In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International

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In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
GLIDING
       APRIL 2021                        VOLUME 14 - No 7

                    l N T E R N A T I O N A L

                       In This Issue:
A 30%    Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility
  April 2021                                       1
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
GLIDING
                               April 2021		                                            VOLUME 14 - No 7
                                                                                                            Editor:
                                                                                                            John H. Roake

                                                                                                            Manager:
                                                                                                            Janice Armstrong

                                                                                                            Correspondents:
                                              l N T E R N A T I O N A L                                     Aldo Cernezzi
                                                                                                            Robert (Bob) Downe
                                                                                                            Joseph King
                                                                                                            Myles Hynde
                                                                                                            Arthur Liddington

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                              A Thirty Percent Performance Increase                                   4
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                              So, You Want Wave?                                                     24
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                              Russian Success – Tripling Battery Capacities                          37
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2   Gliding International    April 2021                                                                                                            3
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
Would You Believe A 30%
        Improvement In Your
       Sailplane’s Performance
             Is Possible ?

A
       n eagle eyed subscriber has alerted Gliding International        There appears to be no reason why their new design cannot be           Tamarack claims that reports of ATLAS-equipped flight control             wing loading sensors (located in the aircraft’s fuselage) and a
       to a unique situation that could (repeat: could) have            adapted to high performance sailplanes.                                departures were overblown, a view shared by the NTSB investigator         moveable load alleviation surface. The latter looks like a small
       consequences on the future performance of the next                                                                                      in charge of the probe of the fatal crash.                                aileron at the junction of the wingtip and winglet. It’s used to
generation of sailplanes. Dialogue will need to take place between       Tamarack recently received a Supplemental Type Certificate from                                                                                 essentially “turn-off” the winglet during short gust or manoeuvring
sailplane designer engineers and the Tamarack Aerospace Group, a        the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for their ATLAS active      “One of our customers filed a false pilot report early last year,         events, alleviating loading on the wing and thus the requirement for
U.S.A. company that appears to have had major success with their        winglet system which allows them to claim that ATLAS can reduce        reporting a failure of our system. He claimed the outcome of the          a beefed-up wing structure that passive winglets impart.
new winglet, a design that improves the performance they claim          fuel consumption in a business jet by 30-33% - a claim that has met    failure was more dramatic than it actually was.”
to be at least 30% better than any winglet fitted up to this date.      with amazement and not a little scepticism.                                                                                                      Guida says he came up with the idea while returning from a Steely
                                                                                                                                               Investigators found that the reporting pilot did not have the active      Dan concert in 2009. Prior to that he’d spent years as a consulting
There will be many hiccups in adapting Tamarack’s winglets to a         Critics around Tamarack grew a little louder when its ATLAS system     winglet system serviced as Tamarack recommended. Meanwhile,               aerodynamic/loads engineer at Aviation Partners working for Joe
sailplane, because Tamarack’s 110 winglets now flying world wide        came under scrutiny following reports of flight attitude departures    the company has repaid all of its creditors, has continued to service     Clark.
are all fitted to Cessna Citation Jets and the better than 30% they     from which pilots had to struggle to regain control. In April 2019,    its customers, and secured a confirmed reorganisation plan.
are claiming relates in reality to fuel burn consumption.               EASA issued an airworthiness directive noting that the active load                                                                               “I worked on the [API] passive winglets for Hawkers and
                                                                        alleviation system (ATLAS) appeared to have malfunctioned.             So the small Sandpoint, Idaho, company appears set to continue            Gulfstreams,” Guida says. “The whole time I was doing it, I realised
Nevertheless, if a transition is achieved that produces only 50% of                                                                            in business. It has installed the ATLAS winglets system in over 110       that there had to be a better way. I saw all the disadvantages of
the Citation success (?) a major change in the future of gliding is     The FAA immediately grounded affected aircraft. Five loss of control   aircraft. Despite those sales, it still has a sales job to do on its      winglets, not just the good parts.”
on the cards.                                                           incidents including a fatal accident were noted by the FAA which,      performance claims.
                                                                        along with EASA, required changes to Tamarack’s ATLAS system.                                                                                    Among those was the weight generated in the form of structural
But lets have a look at what we now know. Although you may not          However, the FAA accepted Tamarack’s proposal for compliance           But how can the addition of winglets generate a 30% reduction in          reinforcement to the wing to handle the aerodynamic loads that
have heard of them, the Idaho-based company called Tamarack             to the AD, terminating the groundings. A month later, Tamarack         fuel burn? By doing more than a pair of passive winglets, Tamarack        winglets create. On a 767 that works out to almost 3,000 pounds
Aerospace Group have been making noises in aviation circles with        received a fresh commitment of investor funding.                       says. ATLAS is a system that combines the vortex reduction of             of additional metal, according to Guida.
their “startling performance claim for a compound active winglet                                                                               traditional winglets with real-time aerodynamic load alleviation,
system called ATLAS”, that they have installed on Textron-Cessna        The grounding led Tamarack into Chapter 11 bankruptcy a process        light weight and increased climb performance.                             “My idea was that we don’t need to take the winglet up to the
business jets.                                                          from which it is about to successfully emerge, according to company                                                                              [maximum] limit-load of the aircraft. The gust manoeuvres [that
                                                                        executives.                                                            “We have a lot more explaining to do,” says Tamarack founder,             wing experiences] are short lived events. Why do we need to take
Conventional passive winglets, the kind you see on airliners like                                                                              Nicholas Guida. “When we come out of the box setting an informal          the whole wing up to the [maximum load] levels during one of these
the 737, are generally agreed to be good for a 3% to 4% decrease        “We’re almost completely out of the Chapter 11 process at this         world record on our first flight (a claimed 1,853 nautical miles in the   [brief] events?”
in induced drag and corresponding increase in fuel efficiency when      point,” says Tamarack President Jacob Klinginsmith. “We’re in          company’s CJ), given what’s been claimed (for winglet efficiency)
installed on aircraft with large, cruise-optimised wings. The Seattle   good health and we’ve continued sales through this process, even       we have to train everybody to realise it’s about getting to altitude      The small aileron at the wingtip deflects when load sensors detect
firm Aviation Partners, which was founded by the late Joe Clark,        through the grounding. Things are looking pretty good for the          quickly and being efficient at altitude.”                                 vertical loads on the wingtip/winglet, countering the force of
popularised the addition of fuel-saving winglets to business jets       company’s future.”                                                                                                                               those loads and the aerodynamic affect of the winglet itself. This
and then to airliners in the late 1990s.                                                                                                       ATLAS is comprised of a wing tip extension, a highly tuned winglet,       momentary “load alleviation” means that the wing does not have

