Albastar AS are
gliders produced by the
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...
n company
Albastar Ltd
Albastar Ltd (also called Albastar d.o.o.) is a Slovenian aircraft manufacturer, founded by former Elan employee Pavel Potočnik in 1993. It was originally based in Zgornje Gorje and now in Begunje na Gorenjskem. The company specializes in th ...
. They are currently in the development stage.
Albastar AS-13,5m FES
Albastar 13,5m FES is a single-seat
motor glider
A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: a fixed-wing Aircraft#Heavier-than-air – aerodynes, aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (Mo ...
with 13.5 m wingspan designed for
FAI 13.5 m class which took its maiden flight in April 2013. To achieve better performance, the new airfoil with
flaps was designed. It has provision for
Ballistic Recovery System (BRS). The cockpit was designed roomy enough to be used by taller pilots.
The glider has 23
kW front electric sustainer
Front electric sustainer (FES) is a propulsion system for gliders that uses an electric motor powered by batteries and a foldable propeller. It is produced by LZ Design d.o.o. in Logatec, Slovenia.
The system uses a 22 kW compact outrunn ...
(FES) positioned in the nose which in combination with low takeoff weight is powerful enough to be used for self-launch. This system uses folding propeller which greatly reduces
aerodynamic drag when not in use. The take-off roll is 170 m with enough battery capacity to reach 1800 m AGL. However, the glider also incorporates a tow hook mounted in the center of gravity for the classic aerotow.
Two AS-13,5 gliders took part on the 2nd FAI 13.5 m World championship in
Szatymaz
Szatymaz is a village in Csongrád county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary. The village lies 12 kilometers northwest of Szeged, neighboring Lake Fehér, a part of Kiskunság National Park. Szatymaz is accessible via the M ...
in 2017.
Albastar AS-18
Albastar AS-18 is a two-seat motor glider with 18 m wingspan. First prototype AS-18M is powered by two-stroke internal combustion engine with the propeller mast mounted behind the cockpit. It has a self-launching capability and unlike other similar gliders, it has the unique feature of starting the engine before the propeller mast is extended, therefore practically eliminating the period of increased drag before the engine is started.
The second prototype, AS-18 GEN is powered by the more powerful version of the FES system. It uses the 42 kW electric motor which is powered by the electric generator driven by the gasoline engine mounted in the fuselage behind the cockpit.
Manufacturer's information on the AS-18 GEN
/ref>
External links
Albastar AS18
Albastar AS13,5
Front Electric Sustainer
References
{{reflist
Glider aircraft
Albastar Ltd aircraft
2010s Slovenian sailplanes
Electric aircraft