• Southern Cross Gliding Club

Our Fleet

The club owns 4 dual seat gliders, 4 single seat gliders, and 3 tugs, as follows:

DG Flugzeugbau DG-1000S-18/20 VH-DGI

Two seater DG-1000 VH-DGI

Specifications

  • Span 18.0 m./ 55.7 ft or 20.0m / 65.6 ft (with extension tips)
  • Area 17.21 sq. m. / 188.0 sq.ft. (with extension tips)
  • Airfoil Optimised Horstmann/Quast custom design
  • Empty weight 410 kg. / 902 lb.
  • Payload 190 kg. / 418 lb.
  • Water Ballast 160 kg. / 352 lb.
  • Gross weight 750 kg. / 1,635 lb.
  • Wing loading 42.8 kg. / sq. m. / 8.76 lb. / sq. ft.
  • Structure fibreglass with carbon fibre spar

Performance

  • L/D max. 46.5 (in 20m configuration), or 42.0 (in 18m configuration)
  • Min. sink 0.51 m/s / 1.67 fps / 1 kt

Other

  • Country of origin Germany
  • Designer Wilhelm Dirks
  • No. of seats 2
  • No. built about 14 (currently under production)
  • Manufacturer's web site

Schleicher ASK-21 VH-NKC VH-SXQ

Two seater ASK-21 VH-NKC

Two seater ASK-21 VH-SXQ

Specifications

  • Span 17.0 m./ 55.77 ft
  • Area 17.95 sq. m. / 193.21 sq.ft.
  • Aspect ratio 16.1
  • Airfoil Wortmann FX-S02-196
  • Empty weight 360 kg. / 794 lb.
  • Payload 240 kg. / 529 lb.
  • Gross weight 600 kg. / 1,323 lb.
  • Wing loading 33.4 kg. / sq. m. / 6.84 lb. / sq. ft.
  • Structure fiberglass and foam wing, fiberglass honeycomb sandwich fuselage and tail.

Performance

  • L/D max. 35 at 85 km/h / 46 kt / 53 mph
  • Min. sink 0.65 m/s / 2.13 fps / 1.26 kt at 67 km/h / 36 kt / 42 mph

Other

Schleicher ASK-13 VH-GIQ

Two seater ASK-13 VH-GIQ

Specifications

  • Span 16.0 m. / 52 ft 6 in.
  • Wing Area 17.5 sq. m. / 188 sq. ft.
  • Aspect ratio 14.63.
  • Airfoil Göttingen 535/549
  • Empty weight 296 kg. / 640 lb.
  • Gross weight 480 kg. / 1,060 lb.
  • Structure steel tube/wood/fibreglass and fabric covered.

Performance

  • Best glide ratio 27
  • Min. sink 0.8 m/s. 160 ft/min.

Other

PZL Bielsko SZD 51-1 Junior VH-HDP

Single seater SZD 51-1 Junior VH-HDP

Specifications

  • Span 15.0 m./ 49.2 ft
  • Area 12.51 sq. m. / 134.7 sq.ft.
  • Aspect ratio 18.0
  • Airfoil Wortmann
  • Empty weight 242 kg. / 533 lb.
  • Payload 113 kg. / 250 lb.
  • Gross weight 355 kg. / 783 lb.
  • Wing loading 28.38 kg. / sq. m. / 5.81 lb. / sq. ft.
  • Structure GFRP/ epoxy/ steel tube

Performance

  • L/D max. 35 at 80 km/h / 43 kt / 50 mph
  • Min. sink 0.60 m/s / 1.97 fps / 1.17 kt at 72 km/h / 39 kt / 45 mph

Other

  • Country of origin Poland
  • Designer Stanislaw Zientek
  • No. of seats 1
  • No. built about 300

DG 303 Club Elan VH-DGU

Single seater DG-303 VH-DGU

Specifications

  • Span 15.0 m. | 49.2 ft
  • Area 10.27 sq.m. | 110.5 sq.ft.
  • Length 6.8 m. | 22.4 ft.
  • Empty weight 238 kg. | 525 lbs.
  • Water Ballast 130 kg. | 34.3 usgal.
  • Gross weight 500 kg. | 1102 lbs.
  • Max Wing loading 48.7 kg. / sq.m. | 10lbs/ sq.ft.
  • Structure fibreglass with carbon fibre spar

Performance

  • L/D max. 42.5 at 500kg | 1102 lbs.
  • Min. sink 0.58 m/s. | 114 ft./min.

