This recent video from FES (Front Electric Sustainer) in Slovenia shows a relatively low-budget way to launch and sustain a sailplane in flight. This was uploaded to YouTube by Lumakaja on September 27, with the following commentary. “This way of sailplane start, can make gliding much cheaper! Idea is simple: Use of FES after being airborne with help of auto-tow. Only a few sailplanes have high enough landing gear, so that propeller clearance on grass is not too small for safe self-launch. With minimal help of auto-tow than all FES equipped sailplanes would not need towing plane or winch any more to become airborne. All you need is FES equipped sailplane, usual car and about 120 meters (384 feet) of Dyneema rope. Such start could be used also on relatively short, let say 750 meter (2,460 feet) long airfields, which are otherwise too short for usual winch or car launch! If only short runway is available, then more powerful car is needed for …
Power Up Front
Luka Znidarsic and Matija Znidarsic, both experienced sailplane pilots and mechanical engineers in Slovenia, have developed a Front Electric Sustainer, a power system that provides a climb of 1.5 meters per second (198 feet per minute) for their prototype configuration on an 18-meter LAK 17. They designed their own motor and controller for the application. The motor is 5 kg (11 pounds), and puts out 15 kW (20.1 horsepower) at 85 Volts. Total weight for the power package is 35 kg (77 pounds), with batteries in two packs behind the rear spar, balancing the weight of the motor and propeller in the nose. “Front” refers to the motor’s location, right in the nose of the sailplane. A 0.9 meter (35.4 inches) propeller automatically extends when the outrunner is operating, and folds against the nose of the fuselage when the motor is shut down. The standard nose cone or motor unit can be mounted when the sailplane is put in its trailer, without …