   4                                                                                               Gliding International                          April 2021                                                                                                                           5
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
to be strengthened, saving weight. It also allows Tamarack to add
more span to the CJ wing. The Tamarack winglets involve an over
five feet wing extension, a reason why their claimed performance
                                                                            points out, but common sense would suggest that it’s a necessary
                                                                            step for the company’s growth.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            SOARING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            SUPPLIES
of 30% cannot be simply transferred to a newly designed sailplane.          For the Tamarack winglet to be a success on a sailplane, some
Sailplanes already have that wing extension. Thirty percent better          serious research money will be required, and the name of a likely
performance is obviously not achievable, but at 50% of the power            sailplane manufacturing company likely to get involved also escapes
aircraft’s achievable advantage? Just maybe!                                this reporter as I write. So maybe it’s all just a pipe-dream but
                                                                            certainly a story worth telling.
“But we extend the wing and add a winglet. That’s why we have
three to four times the savings in fuel as a passive winglet,” says
Tamarack.
                                                                                                   BUT MEAN TIME                                                                                                                    & PILOT SHOP
                                                                            The Bombardier Challenger and Cessna Citation XLS series are
“If you take a CitationJet, fill it up with fuel and fly, you should be     likely candidates for Tamarack’s ATLAS conversions. But so are
back on the ground within three hours and 900 nautical miles from
launch point or else you’re going to be nervous. With a Citation with
                                                                            other aircraft, particularly those that require good hot-high altitude
                                                                            performance and significant range/loiter time. Both the military and
                                                                                                                                                         Largest Selection • 100% Customer Service • Same-Day Shipping *
active winglets you can fill it with fuel, fly for over four hours and go   unmanned air vehicle OEMs have aircraft with such needs. Already
1,350 nautical miles,” Guida asserts.                                       Tamarack are in talks with drone manufacturers, the U.S. Airforce
                                                                            and entirely independent producers of OEM systems but not we
Bizjets won’t be the only beneficiaries, Tamarack says. The company’s       believe with any sailplane producing plants.
analyses of the 737 and A320 show an 18% to 20% fuel efficiency
increase with the ATLAS span extension/active winglets. Pursuing            Tamarack won’t identify any Air Force officials it has spoken
the commercial aircraft market is obviously part of Tamarack’s long-        with. When asked whether the company has spoken with any                  AIRCRAFT PARTS                     PILOT SUPPLIES                     INSTALL/                             GROUND
term plan but it has other targets first, including those who have          U.S. Department of Defence acquisition authorities, Guida and             • Batteries/Chargers               • Accessories                      MAINTENANCE                          EQUIPMENT
difficulty digesting its claims.                                            Klinginsmith will only say that they have had discussions “at the         • Brake Conversion Kit             • Apparel                          • Aircraft Tubing                    • Canopy Cover
                                                                            Pentagon” and possibly with the Department of Energy. When                • Brakes & Parts                   • Books                            • Cable & Wiring                     • Glider Covers
                                                                            these took place is unclear but no names have been offered.               • Canopies/Windows/Rails           • CamelBaks                        • Connectors and Switches            • Glider Tow Bar
                                                                                                                                                      • Contest ID & Decals              • Emergency Equipment              • Instrument Hardware,               • Sailplane Rigger
                         CONVINCE US                                                                                                                  • Launch & Tow Equipment           • Headsets                            Mounts & Covers                   • Trailer Vents
                                                                            Tamarack just may have an exceptional product but one that has
                                                                                                                                                      • Seatbelt / Harness               • Plotters                         • Pilot Relief System                • Wing Stands
Textron-Cessna acknowledges supplying Tamarack with baseline                yet to produce verifiable performance numbers beyond initial sales        • Skids & Tip Wheels               • Seat pads & foam cushions
                                                                            success. “The problem with having the best winglet system in the                                                                                • RAM Mounts                         • Wing Wheel
wing/engineering data for the CJ but told this reporter it has no                                                                                     • TE Probes                        • Gifts & Gift Cards               • Speakers                           • Tail Dolly
active relationship with the ATLAS maker. Textron adds that it              world right now,” Guida offers, “is that you almost discredit yourself    • Tires, Tubes & Wheels            • Decals, Videos, T-Shirts, Hats   • Wax & Polish                       • Trailer Drawer
has not validated Tamarack’s performance data for the CJ series.            by making all the claims we’ve made.”
Whether Tamarack has asked for such validation or not, Textron
won’t say.                                                                  Question: Can we ignore the Tamarack’s Atlas system?

                                                                                                                                    JOHN ROAKE
For its part, Tamarack says that it has had aerodynamicists from
potential clients review its data. But the company can point to no                                                                                   COBRA TRAILER                       AVIONICS/                          TAPES/SEALS                          PARACHUTES
formal third-party validation of its claims. Tamarack says it has 30                                                                                 • Axle & Brake                      INSTRUMENTS                        • Cloth, Zig-Zag, Transfer, V-Seal   • National
patents related to ATLAS and points to numerous testimonials by                                                                                      • Draw Bar                                                             • Teflon Fabric Tape with Adhesive   • Paraphernalia - Softie
                                                                                                                                                                                         • Airspeed Indicator
their 110-plus customers it has done conversions for. Validating                                                                                     • Extras                                                               • Foam, Gap, Mylar, PTFE             • Strong
                                                                                                                                                                                         • Altimeters
and certifying ATLAS data is expensive and time consuming, Guida                                                                                     • Ground Handling                   • Antennas                         • Combi, Dimple                      • MarS
                                                                                                                                                     • Inside Trailer                    • Compass
                                                                                                                                                     • Lights                            • ELT
                                                                                                                                                     • Ramp                              • Flight Computers
                                                                                                                                                     • Trailer Top & Bottom              • GPS & Data Loggers
                                                                                                                                                                                         • Hour Meter/Clocks/Gauges
                                                                                                                                                     OXYGEN                              • Power FLARM
                                                                                                                                                     EQUIPMENT                           • Radios/Transceiver
                                                                                                                                                     • Aerox                             • Slip/Skid indicator
                                                                                                                                                     • Mountain High                     • Transponders
                                                                                                                                                                                         • Variometers

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   6                                                                                                   Gliding International                               April 2021                                                                                                                       7
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
‘BIRDY’...........but
    ‘BIRDY’...........but better named.........
                                 named......... ‘ INGENUITY’

    • Genius
     • Creation
      • Originality
        • Adroitness
         • Imagination
           • Determination
               • Inventiveness

                                                         T
                                                                here are three major sailplane manufacturers in Germany, but     There are very few aircraft types in Europe below 120 kg empty
                                                                few know of a fourth. A very small company has in recent times   weight (for example the Swiss Archaeopteryx). Aviation enthusiasts
                                                                been established, whose niche product is a 13.5 metre motor-     in a hurry thought about it in Germany. After two years at the
                                                         glider, the BIRDY, which Gliding International believes is misnamed.    AERO exhibition a group exchanged first sketches on paper. But
                                                         It is the only German made sailplane designed for 120 kg class and      you need a manufacturer that could make such a special motorised
                                                         has features that only sailplanes twice its costs have as standard.     self-launching electric sailplane. As the group found out - good
                                                                                                                                 advice is expensive.
                                                         The Birdy is a self-launcher and few realise that pilots who own
                                                         a 120 kg aircraft regardless of whether it has or does not have a       The three big ones - Manufacturer DG-Flugzeugbau, Alexander
                                                         motor, you do not (in Germany) need a medical.                          Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau and Schempp-Hirth were not
                                                                                                                                 interested. All three had a forward order book-full. The group
                                                         Also, the Birdy is one aircraft that does not have to have an annual    found a small company near Nurnberg that was already producing
                                                         review certificate. That’s what makes gliding very possible for         cladding parts in small numbers for trikes and other aircraft parts.
                                                         those who have an Ultra-light certificate and are at an advanced        This company called Klenhart Aerodesign indicated that they would
                                                         age. Whilst for whatever reason a grounding might be impossible .       undertake to manufacture the prototype. Initially the group’s non-
                                                         . . you could be failed by the flight doctor.                           profit company considered their position and the project started
                                                                                                                                 heading faster than originally planned.

