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Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2

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Ventus-2
V20001.jpg
Ventus 2b being winch-launched at Lasham airfield.
Type designation Ventus-2
Competition class 15 metre and 18 metre
Crew 1
Number built 168 (2a& 2b)
459 (2c, cT & cM)
Length 6.35 m (Ventus-2a)
6.41 m (Ventus-2ax)
6.58 m (Ventus-2b)
6.81 m (Ventus-2bx, 2c, 2cx)
Height 1.30 m
Cockpit width 0.54 m (Ventus-2a)
0.62 m (Ventus-2b, 2c)
Cockpit height 0.75 m (Ventus-2a)
0.81 m (Ventus-2b, 2c)
Wingspan 15 m (Ventus-2a, 2b)
15 / 18 m (Ventus-2c)
Wing area 9.67 m² (15 m)
11.03 m² (18 m)
Aspect ratio 23.3 (15 m)
29.5 (18 m)
Empty mass 230 kg (Ventus-2a)
235 kg (Ventus-2b)
290 kg (Ventus-2c)
310 kg (Ventus-2c 18m)
Water ballast 200 kg
Maximum mass 525 kg (15 m)
600 kg (2cxT)
Wing loading 31 – 54.3 kg/m² (Ventus-2a)
32 – 54.3 kg/m² (Ventus-2b)
37 – 54.3 kg/m² (Ventus-2c)
35 – 51.2 kg/m² (Ventus-2c 18 m)
Maximum speed 270 km/h (Ventus-2a, 2b)
285 km/h (Ventus-2c)
Rough air speed 180 km/h (Ventus-2a, 2b)
Stall speed 79 km/h (Ventus-2c at MAUM)
Minimum sink rate ca. 0.51
A Ventus-2bx at the 2005 European Gliding Championships in Räyskäla, Finland.
Ventus-2cT
Empty mass 305 kg (engine removed, 15 m)
325 kg (engine removed, 18 m)
335 kg (engine installed, 15 m)
355 kg (engine installed, 18 m)
Engine type Solo 2625 2-stroke
Engine power 15.3 kW at 5500 rpm
Fuel capacity 13 litres
Climb rate 0.9 m/s (ISA, MAUM)
Range 370 km in 'saw-tooth' operation
Ventus-2cM
Empty mass 320 kg (engine removed, 15 m)
340 kg (engine removed, 18 m)
395 kg (engine installed, 18 m)
Engine type Solo 2625-01 2-stroke
Engine power 38 kW at 6000 rpm
Fuel capacity 13 litres (fuselage tank)
39 litres (wing tanks)
Climb rate >3 m/s (ISA, MAUM)
Range 840 km in 'saw-tooth' operation


The Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 is a sailplane produced by Schempp-Hirth since 1994. It replaced the highly successful Schempp-Hirth Ventus.

The Ventus-2a and 2b are 15 metre sailplanes. The 'a' version has a narrow fuselage and the wider fuselage version is called the 2b. Winglets are used with these models. The 18 metre span Ventus-2c was introduced in 1995 but was almost an entirely different aircraft with a different fuselage and wings, but it has the option of shorter tips with winglets to fly as a 15 metre glider.

From 2003 the Schempp-Hirth Discus-2 fuselage was used for all versions, which now have the designations 2ax, 2bx and 2cx. Flight tests in 1996 showed that the 15 metre version had a glide angle of 46:1 but only after considerable work on sealing gaps and by using turbulators.

The narrow Ventus-2a has been highly successful in competitions with consecutive World Championship wins from 1995 to 2003.

Some Ventus-2c and 2cx are fitted with small sustaining engines (turbos) and are designated with a T suffix, while some are self-launching and have the suffix 'M'.

Sources