56:
687:Crew:
667:17.3
445:LS8-s
439:LS8-a
423:LS8-t
417:LS8-b
405:LS8-a
248:from
208:is a
90:JSTOR
76:books
963:LS11
942:LS10
823:Eqip
728:21.4
661:17.3
600:kg/m
553:285
527:7.5
478:LS8
275:and
212:and
204:The
198:1994
149:and
143:Type
62:news
937:LS9
932:LS8
927:LS7
922:LS6
917:LS5
912:LS4
907:LS3
902:LS2
897:LS1
590:525
575:315
570:275
567:267
564:252
544:250
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538:240
399:LS8
289:FAI
285:LS6
269:LS7
254:LS7
238:LS4
185:491
124:LS8
45:by
980::
634:hp
604:50
586:kg
560:kg
534:kg
524:12
507:15
271:,
228:.
174:,
874:e
867:t
860:v
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