Schweizer SGS 1-34

Last updated

SGS 1-34
SchweizerSGS1-34C-FDUZ07.JPG
SGS 1-34 with air brakes deployed
Role Standard-class sailplane
National originUnited States
ManufacturerSchweizer Aircraft Corporation
Designer Ernest Schweizer
First flight1969
Number built93
Variants Martin Marietta Model 845
Schweizer SGS 1-34 showing wing planform. The tire is used to secure the wing in windy conditions SchweizerSGS1-34C-FDUZ08.JPG
Schweizer SGS 1-34 showing wing planform. The tire is used to secure the wing in windy conditions
Schweizer SGS 1-34, front view showing air vent intake with pitot tube mounted inside SchweizerSGS1-34C-FDUZ11.JPG
Schweizer SGS 1-34, front view showing air vent intake with pitot tube mounted inside
Schweizer SGS 1-34 on take-off SchweizerSGS1-34C-FDUZ27.JPG
Schweizer SGS 1-34 on take-off
Schweizer SGS 1-34 being towed by a Champion 7GCAA Citabria SchweizerSGS1-34C-FDUZ31.JPG
Schweizer SGS 1-34 being towed by a Champion 7GCAA Citabria

The Schweizer SGS 1-34 is a United States Standard Class, single-seat, high-wing glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York. [1]

Contents

The 1-34 was designed over a number of years in the mid-1960s and first flew in 1969. [2]

By the time the 1-34 was introduced it was no longer competitive in the Standard Class, but has proven very successful as a club aircraft, being a great "step-up" sailplane for post-solo students and accomplished pilots. [1] [3]

Design and development

The 1-34 was designed over several years to spread out the development costs. At the time the design work on the aircraft was started the Standard Class was new and described a very simple aircraft with terminal velocity dive brakes, fixed landing gear and no water ballast. By the time the 1-34 had flown in 1969 the Standard Class rules had changed to allow essentially unrestricted sailplanes with a 15-metre (49.2 feet) wingspan. [3]

The SGS 1-34 is of all metal aluminum semi-monocoque construction. All surfaces are aluminum covered, with the exception of the rudder which is covered in aircraft fabric. [1]

The 1-34 has air brakes capable of limiting the terminal velocity in a vertical dive to the maximum safe speed as specified in the original Standard Class rules. Developing and testing these proved expensive and time-consuming and this also extended the aircraft's development time. [3]

The 1-34 was the first Schweizer design to depart from using a NACA airfoil. The 1-34 has no wing washout and instead uses a Wortmann FX 61-163 airfoil at the wing root, transitioning to a Wortmann FX 61-126 airfoil at the wing tip. The tip airfoil stalls at a higher angle of attack, ensuring that the wing root stalls first. [1]

The one company concession to the changing Standard Class rules was the development of a retractable landing gear version of the 1-34, designated as the SGS 1-34R. [1]

The 1-34 also features in-flight adjustable rudder pedals and a two-way adjustable seat to accommodate pilots of different heights. [1]

The 1-34 was flown in Standard Class competitions, but was out-performed by the new fiberglass European gliders, such as the Glasflügel H-201 Standard Libelle. [3]

During the protracted development process, Schweizer Aircraft was aware that the 1-34 would be overtaken by the changes in class rules and also by the performance of the newer European fiberglass sailplanes, but continued development of the SGS 1-34 anyway. The company identified that there was demand from private owners and especially clubs and commercial operations for a simple, rugged single seat glider with greater performance than the 1-26. [3]

In service the 1-34 has proven to be a popular club aircraft and ideal for the completion of badge flights. If a greater number of 1-34s had been built, Schweizer indicated that it would have become another one-design class, similar to the 1-26. [3]

The 1-34 type certificate is currently held by K & L Soaring of Cayuta, New York. K & L Soaring now provides all parts and support for the Schweizer line of sailplanes. [4] [5]

Operational history

At least two 1-34s have been highly modified. Bob Park's 1-34R, registered N17974, was damaged when a hurricane passed through Georgia and resulted in a hangar collapse. The 1-34R was rebuilt with a V-tail and ballast tanks mounted in the wings that hold 230 lbs (105 kg) of water. The aircraft was subsequently registered in the experimental Racing – Exhibition category. [2] [6] [7]

A modified SGS 1-34 airframe with tricycle landing gear and powered by a Lycoming TIO-360 piston engine was used as the basis for the pilotless Martin Marietta Model 845 prototype, an entry in the early 1970s USAF Compass Dwell endurance UAV program. [8]

In May 2008 there were still 63 1-34s and six 1-34Rs registered in the USA [9] and 5 SGS 1-34s in Canada. [10]

The USAF designation for the SGS 1-34 is TG-6.