8                                Gliding International      April 2021                                                                                                                         9
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE DATA
                                                                                    Span                            13.5 m
                                                                                    Fuselage Length (Incl prop)     5.98 m
                                                                                    Wing                            8.3 m²

                                                                                    Empty weight                    115 kg
                                                                                    Glide ratio                         40
                                                                                    Max take-off weight           180 km/h
                                                                                    Stall speed with flaps         63 km/h

The original three “would-be” sailplane owners were surprisingly   “You actually want to fly your glider when the weather promises
united in their ultimate design and performance requirements, so   particularly good thermals. Often, unfortunately, there is no one
planning, early construction, and costs presented no problems.     around during the week to pull them up. Bad weather is inevitably
There are many sailplane designs flying even today whose proto-    announced for the weekend. I want (as so many do) to have a motor
type presented their designer/manufacturer with one gigantic       glider available that I can assemble on my own and one I can easily
problem after another, but not the Birdy. Asked to outline their   make airworthy from its trailer. Avoiding hangarage costs is a must
dream about the project, one would-be owner wrote:                 for me”.
                                                                                                                                         That was the dream and that’s how we developed the Birdy. It is           landing field.” The maker explains, “The CFRP / GFRP structural
                                                                                                                                         a single-seat, electrically powered motor glider with a very high         components are manufactured by the German aviation company
                                                                                                                                         aerodynamic quality that meets the requirements of Germany’s              Klenhart-DESIGN and partner companies in NC-milled GFRP moulds
                                                                                                                                         120 kg class. The Birdy concept is based on the initiative of the         from the most suitable composite materials in order to achieve
                                                                                                                                         experienced 9500 members of Germany’s Ultra-light gliding                 high overload capacity, practical surface robustness and still low
                                                                                                                                         organisation. It is intended to prove that, despite the empty weight      empty weight. Hans-Peter Schneider (Technical Director of the
                                                                                                                                         limited to 120kg, a practical, light and easy-to-fly aircraft with very   DVLL, experienced aircraft manufacturer and approval expert) is
                                                                                                                                         high soaring and cruising performance is feasible. In connection          responsible for the independent quality assurance of production.”
                  BEST L/D = 40:1                                                                                                        with an optional trailer with photovoltaic modules, Birdy does not
                                                                                                                                         need any other infrastructure or auxiliary personnel other than a                  LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH-TORQUE ELECTRIC POWER
                                                                                                                                         start and a landing field.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   An Eck-Geiger electric drive in the area of the centre of gravity
                                                                                                                                         Birdy made its first flights on 7th August 2020. The 264-pound            with 12 kW or 16 kW continuous-power motor drives the removable,
                                                                                                                                         empty weight puts it 10 pounds above USA’s FAA Part 103 254-pound         folding 1.3-metre (4.27-foot) propeller through a long shaft. This type
                                                                                                                                         limit. But Euro craft in that category are not as limited in top or       of drive starts immediately when required, does not require motor
                                                                                                                                         cruise speed. Birdy’s light weight required clever arrangement of         extension or retraction “and avoids the otherwise unavoidable,
                                                                                                                                         components to enable a maximum take-off weight of 280 kilograms           strong increase in aerodynamic drag in motorised cruise flight.”
                                                                                                                                         (616 pounds) and pilots up to 1.95 meters (6’ 5”) tall. Its 13.5-metre
                                                                                                                                         (44.29-foot) wingspan carries only 13.9 pounds per foot, enabling                 THREE POTENTIAL MOTORS FROM COMPANY’S
                                                                                                                                         40:1 glide ratio at around 90 kilometres per hour (55.8 mph). Its 8.3          SELECTIONS HAVE RATHER AMAZING SPECIFICATIONS
                                                                                                                                         square metre (89.3 square foot) wing area lifts only 6.89 pounds
                                                                                                                                         per square foot, enabling a 63 km/hr (39 mph) stall speed with            The HPD12 produces 12kW continuously and 15kW peak from
                                                                                                                                         flaps. Birdy can top out at 180 km/hr (111.6 mph), well above FAA         a weight of only 3.75 kilograms (8.25 pounds). Turning over at a
                                                                                                                                         ultralight constraints.                                                   leisurely 2,180 rpm, these little disks can spin a fairly large propeller
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   slowly and still produce substantial thrust. The slightly larger, 4.7-
                                                                                                                                              SINCE IT’S A SAILPLANE, THAT MAY NOT COUNT HERE                      kg (10.34-pound) HPD16 puts out 16 kW continuously and 20 kW at
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   peak at 2,280 rpm. For the same weight, the HPD20SD generates
                                                                                                                                         It can operate in a highly independent way, able to take off on           20kW continuously and 25 kW peak at 2,600 rpm. All of them use an
                                                                                                                                         its own power and capable of being recharged by its “optional             MC300 Motor Management System which can pass 300 Amperes
                                                                                                                                         trailer with photovoltaic modules, [and] does not require any other       of current continuously, 400 Amps for approximately three minutes,
                                                                                                                                         infrastructure or auxiliary personnel other than a take-off and           and 600 Amps for around 30 seconds.

   10                                                                                         Gliding International                         April 2021                                                                                                                               11
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
Alternatively, an Eck-Geiger electric drive can also be fitted on the
                             centre of gravity with 12 kW or 16 kW continuous-power motor
                             driving the removable, folding 1.3-metre (4.27-foot) propeller
                             through a long shaft. This type of drive starts immediately when
                             required, does not require motor extension or retraction “and avoids
                             the otherwise unavoidable, strong increase in aerodynamic drag in
                             motorised cruise flight.”

                             It weighs only 5.5 kg with the necessary electronics. The electric
                             motors from Geiger-Engineering are the most popular worldwide.
                             They are the biggest manufacturers and sell more than any other
                             manufacturer. Their motors are reliable, extremely light, have a very
                             high efficiency and are also considered inexpensive. This made it
                             clear that the engine had to be on the centre of gravity, thus the
                             designer simply had to find space within the fuselage.

                                        ENOUGH ENERGY TO HAVE SOME REAL FUN

                             Birdy can carry single or dual Geiger battery packs of three kilowatt-
                             hours or six kWh enabling ranges of more than 200 kilometres in
                             pure powered flight. Each battery pack holds 3.6 kW-hr of energy
                             and has its own battery management system (BMS) to enable
                             monitoring and optimal charging. A possible range extender could
                             increase endurance “almost at will in the future”.

                                            IMPRESSIONS OF THE FLIGHT TESTS

                             The first test flight was mid-August. This first took place at the
                             Mengen-Hohentengen airfield, whist the flight continued in Bad
                             Waldsee. Here, a third battery pack was installed to meet the
                             requirements of the flight test. A sufficient number of take-offs can
                             be flown with it per day. The calculated parameters for Birdy, such
                             as the glide ratio of 40, seem to be achieved, this was determined
                             in a comparison flight with a DG-400.

                                 HERE ARE A FEW IMPRESSIONS FROM THE FLIGHT TESTS:
                                             Germany’s Aerokurier reports

                             Their website Sustainableskies compares Birdy with the high-end
                             South African JS-3 RES.

