M.Hardy. Gliders & Sailplanes of the world

Standard Austria Austria

  This high performance Standard Class single-seater was the result of a commission by the Austrian Aero Club (Osterreichischer Aero-Club) to Ing Rudinger Kunz to design them a sailplane in this category; the prototype ДальшеMore>>> first flew in July 1959, and the design duly won the OSTIV Trophy in 1960 for the best Standard Class type. Only a few Standard Austrias were built in the Club's workshops for its own use, the bulk of production being undertaken by the German firm Schempp-Hirth which began building Standard Austrias under a licence arrangement in March 1962. The 1964 model of the type, the Standard Austria SH, had an Eppler 266 laminar flow wing section instead of the previous NACA 65-series aerofoil, giving an improved performance at lower speeds; the SH also had a retractable monowheel as an optional feature, and this version was developed into the Schempp-Hirth SHK. In designing the Standard Austria Rudinger Kunz sought to combine a high lift/drag ratio and a relatively low wing loading, and the type's great strength and excellent flying characteristics made it suitable for cloud flying and spinning, although it is not aerobatic. The cantilever shoulder wings are of wooden construction and are unusual in having no spars; they are fabric-covered from the 65% chord line to the trailing edge and there are air brakes in the upper surfaces. The circular section monocoque fuselage has a glassfibre nose section, pilot's seat and rear fuselage, the centre portion being of wood. The 'butterfly' V-tail surfaces are all-moving wood and fabric structures with an included angle of 90°, and each surface has a geared tab. There is a fixed monowheel forward of the cg, with a disc brake, and a small tailwheel. The pilot sits in an adjustable seat under a blown plastic canopy, and there is provision for radio, an oxygen system and full blind-flying instrumentation.


Span: 49 ft 2 1/2 in
Length: 20 ft 4 in
Wing area: 145.3 sqft
Aspect ratio: 16.7
Empty weight: 452 lb
Max weight: 712 lb
Max speed: 155 mph (in smooth air)
Max aero-tow speed: 87 mph
Min sinking speed: 2.3 ft/sec at 43.5 mph
Best glide ratio: 34:1 at 65 mph



Schempp-Hirth SHK

  The SHK high performance Open Class single-seater first flew in 1965, and was developed by Schempp-Hirth from the Austria SH, the 1964 version of the Standard Austria, which type Schempp-Hirth had built under licence from March 1962 to 1965. The SHK's 17m span (55ft 9 1/4 in) wings are based on those of the Standard Austria, like them with an Eppler 266 laminar flow aerofoil section, and have been redesigned by the Akaflieg Darmstadt. They gave the SHK a performance that was among the best of the last generation of wooden sailplanes, enabling it to win several World and National championships. The SHK prototype, flown by Rolf Kuntz of Germany, took third place in the Open Class of the 1965 World Championships at South Cerney, and once in production the SHK sold steadily, between 40 and 50 a year being built; type certification was granted by the UK and USA as well as Germany. Like the Standard Austria, the SHK has a V-tail, but this is 50% larger than that of the earlier design and its fuselage is longer, with a roomier cockpit; the pilot's seat and rudder pedals are adjustable. The 1968 model SHK had a fully faired-in Plexiglas cockpit canopy. The two-piece shoulder wings have main spars of birch laminate covered with plywood and fabric; Schempp-Hirth air brakes are fitted and later production aircraft had a tail braking parachute. The tail unit itself consists of two all-moving tailplanes mass-balanced and fitted with trim tabs. The fuselage is mainly of wooden construction, the centre portion being a ply-wood monocoque structure with internal wooden stiffening, containing the retractable monowheel and the main wing attachments. The nose, cockpit section and tail cone are of glassfibre construction.


Span: 55 ft 9 1/4in
Length: 20 ft 8 in
Wing area: 158.2 sqft
Aspect ratio: 20.2
Empty weight: 573 lb
Max weight: 815 lb
Max speed: 124 mph (in smooth air)
Max aero-tow speed: 87 mph
Min sinking speed: 1,97 ft/sec at 43.5 mph
Best glide ratio: 38:1 at 56 mph