Variants

1-34
The original fixed landing gear 1-34 model was certified under type certificate G3EA on 16 October 1969. [4]
1-34R
The retractable gear 1-34R was added to type certificate G3EA on 15 June 1971. [4]
Park 1-34R Modified
After a hangar collapsed on Bob Park's 1-34R and destroyed the aft part of the aircraft he rebuilt it in the Experimental – Racing/Exhibition category with a V-tail and 230 lb (104 kg) of water ballast. The new tail allowed 18 lb (8 kg) of lead nose ballast to be removed. The aircraft flew three diamond goal and gold distance flights in August 1983. [6] [7]

Aircraft on display

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schempp-Hirth Cirrus</span> German single-seat glider, 1967

The Schempp-Hirth Cirrus is an Open Class glider built by Schempp-Hirth between 1967 and 1971 and by VTC until 1977. It was replaced by the Nimbus 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ICA IS-29</span> Type of aircraft

The ICA IS-29 was a sailplane built in Romania in the 1970s. The prefix IS comes from Iosif Șilimon, the Romanian IAR aeronautical engineer who designed it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schweizer SGM 2-37</span> US touring motor glider, 1982

The Schweizer SGM 2-37 is a two-place, side-by-side, fixed gear, low wing motor glider.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schweizer SGS 1-29</span> American sailplane

The Schweizer SGS 1-29 is an American single-seat, mid-wing, experimental laminar flow airfoil glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schweizer SGS 1-35</span> Type of aircraft

The Schweizer SGS 1-35 is a United States 15 Meter Class, single-seat, mid-wing glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schweizer SGS 1-36 Sprite</span> Type of aircraft

The Schweizer SGS 1-36 Sprite is a United States, single-seat, mid-wing glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasflügel 604</span> German single-seat glider, 1970

The Glasflügel 604 is a high-wing, T-tailed, single seat, FAI Open Class glider that was designed and produced in West Germany by Glasflügel starting in 1970.

The Berkshire Concept 70, sometimes called simply the C-70, is an American, single seat, high-wing, 15 metre class competition glider that was designed by Arthur Zimmermann and produced by the Berkshire Manufacturing Corporation of Lake Swannanoa, New Jersey between 1971 and 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laister LP-15 Nugget</span> American glider

The Laister LP-15 Nugget is an American single-seat, high-wing glider designed by Jack and Bill Laister for the FAI Standard Class. It first flew in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hall Vector 1</span> American homebuilt glider

The Hall Vector 1 is an American high-wing, ultralight glider that was designed by Stan Hall for serious cross-country flights.

The Schreder HP-16 is an American mid-wing, single seat, V tailed, FAI Standard Class glider that was designed by Richard Schreder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schreder HP-17</span> American glider

The Schreder HP-17 was an American mid-wing, V tailed, single seat, experimental glider designed by Richard Schreder to test a new airfoil section.

The Schreder HP-19 is an American, high-wing, T-tail, single seat glider designed by Richard Schreder.

The Gehrlein GP-1 is an American mid-wing, single seat FAI Standard Class glider that was designed by Jay and Rod Gehrlein and first flown in July 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luenger Beta 1</span> American glider

The Luenger Beta 1 was an American high-wing, single-seat, T-tailed FAI Open Class glider designed by Hans Luenger and Spud Kohler.

The Monaghan Osprey is an American mid-wing, single-seat, T-tailed, FAI Standard Class glider that was designed and constructed by Richard C. Monaghan of Pearblossom, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FFA Diamant</span> Swiss glider, 1964

The FFA Diamant is a family of Swiss high-wing, T-tailed, single-seat, FAI Standard Class and FAI Open Class gliders that was designed by engineering students under supervision of Professor Rauscher at the ETH Zurich and manufactured by Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein AG (FFA) of Altenrhein, Switzerland.

The Whigham GW-5 is an American mid-wing, single seat, FAI Standard Class glider that was designed and constructed by Gene Whigham, a retired flight test engineer for Convair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glasflügel 205 Club Libelle</span> German single-seat glider, 1975

The Glasflügel 205 Club Libelle is a high wing, T-tailed, single seat glider that was designed and produced in West Germany by Glasflügel for club and rental use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masak Scimitar</span> American glider

The Masak Scimitar was an American mid-wing, single-seat glider that was designed and constructed by Peter Masak. It first flew in 1995.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 32. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
  2. 1 2 Activate Media (2006). "SGS 1-34 Schweizer". Archived from the original on May 27, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schweizer, Paul A: Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States, page 241. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988. ISBN   0-87474-828-3
  4. 1 2 3 Federal Aviation Administration (September 2007). "GLIDER DATA SHEET NO. G3EA" (PDF). Retrieved May 25, 2008.
  5. ↑ K & L Soaring (n.d.). "K & L Soaring, LLC" . Retrieved April 5, 2008.
  6. 1 2 Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 63. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
  7. 1 2 Federal Aviation Administration (June 2011). "Make / Model Inquiry Results N17974" . Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  8. ↑ Designation-Systems.Net (June 2009). "Martin Marietta 845A" . Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  9. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (May 2008). "FAA Registry" . Retrieved May 25, 2008.
  10. ↑ Transport Canada (May 2008). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register". Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
  11. ↑ US Southwest Soaring Museum (2010). "Sailplanes, Hang Gliders & Motor Gliders" . Retrieved May 26, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.