                                                         BIRDY FLIES!                                  the CAD model. Six NC shapes were milled, laminated, sanded and
                                                                                                       polished. The first components will be created from this.
                             Birdy successfully completed its maiden flight with our pilot
                             Günther Spitzer. The flight characteristics of the prototype were                           SHAPE FOR THE BIRDY CABIN
                             described by Günther as very good, the rudder still needs to be
                             increased a little and the electric drive has vibrations that interfere   The wedding finally took place on April 7, 2019, the wings fitted
                             with some load settings. BUT: Birdy flies and in the next few weeks       to the fuselage straight away and the prototype finally took on
                             flight tests will be carried out, during which all important flight       concrete forms:
                             parameters will be flown. Hans-Peter Schneider, who has developed
                             a special computer for flight tests, will help us with this.                                WEDDING OF THE PROTOTYPE

                                                         STRESS TEST                                   So we were able to present the still fresh prototype to the public at
                                                                                                       AERO 2019. It received a lot of attention, and a number of interested
                             The official static load tests were staged on May 12, 2020, in the        parties signed up on the lists on display.
                             presence of an examiner. A series of measurements was carried out
                             in order to measure and prove the resistance of the prototype to                                         BIRDY
                             defined static forces.
                                                                                                       Birdy is intended as a light, easy-to-fly, electrically powered 120kg
                             LOAD TEST ON THE WINGS HAD A TOTAL LOAD OF OVER 1000KG                    motor glider with very good soaring properties, which members
                                                                                                       of the DVLL can purchase as a kit or later as a finished aircraft.
                             Except for a few details, the tests were so successful that we can        With an optional trailer, Birdy should make it possible to take off
                             begin flight tests soon. Before that, an emission simulation for the      individually and independently from each take-off place, to reach a
                             entire rescue system must be carried out and the engine, hood and         good starting height with the engine and to return to the starting
                             instruments installed.                                                    point after the glider flight.

                                                       THE PROTOTYPE                                   Thrust should be used optimally where it is most efficient is, and
                                                                                                       that is clearly still behind the tail unit.
                             Klenhart-Design developed the first Birdy prototype on the basis of

12   Gliding International      April 2021                                                                                                                          13
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
SAILPLANES ARE TOUGHER THAN THEY LOOK.
                                                                                        SPAR TEST SHOWS BIRDY’S HIGH STRENGTH

                                                                                   Since Birdy can maintain level flight at about 80 to 90
                                                                                   kilometers per hour (49.6 to 55.8 mph) on a mere 3 kW (4
                                                                                   hp), even a single battery pack will allow some thermal
                                                                                   hopping and safe returns to the pilot’s home field. A rate
                                                                                   of climb of three meters per second (590 feet per minute)
                                                                                   should require full power for only a few minutes, leaving a
                                                                                   reasonable “cruising” range.

                                                                                   Klenhart Aerodesign is already prepared for the first
                                                                                   manufacturing series, as each of the founding members
                                                                                   await the delivery of their own plane. Obviously the
                                                                                   “Group” partners come first! At a price for the ready-to-
                                                                                   fly aircraft of €75,000 net. To be able to guarantee a
                                                                                   euro price, some parts will be manufactured CFRP shells
                                                                                   as produced in the Czec. According to current planning,
                                                                                   assembly will take place in Spalt near Nurenberg
                                                                                   respectively. For the kit one has the idea of something
                                                                                   I want to take over €50,000 net. A direct competitor in
                                                                                   the 120 kg class on the 3rd Swiss Archeopteryxl does not
                                                                                   exist at the moment. The planned and somewhat cheaper
                                                                                   GP 11 from Poland is not yet flying and also requires a
                                                                                   more powerful drive (maybe 20W) hence feature part
                                                                                   designs stolen from the Diana or the Silent 2 Electro are
                                                                         heavier and more expensive anyway.
The maker explains, “The CFRP / GFRP structural components are
manufactured by the German aviation company Klenhart-DESIGN
                                                                         After being under the test leadership of Toni Roth, who was
and partner companies in NC-milled GFRP moulds from the most
                                                                         responsible for the integration of the propulsion system is also
suitable composite materials in order to achieve high overload
                                                                         responsible for the flight tests.
capacity, practical surface robustness”.
                                                                         The Birdy was to have appeared at AERO 2021, but that program
          ENOUGH ENERGY TO HAVE SOME REAL FUN
                                                                         has been cancelled and is not expected to be detrimental to the
                                                                         planned sales and production time table.
Birdy can carry single or dual Geiger battery packs of three kilowatt-
hours or six kWh enabling ranges of more than 200 kilometers in
                                                                         There is an option for those in a hurry with an advance payment of
pure powered flight. Each battery pack holds 3.6 kW-hr of energy
and has its own battery management system (BMS) to enable
                                                                         €25,000, associated with a fixed price guarantee.                                    Proof beyond doubt - Wing strength test
monitoring and optimal charging. A possible range extender could
increase endurance “almost at will in the future”.
                                                                                           Compiled from numerous interviews and re-written.
                                                                                                       Photos by Hellmut Penner and supplied
                                                                                                                                                                    A total load of over 1000kg
                                                                                                               by Jean Molveau of Vol a Voile.

   14                                                                                               Gliding International                        April 2021                                             15
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
Same Subject -                                                                                                                                       The Worl d’ s F i rst Liq uid-
     Different Perspectives                                                                                                                                    Hydrogen Motor Glide r
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          °C (32 °F) using “a complex tubing system” before being run through
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          a 1.5 kW fuel cell to charge a buffer battery that powers the electric

                           Toyota - Big Advances
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          propeller motor on the aircraft’s tail.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The AeroDelft team plans to fly the Phoenix this July on battery power,

                     in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Development                                                                                                                                                                                    then on gaseous hydrogen a few months later, and finally, somewhere
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          around (Northern Hemisphere) Fall this year, the students will fit the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          liquid hydrogen system.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          “Development of the liquid hydrogen system is going swimmingly,”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          said Prototype Project Manager Sam Rutten. “We’re ending the design
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          phase. Liquid hydrogen is a very difficult thing to work with. For it
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          to stay liquid, you need to cool it to around 20 Kelvin, very close to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          absolute zero. Our Propulsion team has developed a special tank,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          and also other support systems, which will allow us to fly with liquid

                                                                                                                                                             A
                                                                                                                                                                   eroDelft ( Netherlands based company) has revealed a one-third         hydrogen. We’re already starting the production phase, the first steps
                                                                                                                                                                   scale prototype of its Phoenix two-seater, which aims to be the        have already been taken to construct this tank according to all the
                                                                                                                                                                   world’s first liquid hydrogen aircraft. Writiing from Europe about     relevant certification.”
                                                                                                                                                             hydrogen’s potential as a transformative technology for green aviation
                                                                                                                                                             in gaseous form, AeroDelft claims hydrogen offers an energy density          The full-size two-seat Phoenix is also already being built, with a reveal
                                                                                                                                                             much higher than lithium batteries, and that offers a genuine path           scheduled for July. It should fly on gaseous hydrogen by summer 2022,
                                                                                                                                                             toward the decarbonisation of short-to-medium range air travel.              and the first full-scale liquid hydrogen flight is planned for 2024. Both
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          the prototype and the full-size Phoenix stand to set all kinds of records,
                                                                                                                                                             But extending their claims, AeroDelft say that the biggest planes are the    but the project is also focused on advancing hydrogen aviation by
                                                                                                                                                             biggest emitters, and to eliminate emissions from long-range airliners,      working with certification boards to develop a framework within which
                                                                                                                                                             compressed gas hydrogen systems – which offer about half the range           a liquid hydrogen aircraft can be certified, identifying risks related to
                                                                                                                                                             of an equivalent jet fuel powertrain – will never be able to do the trick.   liquid hydrogen aviation and working out systems to help mitigate

