It’s a Race – It’s an Economy Run

Dean Sigler Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Stemme, the German manufacturer of a series of highly innovative sailplanes, motorgliders and even unmanned aerial vehicles, has announced the first Green Speed Cup, which will  take place between August 7 and 13, 2011, starting from Stausberg Airfield every day. Combining a race with an economy run, the six-day event will help illuminate the strategies different teams will use to fly “as fast as possible while minimizing the consumption of fossil fuel energy,” according to the GSC’s organizers.  Explaining that the Cup is a “a direct comparison of technologies, machines, materials and the capabilities of the pilots,” taking into account how pilots can exploit thermals and winds, Stemme expects that the competition should “practical solutions for saving energy during powered flight.” If all goes well, “Today’s standards for cruising speed, range and endurance should be reached or exceeded as far as possible.”  The contest will support a cooperative research project between Stemme and the Technical University of Dresden. Seven aircraft, …