The Schneider ES-65 Platypus is a two-seater unflapped glider designed and built by Edmund Schneider Pty in Australia. A single prototype was built, which remains operational as of 2012.
The Edmund Schneider company was originally based in Grunau, Silesia but reformed after World War II in Adelaide, Australia, producing the successful Schneider ES-60 from 1960 until 1970. Anticipating an Australian market for an ES-60-based side by side two-seater Harry Schneider began design and construction of the ES-64, a marriage of ES-60 wings with a new glass reinforced plastic (GRP) fuselage. Australian gliding clubs showed little interest and the project proceeded slowly. In the early 1980s Schneider revived it with a simplified version, the ES-65 Platypus.[1]
The Platypus has the extended plywood skinned ES-60 wing, built around a single spar. The leading edge is unswept but the straight trailing edges have forward sweep that increases on the outer, aileron-carrying, panels. There are airbrakes mounted just aft of the spar on the inner panels. These wings were mid-mounted onto a new GRP fuselage. This has a maximum width of 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) to accommodate the side by side seating but narrowed in pod and boom style, particularly in plan, behind the wings. The cockpit has a two-piece fixed screen extending almost to the nose and is accessed via a rear hinged, bulged canopy. The pod includes a fixed, faired, centre-line two wheel undercarriage, with a brake-equipped mainwheel under the wings and a smaller nosewheel.[1]
The tail is also mostly GRP, though the elevator uses carbon fibre for lightness. These surfaces are straight-edged and tapering, the fin is tall with a rudder that extends to the bottom of the fuselage. The high aspect ratio horizontal tail surface is mounted midway up the fin.[1]
The Platypus made its first flight in August 1984 and its handling and performance were generally judged to be good. There were plans to produce an all-GRP version, but the funding required was not available and no more ES-65s were built.[1]
Operational historyedit
The prototype, VH-GFA, is owned by a syndicate of members of the Geelong Gliding Club[2] and of the Victorian Motorless Flight Group[3] based at Bacchus Marsh airfield, Victoria. It was still operational in 2005.[1]
^"Victorian Motorless Flight Group Inc". Retrieved 5 May 2015.
January 01, 1970
schneider, platypus, seater, unflapped, glider, designed, built, edmund, schneider, australia, single, prototype, built, which, remains, operational, 2012, platypus, role, seat, advanced, trainer, national, origin, australia, manufacturer, edmund, schneider, a. The Schneider ES 65 Platypus is a two seater unflapped glider designed and built by Edmund Schneider Pty in Australia A single prototype was built which remains operational as of 2012 ES 65 Platypus Role Two seat advanced trainer National origin Australia Manufacturer Edmund Schneider Pty Adelaide Designer Harry Schneider First flight August 1984 Number built 1 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications 4 ReferencesDesign and development editThe Edmund Schneider company was originally based in Grunau Silesia but reformed after World War II in Adelaide Australia producing the successful Schneider ES 60 from 1960 until 1970 Anticipating an Australian market for an ES 60 based side by side two seater Harry Schneider began design and construction of the ES 64 a marriage of ES 60 wings with a new glass reinforced plastic GRP fuselage Australian gliding clubs showed little interest and the project proceeded slowly In the early 1980s Schneider revived it with a simplified version the ES 65 Platypus 1 The Platypus has the extended plywood skinned ES 60 wing built around a single spar The leading edge is unswept but the straight trailing edges have forward sweep that increases on the outer aileron carrying panels There are airbrakes mounted just aft of the spar on the inner panels These wings were mid mounted onto a new GRP fuselage This has a maximum width of 1 20 m 3 ft 11 in to accommodate the side by side seating but narrowed in pod and boom style particularly in plan behind the wings The cockpit has a two piece fixed screen extending almost to the nose and is accessed via a rear hinged bulged canopy The pod includes a fixed faired centre line two wheel undercarriage with a brake equipped mainwheel under the wings and a smaller nosewheel 1 The tail is also mostly GRP though the elevator uses carbon fibre for lightness These surfaces are straight edged and tapering the fin is tall with a rudder that extends to the bottom of the fuselage The high aspect ratio horizontal tail surface is mounted midway up the fin 1 The Platypus made its first flight in August 1984 and its handling and performance were generally judged to be good There were plans to produce an all GRP version but the funding required was not available and no more ES 65s were built 1 Operational history editThe prototype VH GFA is owned by a syndicate of members of the Geelong Gliding Club 2 and of the Victorian Motorless Flight Group 3 based at Bacchus Marsh airfield Victoria It was still operational in 2005 1 Specifications editData from Sailplanes 1965 2005 1 General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 7 726 m 25 ft 4 in Wingspan 17 70 m 58 ft 1 in Height 1 7 m 5 ft 7 in Wing area 16 2 m2 174 sq ft Aspect ratio 19 3 Airfoil Wortmann FX61 164 root FX61 140 inboard of aileron FX60 126 tip Empty weight 400 kg 882 lb Gross weight 590 kg 1 301 lb Performance Maximum speed 260 km h 160 mph 140 kn Stall speed 72 km h 45 mph 39 kn Never exceed speed 260 km h 160 mph 140 kn Wing loading 36 4 kg m2 7 5 lb sq ft References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Schneider ES 65 a b c d e f Simons Martin 2005 Sailplanes 1965 2000 2nd revised ed Konigswinter EQIP Werbung amp Verlag GmbH pp 12 15 ISBN 3 9808838 1 7 Geelong Gliding Club Retrieved 29 June 2012 Victorian Motorless Flight Group Inc Retrieved 5 May 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Schneider ES 65 amp oldid 1120848982, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
