Schweizer SGS 2-32 explained
The
Schweizer SGS 2-32 is an American two-seat, mid-wing, two or three-place
glider built by
Schweizer Aircraft of
Elmira, New York.
[1] The 2-32 was designed to be the highest performance two-place glider available, when it first flew in 1962. The 2-32 has been used as a tourist glider, trainer, cross-country and high-altitude sailplane and has set many US and world records. A total of 87 aircraft were completed.[1] [2] [3]
Design and development
The SGS 2-32 was conceived as a mass-produced sailplane of modest performance to act as a step-up from the SGU 2-22 trainer then in common use in North America. After careful examination of the potential market, the company decided to produce a higher performance sailplane with a greater wingspan instead.[2]
The 2-32 design was started in 1961 and completed with certification under type certificate G1EA on 19 June 1964.[2] [4]
The 2-32 is all-metal, with a semi-monocoque aluminum fuselage and cantilever wings of 57 foot (17.37 m) span. It has top-and-bottom divebrakes and an all-flying stabilator tail.[1]
The aircraft seats two or three, with one seat in the front cockpit and a double bench seat in the back suitable for two smaller people of 150lb each, maximum. The aircraft is often described as a "2 seater".[1] [2]
The ability to carry two passengers, plus its complete and comfortable interior has made the 2-32 a popular aircraft with commercial glider operators for conducting tourist flights. The ability to carry two passengers doubled profitability for rides.[2]
The first customer aircraft were delivered in 1964, shortly after certification was completed.[2]
The 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]
Derivative designs
The SGS 2-32 has been the basis of several derivative designs, including:[3]
Operational history
As soon as it entered service many pilots realized that this high performance two-place sailplane would be ideal to break many of the two-place records previously set by lower performance gliders.[1] [2]
At one time the 2-32 held the two-place speed records over 100 km, 300 km and 500 km courses, as well as many distance, out and return and altitude records in both the men's and women's categories. 2-32s were also flown in the 1964 US Nationals.[1] [2]
Some of the records set by pilots flying SGS 2-32s include:
- World record two-place out and return flight, 404 miles (654 km), May 23, 1970, Joe Lincoln and Cris Crowl. Lincoln's 2-32, named Cibola, had special longer wings of 67feet span installed that increased performance further.[2]
- World record two-place speed over 100 km (63 miles) Triangle, 74 mph (120 km/h), 1971, Joe Lincoln.[2]
- World record two-place feminine absolute altitude 35,463 feet (10,809 m) and altitude gain 24,545 feet (7848 m), 5 March 1975, Babs Nutt.[1]
In May 2014 there were still 58 2-32s registered in the USA[9] and one in Canada.[10]
In USAF service at the United States Air Force Academy the 2-32 was known as the TG-5.
Aircraft on display
The National Soaring Museum has two SGS 2-32s in its collection, N2767Z and N8600R, the prototype.[11] [12] N8600R is currently on loan to and on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.[13]
References
- Book: Schweizer, Paul A. Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States. registration. 1988. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington DC. 0-87474-828-3. 183–265.
- Said. Bob. 1983 Sailplane Directory. Soaring Magazine. November 1983. 32. Soaring Society of America.
- Web site: SGS 2-32 Schweizer. 2008-05-28. Activate Media. 2006. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080429135655/http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=313. 2008-04-29.
- Book: The Aristocrat - The Schweizer 2-32. n.d.. Schweizer Aircraft Corp.
- Web site: GLIDER DATA SHEET NO. G1EA . 2008-05-28. Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. September 2007.
- Web site: K & L Soaring, LLC. 2008-04-05. K & L Soaring. n.d..
- Web site: Goebel. Greg. The Prehistory of Endurance UAVs. VectorSite. Accessed 2010-06-18.. 10 April 2013.
- Book: Taylor, John W.R.. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973–74. 1973. Jane's Yearbooks. London. 0-354-00117-5. 431.
- Web site: AMERICAN X-VEHICLES. 2008-11-08. Jenkins. Dennis R.. June 2003. etal.
- Web site: FAA Registry. 2014-05-02. Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. May 2014.
- Web site: Canadian Civil Aircraft Register. 2014-05-02. Transport Canada. Transport Canada. May 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718042755/http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp. 2011-07-18.
- Web site: Sailplanes in Our Collection. 2008-04-15. Munson. J.. n.d.. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110516142717/http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html. 2011-05-16.
- Web site: N8600R N-Number Search. FAA. 2 September 2011.
- Web site: General Aviation. 2 September 2011.
- Book: Shenstone, B.S.. The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde Volume II. 1963. Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile (OSTIV) and Schweizer Aero-Revue. Zurich. 237–238. 1st. K.G. Wilkinson . en, fr, de.
Notes and References
- Said. Bob. 1983 Sailplane Directory. Soaring Magazine. November 1983. 32. Soaring Society of America.
- Book: Schweizer, Paul A. Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United States. registration. 1988. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington DC. 0-87474-828-3. 183–265.
- Book: The Aristocrat - The Schweizer 2-32. n.d.. Schweizer Aircraft Corp.
- Web site: GLIDER DATA SHEET NO. G1EA . 2008-05-28. Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. September 2007.
- Web site: K & L Soaring, LLC. 2008-04-05. K & L Soaring. n.d..
- Web site: Goebel. Greg. The Prehistory of Endurance UAVs. VectorSite. Accessed 2010-06-18.. 10 April 2013.
- Book: Taylor, John W.R.. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973–74. 1973. Jane's Yearbooks. London. 0-354-00117-5. 431.
- Web site: AMERICAN X-VEHICLES. 2008-11-08. Jenkins. Dennis R.. June 2003. etal.
- Web site: FAA Registry. 2014-05-02. Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. May 2014.
- Web site: Canadian Civil Aircraft Register. 2014-05-02. Transport Canada. Transport Canada. May 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718042755/http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp. 2011-07-18.
- Web site: Sailplanes in Our Collection. 2008-04-15. Munson. J.. n.d.. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110516142717/http://www.soaringmuseum.org/collection.html. 2011-05-16.
- Web site: N8600R N-Number Search. FAA. 2 September 2011.
- Web site: General Aviation. 2 September 2011.