E
    nergy - Toyota packages up a ‘crate’ fuel cell module you can use          developments outside its own product lineup, Toyota has packaged up a         For that, we’re going to need liquid hydrogen systems. Liquid hydrogen       them.
    for anything.                                                              fuel cell module you can buy more or less like a crate engine, ready to       systems can store upwards of three times the energy by weight of
                                                                               plumb into whatever device you’d like to power with hydrogen.                 a gaseous system, meaning that a large-scale liquid hydrogen airliner        Commercialising the Phoenix is not on the team’s radar at this point,
Toyota’s new horizontal type module produces 60 or 80 kW of power at                                                                                         could conceivably fly farther than today’s fossil burners.                   although it’s happy to speak to anyone who’d like to take that on.
400-750 volts. It was unveiled late February, a compact module available       Toyota is heavily invested in hydrogen, as is Kia/Hyundai – a reflection of                                                                                AeroDelft does have plans for a larger scale aircraft though, including
in four models that the company hopes to begin selling anytime now.            the Japanese and Korean governments’ commitments to working towards           It’s not quite that simple! Liquid hydrogen has terrific energy density      a liquid hydrogen airliner capable of flying 19 passengers plus pilots up
                                                                               a hydrogen energy economy. As one of the only companies producing fuel        by weight, but terrible density by volume, so you’d need to design your      to 925 km (570 mi), which it calls the Greenliner. There are technical
Stemming from the company’s experiences in developing hydrogen fuel            cells at scale, it’s looking to provide a very easy way for other companies   aircraft with significantly more fuel storage space and potentially deal     mountains to climb with the Phoenix, however, before the Greenliner
cell systems – such as in the Mirai FC electric vehicle (FCEV) and Sora        to buy and use its technology.                                                with additional drag as a result. But it may be one of the only clean fuel   project gets too far along.
FCEV bus – as well as its larger efforts to popularise FCEVs and fuel cell                                                                                   technologies that can get zero-emission intercontinental airliners into
technology, Toyota hopes this new module system will suit the needs of         Thus, it’s announced its intention to manufacture “FC Modules” that can       mainstream use in the medium term.                                           The Phoenix is a very exciting project in a field that has genuinely
companies across a variety of industries.                                      easily be integrated into cars, trucks, buses, trains, ships, stationary                                                                                   transformative potential. The world needs liquid hydrogen to advance
                                                                               generators and any other suitable application.                                Neverthless, this pioneering work from AeroDelft is quite exciting. A        in leaps and bounds if we’re to eliminate the roughly 2% of global
Toyota has identified hydrogen fuel cells as an important tool in                                                                                            team of 44 students from Netherland’s TU Delft has been beavering            greenhouse gas emissions contributed by the aviation sector. It’s
decarbonising a variety of sectors and contributing to achieving carbon        Each module contains a fuel cell stack, boost converter, air compressor,      away on the “world’s first liquid hydrogen fuel cell aircraft,” and has      terrific to see the Delft team making significant progress, and we look
neutrality.                                                                    hydrogen pump and water pump, wrapped up in a spiffy box. You will            now presented a 1/3-scale prototype that is scheduled for its first          forward to following the Phoenix through the remainder of the project.
                                                                               need to supply your own hydrogen tanks, as well as clean air and a            public flight this July.
Toyota’s newly launched product packages in a single compact module an         cooling circuit.
individual hydrogen fuel cell system along with components that enhance                                                                                      The Phoenix will be a hydrogen-retrofitted version of the two-seat              Gliding International’s technical experts have told us
performance, such as the FC stack, as well as components that handle air       The output is a supply of electricity, operating at a range of voltages       e-Genius electric glider, developed at the University of Stuttgart and          that: Liquid hydrogen will not succeed as a fuel. It is
supply, hydrogen supply, cooling, and power control.                           between 400 V and 750 V, which you can route to a buffer battery or run       first flown in 2011. The e-Genius has flown over 400 km (250 miles) in          difficult to store, is incredibly dangerous, as anyone
                                                                               straight through a work circuit depending on what you’re doing.               its record-breaking history on battery power alone. It can get around           familiar with space rockets will know, hydrogen can be
In particular, Toyota’s experience with fuel cell development led to the                                                                                     1,000 km (620 miles) using a petrol-powered range extender. The full-           very explosive. Now add that every time flown, all the
company being able to eliminate the humidifier, instead circulating water      Two shapes will be available: a “vertical” unit and a horizontal unit         sized Phoenix will carry 10 kg of liquid hydrogen, with an estimated            hydrogen gas will have to be drained off the aircraft, as
generated during power generation through the FC stack.                        measuring 1,270 x 630 x 410 mm). Each of these will be available in           range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles) and an endurance up to 10 hours in              even storing the aircraft outside will carry risks of leaks
                                                                               60 and 80 kW versions, and Toyota claims they all offer “world-class,         the air.                                                                        and resulting explosions. Then add, these uses will not be
This, in turn, has led to what Toyota describes as “world-class, top level”    top level output density per unit volume” and “simple and infrequent”                                                                                         the occasional flight; a hydrogen leak on an active airfield
output density per unit volume.                                                maintenance. The modules can easily be combined to scale things up,           The one-third scale, remote-controlled prototype is not small; it’s got         will, almost certainly close the airfield down until all gas
                                                                               and Toyota is more than willing to commit engineers to help companies         a 5.7 m (around 19-ft) wingspan, weighs 50 kg (110 lb) and carries 1            has been dispersed . . . and checked to be so. While on
Fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen, so they’re a key part of the    design efficiently around them.                                               kg (2.2 lb) of liquid hydrogen, enough for an estimated endurance of            paper a great idea, sadly, the use of hydrogen gas to
powertrain for hydrogen-powered electric vehicles and aircraft. But they                                                                                     around seven hours and a range around 500 km (310 mi). The hydrogen             replace more complex hydrocarbons will never become
can also be useful in a range of other applications, and in order to promote   Source: Toyota
                                                                                                                                                             is kept in a cryogenic tank at -253 °C (-423 °F), and warmed up to 0            widespread . . . there are simply too many risks involved.

    16                                                                                                      Gliding International                                April 2021                                                                                                                                 17
In This Issue: A 30% Increase In Performance Could Be A Possibility - APRIL2021 VOLUME14-No7 - Gliding International
The Glories of the Southern Alps
      Peter Wooley

