Schleicher ASW 15 explained

The Schleicher ASW 15 is a single-seat sailplane designed in 1968 by Gerhard Waibel and manufactured by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. The ASW 15 has shoulder-mounted wings and an all-flying tailplane, with its single tow-release placement a compromise between winching and aerotowing. The later ASW 15B had several improvements, including a tow-release placed on the plane of symmetry, an 11 cm taller rudder, a slightly larger main wheel, and the provision of a 90-litre water ballast system.

Rot due to fungus infestation was found in an early example, leading to an Airworthiness Directive. Starting with serial number 356, balsa wood was abandoned in the construction in favour of synthetic foam.

In 1971 and 1972, the American pilot Karl Striedieck set world out-and-return distance soaring records three times flying an ASW 15, including one flight of on October 15, 1972.

It was succeeded by the Schleicher ASW 19.

Variants

ASW 15:Original production version incorporating balsa / fibre-glass sandwich wing construction. Built to pre 1970 Standard class rules the ASW 15 had non-retracting recessed mainwheel and no provision for water ballast; 183 built.^{[1] [2]}

ASW 15B:Second production version with glass-fibre / foam construction, retractable mainwheel and water ballast tanks; 270 built.^[2]

ASW 15M:One ASW 15 converted to a motor-glider powered by a Wankel KM-27 rotary engine, with a fuel tank at an empty equipped weight of ^[3]

Aircraft on display

• US Southwest Soaring Museum^[4]

Further reading

• Book: Thomas . Fred . Milgram . Judah . Fundamentals of sailplane design . 5 November 1999 . College Park Press . 978-0966955309 . 3rd.

External links

• Sailplane Directory
• ASW-15(B) owners and users website
• Alexander Schleicher website

Notes and References

1. Book: Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1972–73 . Taylor . John W.R. . 1972 . Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd . London . 0-354-00109-4 . 526.
2. Book: Simons, Martin . Sailplanes 1965–2000 . 2005 . EQIP Werbung und Verlag G.m.b.H. . Königswinter . 978-3-9808838-1-8 . 2nd revised . 65–66.
3. Book: Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1976–77 . Taylor . John W.R. . 1976 . Jane's Yearbooks . London . 0-3540-0538-3 . 569.
4. Web site: Sailplanes, Hang Gliders & Motor Gliders. 26 May 2011. US Southwest Soaring Museum. US Southwest Soaring Museum. 2010.