The Scheibe SF-24 Motorspatz (English: Motor Sparrow) is a West German high-wing, single-seat motor glider that was designed by Egon Scheibe and produced by Scheibe Flugzeugbau.[1][2]

Derived from the unpowered Scheibe Spatz, the Motor Spatz was described in 1983 by Soaring Magazine as "one of the more primitive of the breed of self-launching sailplanes".

Design and development

The Motorspatz was an early attempt to create a self-launching glider. Scheibe accomplished this by mounting a Hirth engine in the nose of a mostly stock Spatz glider.[1][2]

The SF-24 is constructed with a welded steel tube fuselage that mounts the monowheel landing gear, with a small tail wheel for ground maneuvering. The wings and tail surfaces are built with wooden structures and covered in doped aircraft fabric covering. The wing has a 14.0 m (46 ft) span, employs an Mu 14% airfoil and mounts spoilers for glidepath control.[1][2][3]

The aircraft was not type certified and 50 were built.[1][2]

Operational history

In July 2011 there were two Motorspatz registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, including one SF-24 in the Experimental - Exhibition category and one SF-24B in the Experimental - Research and Development category.[4]

Variants

SF-24
Initial version[1][2]
SF-24A
Improved version[1][2]
SF-24B
Improved version[1][2]

Specifications (SF-24)

Data from Sailplane Directory and Soaring[1][2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wingspan: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)
  • Wing area: 11.87 m2 (127.8 sq ft)
  • Airfoil: Mu 14%
  • Empty weight: 225 kg (496 lb)
  • Gross weight: 345 kg (761 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Hirth

Performance

  • Rate of sink: 1.0 m/s (200 ft/min) at 80 km/h (50 mph)
  • Wing loading: 29.21 kg/m2 (5.98 lb/sq ft)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Activate Media (2006). "Motorspatz SF-24 Scheibe". Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 126. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
  3. ^ Lednicer, David (2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  4. ^ Federal Aviation Administration (July 2011). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 29 July 2011.
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