     T
          o see the South Island’s sprawling ranges for the first time, from a little airliner window at 30 000                  Strange how on an otherwise good day you can just lose it! Just over 115km in a little under two hours. More
          ft is to be struck speechless with awe. Having spent 25 years flying among the rugged sandstone                        about this out landing further on.
          mountains of South Africa’s south western Cape Province, I was still absolutely stunned by my first
     glimpse of the Southern Alps. Surely there is no other sight on Earth to compare?                                           Day four was another launch via Magic Mountain, then north along the Barrier Range, across the Hopkins
                                                                                                                                 River to Mt Glenmary. From there we returned southward along the Ben Ohau Range, past Lake Ohau, on
     In fulfilment of a long-time dream I never really thought would be realised, I booked myself in for a week-                 to the Benmore Range and finally a scenic tour of the Omarama area via the Hawkduns, with some low-level
     long mountain flying course with Kahu Soaring, operated by Milán Kmetovics, currently New Zealand’s only                    ridge soaring on the east side of the Buscot hills. Three hours, forty minutes and approximately 190km.
     commercial gliding instructor. Milán, in a small way therefore, fills the void left by the closure of Gavin Wills’
     Glide Omarama. The experience is similar, except at a fraction of the cost of one-on-one instruction.                       Day five was yet another launch to Magic Mountain from where we ventured north along the Barrier Range,
                                                                                                                                 east to the Ben Ohau Range and into the Jollie River valley, where a serious struggle took place, Milán getting
     Of the seven days I was there, we flew five, all blue except one. Six of the seven days were flyable. At the                us out of a hole with patience and skill. Sufficiently topped up again, we continued as far as the Murchison
     time, NZ was dominated by a nasty high pressure but even so, we traversed various mountain regions on                       Glacier. From here we had superb views of Mt Cook, the Tasman Glacier with its piles of dark moraine, as
     every flight, the furthest extending to the Tasman Glacier below Mount Cook. Unfortunately, the famous                      well as Lake Tekapo. Returning south over the mountains, we skirted the east side of Lake Pukaki on final
     wave eluded us, but it’s something to look forward to.                                                                      glide for Omarama. Even the Duo’s long legs failed us in this, and we joined the foothills of the Benmore
                                                                                                                                 Range at rather low altitude. Luckily, there was a suitable strip nearby. Once again, Milán saved the day
     During this week-long period, the thermals, though generous, proved to be consistently small and rough.                     with skill and patience and we made a safe arrival on the lush green grass of Omarama airfield. Four hours
     Nevertheless, some carried up to 11 000 ft all this despite the typically hazy appearance of stable air. A                  forty-five minutes for 300km, but what an amazing flight! The highlight of the five.
     bonus of flying here is the generous allocation of airspace, quite unlike what we are used to in the North
     Island.                                                                                                                     The previous professional Glide Omarama tugs have been replaced, courtesy of Keith Essex, with a brand-
                                                                                                                                 new Aerospool WT-9 Dynamic, powered by a 115hp Rotax 914 engine. It does the long tows to the outer
     Without wishing to bore with too many names, our flights went something like this:                                          jump-off points with ease. But we also had tows behind a Carbon Cub and a Super Cub.

     Day one we towed to Mt Cuthbert, also known as Mt Horrible, because someone once crashed up there.                          Milán proved to be extremely patient. I had not flown a Duo before and was also unaccustomed to an ASI
     From there on to the Hawkdun Range, and north to the Grampian Mountains before crossing over upper                          reading in knots. There is a certain style of soaring needed in these conditions where the pilot must sense
     Lake Benmore on the return to base. About 180km in around three hours. An exciting introduction to the                      the initial rush on entering the thermal and turn immediately. After a quarter turn the vario will confirm
     area.                                                                                                                       whether on not you have picked a proper thermal or just a small bubble. If it’s only a bubble, move on, but if
                                                                                                                                 the vario is up for half the turn or more, stay there and refine your circle. The key is to feel the lift and turn
     Day two we towed to a popular spot that the pilots call Magic Mountain on the Diadem Range – a longish                      before the instrument registers.
     tow but worth it. From there we headed northwards up the Barrier Range as far as Mt Huxley, then south
     along the Huxley Range along the Hunter River Valley, which leads into Lake Hawea. Further south we                         The spread of peaks, ranges, lakes and valleys can be bewildering for a pilot unfamiliar with the area, but
     traversed the St Bathans Range and from there returned to Magic Mountain, before heading back home.                         each one has its name, and slowly you get a mental picture of the names and the layout of the terrain. It
     Approximately 200km in just over three hours.                                                                               seemed daunting to think about what would happen should you over-extend yourself and find the air in
                                                                                                                                 which you are flying has become somewhat stable. In actual fact, the valleys and surrounding plains have
     Day three we again used Magic Mountain, on to the Huxley Range, crossing Lake Hawea and on to the                           dozens of small strips, most of which can be aerotowed out of – although a road-retrieve can often be a
     McKerrow Range. From there we ventured north to the Bexley Range before turning south, over the Haast                       tedious affair, as we discovered on day two.
     Pass and down the Makarora Valley, where we landed out just above the very top of Lake Hawea.

18                                                                                           Gliding International        April 2021                                                                                                                  19
Barren scree slopes, braided river valley and mountain peaks
  Aoraki Mount Cook and Omarama                                                                                                                                              as far as the eye can see.
                                                                                                                                Razor-Sharp Peaks And Afternoon Sea Breeze
Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest mountain at                                                                                    Cloud Moving In From The West Coast       The land out at Makarora was on the well-known “Piano Field”
3,724m/12,218ft. In local Maori legend, “Aoraki” is
                                                                                                                                                                             above Lake Wanaka. This is rather a long way from home,
their most sacred ancestor from whom they derive
                                                                                                                                                                             and here I experienced the only negative event during my
their identity and status. Aoraki possesses power
                                                                                                                                                                             stay in Omarama.
over life and death and represents a link between
their natural and spiritual worlds.
                                                                                                                                                                             We sadly discovered that none of the gliding folk at Omarama
                                                                                                                                                                             would retrieve us that afternoon. Not to be daunted, we
This mountain generates gigantic wave structures
                                                                                                                                                                             hitched a ride to Wanaka with a most interesting Kiwi
and innumerable flights are recorded in the 30,000
                                                                                                                                                                             gentleman, and prevailed upon Mattias, one of Milán’s
to 35,000 feet range. Many world height records
                                                                                                                                                                             mountain climbing buddies, to drive us back to Omarama.
have been flown above Mount Cook’s phenomenal
system.                                                                                                                                                                      Mattias and later their friend Charlie proved to be stalwart
                                                                                                                                                                             friends, and on the following morning we were all on the road
Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, gliding and Mount                                                                                                                            at 0600 hrs with a trailer to retrieve the Duo. By 1200 hrs it
Cook combined to entertain thousands of tourists.                                                                                                                            was back at Omarama, rigged, cleaned and ready for launch
There is no alternative description - it is a mecca                                                                                                                          – not a bad feat considering the circumstances.
for soaring pilots, especially the nearer experienced
pilots from Australia and the United States.                                                                                                                                 Various Duo Discus gliders are available to fly at Omarama,
                                                                                                                                                                             as well as two singles, which I was told are little used at
The demise of Glide Omarama combined with                                                                                                                                    present.
Covid-19 has produced a dampening effect on soaring
at Omarama. That scene has change dramatically and                                                                                                                           The particular Duo we flew in was pristine and belongs to
a restoration of the former exciting atmosphere that                                                                                                                         the Omarama Gliding Club. It was recently acquired through
previously prevailed, is now just around the corner.                                                                                                                         Keith Essex from the Barron Hilton setup in the US, having
                                                                                                                                                                             approximately 600 hours on it.
Those who have cancelled their visit to New Zealand
should rethink what can now be foreseen as providing                                                                                                                         It has a nice Sage vario plus an LXNAV S100 system, and was
its previous challenges. No longer a need to put that                                                                                                                        also fitted out to clip an Oudie 2 straight in.
planned trip on the ”back-burner.” It’s only days (not
months) for you to see New Zealand open its borders                                                                                                                          As this was my first encounter with a Duo, I found it slow to
again. It’s all here !                                                                                                                                                       roll and therefore difficult to coordinate in rough air while
                                                                                                                                                                             close to terrain.
Additionally, on the ground floor, Aoraki/Mount Cook
is often under-estimated by international climbers.                                                                                                                          It was fortunate having a man in the back seat who has over
Although not high by international standards, it is its                                                                                                                      2000 soaring hours in this area.
relative height and the level of glaciation that makes    Another range, another valley - Photo Milán Kmetovics
this mountain so impressive.