Other

Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau LS4-a VH-GOB

Single seater LS4-a VH-GOB

Specifications

  • Built 1984
  • Span 15.0 m. | 49.2 ft
  • Area 10.27 sq.m. | 110.5 sq.ft.
  • Length 6.83 m. | 22.5 ft.
  • Empty weight 240 kg. | 530 lbs.
  • Water Ballast 160 l. | 37 usgal.
  • Gross weight 525 kg. | 1157 lbs.
  • Max Wing loading 50 kg. / sq.m. | 10.24bs/ sq.ft.
  • Structure fibreglass

Performance

  • Maximum glide ratio 40.5 at 54kts
  • Min. sink 0.61 m/s. | 120 ft./min.

Other

Alexander Schleicher ASG 29 VH-SVQ

Single seater ASG 29 VH-SVQ

Specifications

  • Built 2012
  • Span 18.0 m. | 59 ft
  • Wing area 10.5 m2
  • Wing aspect ratio 30.9
  • Empty mass 280 kg
  • Max. take-off mass 600 kg
  • Water ballast wing 170 L
  • Water ballast fuselage 32 L
  • Max. wing loading 57 kg/m2

Performance

  • Maximum glide ratio 50:1
  • Min. sink 0.9kt | 0.47 m/s. | 92.5 ft./min.

Other

Piper PA-25 Pawnee VH-CPU, VH-FBI, VH-SMS

Piper Pawnee Tug VH-CPU

Specifications

  • Engine 175kw / 235 HP Lycoming 0-540-B2B5 flat 6 cylinder piston engine
  • Propellor 2 bladed fixed pitched McCauley
  • Span 11.02 m / 36 ft 2 in
  • Length 7.55 m / 24 ft 9 in
  • Height 2.19 m / 7 ft 2 in
  • Wing Area 17 sq m / 183 sq ft
  • Empty Weight 585 kg / 1288 lb
  • MTOW 1317 kg / 2900 lb
  • Structure steel tube with fabric covering

Performance

  • Max speed 188 km/h / 102 kt
  • Cruise speed 170 km/h / 91 kt
  • Rate of climb 630 fpm
  • Service ceiling 13000 ft

Other

  • Country of origin USA
  • Designer Fred Weick
  • First flew as prototype 1957 (with AG-3 designation)
  • No. of seats 1 or 2
  • No. built 5015 (A, B, C and D variants)

Grob Astir CS VH-WVJ

March 2018: has a new home at South Gippsland Gliding Club, Victoria

Single seater Grob Astir CS VH-WVJ

Specifications

  • Span 15.0 m./ 49.2 ft
  • Area 12.40 sq. m. / 133.5 sq.ft.
  • Airfoil Eppler E 603
  • Empty weight 255 kg. / 562 lb.
  • Payload 195 kg. / 430 lb. including water ballast
  • Gross weight 450 kg. / 992 lb.
  • Wing loading 36.29 kg. / sq. m. / 7.43 lb. / sq. ft.
  • Structure fiberglass

Performance

  • L/D max. 38 at 105 km/h / 56 kt / 65 mph
  • Min. sink 0.70 m/s / 2.3 fps / 1.36 kt at 85 km/h / 46 kt / 53 mph

Other

  • Country of origin Germany
  • Designer Burkhart Grob
  • Manufacturer's web site
  • No. of seats 1
  • No. built over 900 (all variants)

NB: Data from International Directory of Civil Aviation 1995

PZL Bielsko SZD 48-2 Jantar Standard 2 VH-IZU

June 2018: has a new home at Narrogin Gliding Club, WA

Single seater SZD 48-2 Jantar Standard 2 VH-IZU

Specifications

  • Span 15.0 m./ 49.2 ft
  • Area 10.66 sq. m. / 113.4 sq.ft.
  • Airfoil PZL NN-8
  • Empty weight 265 kg. / 583 lb.
  • Payload 266 kg. / 586 lb. including water ballast of 150 kg / 330 lb
  • Gross weight 540 kg. / 1,190 lb.
  • Wing loading 50,66 kg. / sq. m. / 10,49 lb. / sq. ft.
  • Structure fiberglass and foam sandwich

Performance

  • L/D max. 40 at 111 km/h / 60 kt / 69 mph
  • Min. sink 0.77 m/s / 2.53 fps / 1.50 kt at 97 km/h / 52 kt / 60 mph

Other

  • Country of origin Poland
  • Designer Adam Kurbiel
  • No. of seats 1
  • No. built about 700

NB: Specifications as for Jantar Standard 3 are listed.