Schleicher ASW 19
The Schleicher ASW 19 is the manufacturer Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. a glider
The ASW 19 was designed in 1975 by Gerhard Waibel as a successor model of the ASW 15. It was developed as a power plane of the FAI Standard Class and manufactured to 1986 a total of 425 times at Alexander Schleicher in Poppenhausen. Design focus was the aerodynamically improved significantly, in the cockpit area tapered hull, in which Waibel realized a new bivalve safety cockpit for the first time, which has since been the standard for all Schleicher aircraft.
The wings were externally acquired largely on the ASW 15. Only the wing-fuselage junction was modified slightly reduced the aileron depth accounted for the airbrakes on the underside. Structurally, however, the wings are different; among other things, the spar of the wing ASW -19 was manufactured in a separate form. It was also used as a support material no more balsa wood, but the plastic foam Conti Cell.
Gliding Index ASW 19 is 100, the version " Club" has 98
Differences to the ASW 15
The ASW 19 has a newly developed body with a muted T-tail, while the previous pattern had a cruciform tail with a pendulum elevator. The hull is especially at high speeds significantly streamlined and thus provides a performance advantage over the ASW 15 Other differences to ASW 15 with laterally offset mounted tow hook and plug- hood are the centrally mounted front of the wheel in the wheel well clutch and folding forward canopy. In the early versions of the ASW 19 of the instrument panel was still firmly mounted in the fuselage. To improve boarding and in particular the Notausstiegsmöglichkeiten the instrument panel was joined later than folding mushroom with the hood. This option has been retrofitted to many existing ASW 19.
The ASW 19 has a made in monocoque fiberglass hull without balsa wood or Tubuswaben as a support material. Significant progress has been made in comparison to the ASW 15 In this construction. The many changes, however, led to a rather high curb weight, which is often more than 260 kg.
Technology
To improve the properties in many ASW aircraft drag 19 are provided with a second coupling on the bottom of the hull in front of the operating lever somewhat. The brakes of the first ASW 19 were still story. To optimize the landing characteristics 19B double-decker valves were installed in 1978 made improved version of ASW, which allow steeper landings even on short landing fields. These two options were later retrofitted with numerous ASW 19. A drawback of the many possible modifications is to reduce the maximum load in the cockpit. In many of these ASW 19 is less than 100 kg. A 19 with nose hook, hinged instrument panel, double-deck valves, water ballast system and air data computer can weigh 260-280 kg, which is 20 to 40 kg over the typical weight of some other club class aircraft.
A single ASW 19 was modified for ASW 19X. The wing received a new profile with blow-out, which led to a comparable with the LS4 significant performance increase at the TU Delft.
Competitions
The Dutchman Baer Selen won in 1978 with a ASW 19 the title of world gliding champion in the Standard Class. After the appearance of the products manufactured by Schneider LS4 and the Discus produced by Schempp-Hirth the ASW 19 was represented in international competitions only rarely on the front seats. Therefore, Gerhard Waibel developed the successor model ASW 24 with a completely new design, including energy-absorbing crumple zone safety cockpit with stiffened and cockpit area.
ASW 19 today
Today, the ASW 19 and ASW 19B are very popular gliders of the FAI Club Class. In this class aircraft will be considered below a performance index of 107 at the time, which are aerodynamically no longer competitive in the current FAI standard class. Due to the harmonious flying characteristics and good flight performance is a neat ASW 19 today on the used market usually worth more than the competition pattern DG- 100 and LS -1. Other popular aircraft in the Club class, for example, Standard Cirrus or standard and club dragonfly.