Start+Flug Hippie

M.Hardy. Gliders & Sailplanes of the world

Start + Flug Hippie

This simple ultra-light single-seat glider weighs only 106lb without the pilot and is designed to achieve take-off by a variety of methods: by foot-launch, auto-tow, winch launching or any other suitable form of assisted launch. For a foot-launch the product of the hill's angle in degrees and the wind speed in metres per second should be a figure of 80 or above. After foot-launching, the pilot draws up his legs into the hoop-like glassfibre seat fairing at the front of the aircraft, which also serves as the landing skid. The Hippie flew for the first time on 15 August 1974 and examples are now flying in five countries outside Germany. It has strut-braced dihedral wings of constant chord with small endplate-type fairings and Wortmann aerofoil sections. The basic structure is of glassfibre with carbon-fibre reinforcement; the wings are plastic-covered and the tail surfaces fabric-covered, the tail being carried on an open girder-type framework, and the braced tailplane being mounted on the large fin. The landing gear is formed by the glassfibre seat fairing which has a small keel surface underneath it, and there is a metal hoop at the base of the rudder to form a tailskid. The pilot sits behind a windscreen extending from the leading edge to the front of the seat fairing. The airframe can be dismantled and packed into a carrying case measuring 5m (16ft 4 3/4 in) by 1.10m (3ft 7 1/4 in) by 0.60m (1ft 11 3/4 in). A new version of the Hippie is now available, with wings of honeycomb construction, a longer tail structure of aluminium tubing, an enlarged rudder, quick-connect fittings and an enlarged seating area for the pilot.

Span: 32 ft 9 3/4 in
Length: 18 ft 8 1/2 in
Height: 4 ft 7 in
Wing area: 96.9 sq ft
Aspect ratio: 11.1
Empty weight: 110 lb
Max weight: 298 lb
Max speed: 37 mph
Best glide ratio: 12:1

Start + Flug H 121 Globetrotter

Originally known as the Schulmeister, this side-by-side two-seater training sailplane first flew in prototype form on 28 July 1977, and production began in March 1978. The Globetrotter is a cantilever mid-wing monoplane of 17m span with a T-tail, and mainly of glassfibre reinforced plastic construction. The wings have an Eppler E 603 aerofoil section and are swept forward 2° 30'; air brakes are fitted in the upper surfaces, and there is provision for water ballast. Landing gear consists of a non-retractable monowheel and tailwheel, and the two pilots sit under a one-piece canopy that slides forward to open over the tip of the nose.

Span: 55 ft 9 1/4 in
Length: 25 ft 1 1/2 in
Height: 3 ft 5 3/4 in
Wing area: 170.1 sqft
Aspect ratio: 18.3
Empty weight: 639 lb
Max weight: 1,102 lb
Max speed: 155 mph
Min sinking speed: 2.13 ft/sec at 50 mph
Best glide ratio: 36:1 at 62 mph