From the road end at Mount Cook Village to the top

                                                                       A Very
of the mountain it is over 3,000m/10,000ft. Most
earth bound climbers choose to negotiate the first
1200m by ski plane or helicopter to maximise the
chances of success on the mountain.

The ground surface climb involves sustained glacier
travel with rock and ice climbing and a 15-20 hour                     Special
                                                                    Play Ground
summit goal day. The level of difficulty can change
dramatically depending on weather, snow and ice
conditions. This is expedition-style climbing, where
you have to be patient for the right weather.

Omarama and Mount Cook await the ambitious
soaring pilot, and the equally ambitious ground
climber to test his/her fitness on this world-class
                                                                          •
                                                                     Few Equal
mountain climb. Fantastic guides and soaring safety
pilots are ready for the new/old/experienced/novice
pilots and climbers. It all awaits the aspiring!

                                                                    This Location
Philip Wills (Great Britain) led one of the first
expeditions to discover what Mt Cook has to offer.
He is on record as saying - “One of the greatest ever
discoveries for gliding. This mountain has very few
equals!”
                                           John Roake

20                                                                                              Gliding International   April 2021                                                                                                  21
cheap (and a lot more than Drury’s supercheap $NZ60
                                                                          tows), especially the long ones to Magic Mountain. In
                                                                          retrospect, worth every cent.                                 Peter Wooley began gliding in his mid-30’s at Worcester near Cape Town, South Africa, in 1987. This
                                                                                                                                        gliding site has good access to various mountain chains which are a prominent feature of the
                                                                          Just in case you have not been there before, Omarama
                                                                                                                                        Western Cape Province. Peter immigrated from South Africa to New Zealand with his partner,
                                                                          is a tiny town in Otago’s Mackenzie Basin. Lots of
                                                                          trees and the surrounding mountain scenery make it            Susan, in 2013. He has just over 1300 gliding hours, mainly flying his Mini Nimbus in the mountains,
                                                                          an attractive place. Most necessities are available and       but also nowadays in the green, hilly country of New Zealand’s Waikato. He has three Diamonds and
                                                                          there are all levels of accommodation, plus a Four Square     hopes to complete his 1000km in New Zealand’s South Island sometime soon.
                                                                          mini-supermarket in case you are self-catering. Raising
                                                                          sheep is serious business in this part of the world, so it
                                                                          follows that the name of the establishment where the
                                                                          best coffee in NZ is served, in my opinion, is the Wrinkly
                                                                          Rams.

                                                                                      The Mackenzie basin is
                                                                                    seriously sheep orientated!
                                                                          There is plenty more to do other than gliding. Activities
                                                                          like cycling (Omarama is on the Alps2Ocean Route),
                                                                          walking trails, rock climbing, ice climbing, kayaking,                                                Soaring best described as “Awesome with a capital A”
                                                                          flights to Mount Cook or the glaciers by various types
                                                                          of aircraft from Pukaki airfield or Glentanner Park, scenic
                                                                          drives, e-foiling and much more.

                                                                          If all this sounds a bit over the top – it is – and I can’t
You are in the heart of New Zealand’s mutton country when you soar the    wait to go back and fly those awesome mountains again,
McKenzie Basin (Omarama - Mt Cook). There are 28 million sheep in New     especially while the airspace is relatively quiet during
Zealand.                                                                  this Covid period. Once Covid is better controlled and
                                                                          borders re-open, I expect there will be a concerted rush
                                                                          of overseas pilots and tourists who most have now             Author - Peter Wooley
                                                                          been waiting over 12 months to experience gliding at
                                                                          Omarama.
                                                                                                                                        Peter Wooley began gliding in his
                                                                                                            Photos: Milan Kmetovics     mid-30’s at Worcester near Cape
                                                                                                                                        Town, South Africa, in 1987.

                                                                                                                                        The Worcester gliding site has good
                                                                                                                                        access to various mountain chains
                                                                                                                                        which are a prominent feature of
                                                                                   The new contact for Omarama                          the Western Cape Province.
                                                                                       and Mt Cook soaring
                                                                                                                                        Peter immigrated from South Africa
                                                                                                                                        to New Zealand with his partner,        Another range, another valley - 20 minutes north of Omarama - nearing Mt Cook
                                                                                                                                        Susan, in 2013.
                                                                                          MILAN KMETOVICS                                He has just over 1300 gliding hours,
                                                                                         GLIDER INSTRUCTOR |
                                                                                                                                        mainly flying his Mini Nimbus in
                                                                                           PHOTOGRAPHER
                                                                                                                                        the mountains, but also nowadays
                                                                                                                                        in the green, hilly country of New
                                                                                      MILAN@KAHUSOARING.NZ
                                                                                                                                        Zealand’s Waikato in the North
                                                                                         KAHUSOARING.NZ
                                                                                                                                        Island.
The Wrinkly Rams                                                                          +64 21 238 2889
                                                                                                                                        He has three Diamonds and
Many of you will remember Milán from his stint at the Drury club                                                                        hopes to complete his 1000km
(Auckland, North Island, New Zealand). He is friendly, polite and,                                                                      in New Zealand’s South Island
above all, is thoroughly professional in both his practical and theory                                                                  sometime soon.
instruction. I am planning to fly with him again (as soon as possible)
for some local wave flying instruction before venturing out in a single
seater to explore this magnificent area.

The costs? Not as much as you probably think. Instruction and
glider for a week: $NZ3100; accommodation bed and breakfast
$NZ60 per day; car rental from Queenstown $NZ20 per day. I chose
a “farm stay” in the Lindis Pass, 10 minutes out of Omarama. Air
NZ return costs are variable but generally pretty cheap. Aerotows
vary depending on duration and aircraft being used – certainly not                                                                                                              Day five - Brian Savage in his ASW19 above the barren scree slopes   Photos: Milán Kmetovics

   22                                                                                     Gliding International                         April 2021                                                                                                                             23
So You Want Wave . . . . .

                                          This “Black and White” study was photographed by Milan Kmetovics near the summit of Mt Cook. Talking
                                          about it after the event, Milan told Gliding International that the scene was unimaginable and left him with
                                          the perception of “now I know what it’s like being scrubbed up in a rotating washing machine”.

24                Gliding International   April 2021                                                                                                     25
machine to machine areas. Developing aviation communications within           Low-band 5G uses a similar frequency range to 4G cellphones, 600–850

     SATETLITE WEATHER CHARTS COMING                                                                                                                         the 5G networks is high on the list of network managements. More on
                                                                                                                                                             this to follow. But note - 4G cellphones are not able to use the new
                                                                                                                                                             networks, which require 5G enabled wireless devices.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           MHz, giving download speeds a little higher than 4G: 30–250 megabits
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           per second (Mbit/s). Low-band cell towers have a range and coverage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           area similar to 4G towers. Mid-band 5G uses microwaves of 2.5–3.7

        TO SOARING PILOTS IN FLIGHT                                                                                                                          The increased speed is achieved partly by using higher-frequency radio
                                                                                                                                                             waves than previous cellular networks. However, higher-frequency radio
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           GHz, allowing speeds of 100–900 Mbit/s, with each cell tower providing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           service up to several kilometres in radius. This level of service is the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           most widely deployed, and should be available in most metropolitan
                                                                                                                                                             waves have a shorter useful physical range, requiring smaller geographic      areas in 2021. Some regions are not implementing low-band, making
                                                                                                                                                             cells. For a wider service, 5G networks operate on up to three frequency      this the minimum service level. High-band 5G uses frequencies of 25–39
                                                                                                                                                             bands – low, medium, and high. A 5G network will be composed of               GHz, near the bottom of the millimeter wave band, although higher
                                                                                                                                                             networks of up to three different types of cells, each requiring specific     frequencies may be used in the future. It often achieves download
                                                                                                                                                             antenna designs, each providing a different tradeoff of download speed        speeds in the gigabit per second (Gbit/s) range, comparable to cable
                                                                                                                                                             vs. distance and service area. 5G cellphones and wireless devices             internet. However, millimeter waves (mmWave or mmW) have a more
                                                                                                                                                             connect to the network through the highest speed antenna within range         limited range, requiring many small cells. They have trouble passing
                                                                                                                                                             at their location.                                                            through some types of materials such as walls and windows.

