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Glasflügel 401
The Glasflügel 401 "Kestrel" is a glider, that has been developed 1968 for the open class.
The Kestrel can be seen as the prototype of the today 18 meter class. The ship was ahaed of its time and is even today very popular with a spacios Cockpit and a good consensus of performance and agility.
129 gliders were built between 1968 and 1975. The name is derived from its flying "brother"-bird Kestrel.
Over the years many competitions and records could be won with a Kestrel. Non-pilots in Europe may have heard of it in the 70ies through news, books or films about Jochen von Kalckreuth, who flew many records at that time in the Alps. Recently, in May 2005, Gordon Boettger flew about 2.050 km with his Kestrel in waves along the Sierra Nevada in the USA.
Technical data
| Glasflügel 401 "Kestrel": | |
| Characteristic | Data |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 17,00 m |
| Wing area | 11,58 m² |
| Aspect ratio | 25 |
| Airfoil | FX 67-K-170/FX 67-K-150 |
| Landing | Schempp-Hirth-Brakes, Flaps 40 Degrees, Parachute |
| Length | 6,72 m |
| Gear | retractable |
| Maximum speed | 250 km/h |
| Empty weight | 260 kp |
| Maximum weight | 400 kp |
| Glide ratio | 41,5 at 100 km/h |
| Designer | Eugen Hänle |
| First flight | 9. August 1968 |
Sources
- Flight Manual;
- Die Entwicklung der Kunststoffsegelflugzeuge, Dietmar Geistmann, Motorbuchverlag, ISBN 3-87943-483-2
- Sailplane Directory