                          FIRST . . . BRINGING GLIDER PILOTS UP TO DATE

W
           e are surprised to find how little gilder pilots know about                           5G IS DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH,
           5G. Its availability and it’s technology is the next major                             RESILIENCY, AND SUSTAINABILITY
                                                                                                                                                               The 2020’s: 5G - 5G’s big promise is to connect more “things,” as hardware continues its relentless march         Forty years ago (1990s) the first
           development in wireless communications. Whilst telecom
                                                                                                                                                               toward miniaturization. -At the end of Q3 2019, Ericsson estimated the world had 4.2 billion 4G subscriptions     generation of wireless networks
companies preach about the 5G “revolution” and governments scramble             Perseverance in technological innovation is contributing to a timely
                                                                                                                                                               and 1.4 billion 2G/3G subscriptions. -By 2025, Ericsson expects 2.8 billion more 5G subscriptions, 300            wasn’t called 1G, it was just “G.”
to win a “race,” we are often left scratching our heads. In this guide, we’ll   economic recovery and will continue to drive prosperity in a post
                                                                                                                                                               million more 4G subscriptions, and 1 billion fewer 2G/3G subscriptions. - Qualcomm expects over 1 billion 5G      These analog networks carried
get you up to speed on what matters about 5G.                                   pandemic era. 5G is vital to this evolution. 5G advances mobile from
                                                                                                                                                               connections by 2023, which would mean it hit the mark two years faster than 4G. On 5G networks, it takes 3.6      voice transmissions between the
                                                                                connecting people-to-people and people-to-information, to a unified
                                                                                                                                                               seconds to download a two-hour movie.                                                                             first (very clunky) cellphones.
Over the next decade, 5G will support 4K video streaming on your                connectivity fabric connecting people to everything. Our analysis
phone, 10x faster internet browsing, lightweight augmented reality (AR)         shows the integral role 5G will take on in the global economy in terms
                                                                                                                                                             Due to their higher cost, plans are to deploy these cells only in dense       excitement across aviation industries.
sunglasses, and self-driving cars. For better or worse, next-gen networks       of sales enablement across all industries, and 5G-value chain related
                                                                                                                                                             urban environments and areas where crowds of people congregate such
will enable us to put the internet in every thermostat, toaster, and            output and jobs by 2035.
                                                                                                                                                             as sports stadiums and convention centres. The above speeds are those         The fifth-generation cellular network standard promises extremely
truck. It is going to have significant enterprise applications, supporting      In telecommunications, 5G is the fifth generation technology standard
                                                                                                                                                             achieved in actual tests in 2020, and speeds are expected to increase         fast communication, with ultra-reliable low-latency links for real-
digitalisation and connection across industries. New services, such as          for broadband cellular networks, which cellular phone companies began
                                                                                                                                                             during rollout.                                                               time communication and interaction, along with the support for huge
remote surgery or vehicle-to-vehicle communications, can be built on            deploying worldwide in 2019, and is the planned successor to the 4G
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           numbers of connected devices in small areas.
the back of 5G networks. For businesses (and sports), the 2020s will            networks which are/have been providing connectivity to most current
                                                                                                                                                             The industry consortium setting standards for 5G is the 3rd Generation
truly be the internet of (so many) things, officially labelled LOT. 5G          cellphones. 5G networks are predicted to have more than 1.7 billion
                                                                                                                                                             Partnership Project (3GPP). It defines any system using 5G NR (5G             5G will be able to support the rapidly growing number of connected and
will boost bandwidth, speed, capacity, and efficiency, while significantly      subscribers worldwide by 2025, according to the GSM Association.
                                                                                                                                                             New Radio) software as “5G”, a definition that came into general              smart devices in both the consumer context (IoT) and industry (IoT). On
reducing latency. 5G has superfast speeds—up to 20 Gigabits-per-
                                                                                                                                                             use by late 2018. Minimum standards are set by the International              the consumer side, users will experience reliable and fast communication
second—a 100x improvement over the former networks. At peak 5G                   Like its predecessors, 5G networks are cellular networks, in which the
                                                                                                                                                             Telecommunications Union (ITU). Previously, some reserved the term 5G         and new real time applications such as virtual or augmented reality and
speeds, you can download an Ultra HD two hour movie in 10 seconds.              service area is divided into small geographical areas called cells. All 5G
                                                                                                                                                             for systems that deliver download speeds of 20 Gbit/s as specified in         highly responsive gaming. Vehicles and their sensors will be constantly
                                                                                wireless devices in a cell are connected to the internet and telephone
                                                                                                                                                             the ITU’s IMT-2020 document.                                                  connected to both each other (V2V) and also to local infrastructure (V2I)
                 THE G GROWS UP: A BRIEF HISTORY                                network by radio waves through a local antenna in the cell. The main
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           enabling efficient, safer and autonomous driving/flying.
                                                                                advantage of the new networks is that they will have greater bandwidth,
                                                                                                                                                                               SO WHAT’S ALL THIS TO DO WITH
Wireless communication has evolved in stages. Originally there were no          giving higher download speeds, eventually up to 10 gigabits per second
                                                                                                                                                                              SOARING? - MARKET OVERVIEW                                   Adoption of IoT is increasingly becoming part of the global digitalisation
Gs, just the telephone networks we used for most of the 20th century.           (Gbit/s). Due to the increased bandwidth, the new networks will not
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           trend in the aviation industry, and the network operating IoT in such
But improvements started 40 years ago. Fifth-generation networks                exclusively serve cellphones like existing cellular networks, but also
                                                                                                                                                             The 5G market in the aviation sector is expected to register a healthy        facilities requires a high-speed communication network. For example,
are being built on a dizzying array of new technologies and technical           be used as general internet service providers for laptops and desktop
                                                                                                                                                             CAGR (Compound annual growth rate) of over 7.7% during the forecast           Schiphol airport in the Netherlands has about 70,000 sensors collecting
standards. What you need to know is that 5G New Radio tech lets                 computers, competing with existing ISPs such as cable internet, and
                                                                                                                                                             period (2021 - 2026). 5G technology is starting to appear in a few            real-time information on the performance of elevators and walkways.
network operators efficiently leverage existing airwaves.                       also will make possible new applications in internet of things (IoT) and
                                                                                                                                                             cities and on a few consumer devices. The phrase itself is stirring up        Wearables can also be used in an airport to drive efficiency.

    26                                                                                                       Gliding International                              April 2021                                                                                                                                   27
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