Ventus 'RW'

The Ventus C is a 15/117.6 Meter Carbon Fiber Racing Class Sailplane. In the 15 mt version it has a measured 43:1 L/D @ 57 kts, and with the 17.6 mt tips it is measured at 48:1 @ 51 kts. Amazingly at 100 kts it is still around 30:1 in both configs, approximately 393 fpm sink, with the 15 mt version having better numbers than the 17.6 mt version above 100 kts.

It can carry 45 Gallons of water ballast, approximately 400 lbs in the wings which increases all those numbers about 15% faster...It has a 720 Channel Radio, 22 Cubic Foot Oxygen system, Cambridge L-Nav glide computer/ GPS datalogger with Moving Map PDA running Chip Garners Glide Nav II Racing software, it has a back up mechanical Sage Vario.

This is an interesting Ventus in that it started it's life 21 years ago as a Ventus B model. Apparently the first owner was taking the glider apart next to a road in windy conditions when they lost there grip and a wing flipped up and onto the road where a semi subsequently ran it over! He pleaded with the insurance comp and got a set of new "C" wings! They have Spoilers instead of trailing edge dive brakes (nasty) and they have more dihedral making it more stable while thermaling. The new wing also has a fuselage fairing instead of butting up against the side of the fuselage. the wings are only 9 years old instead of 21!

The trailer is 20 years old too and has some history. It originally belonged to Hannes Linkes LS-6 "66" until he had a terrible accident that almost took his life about 5 years ago. That left his trailer up for bid because the glider was a total loss. The second owner then bought the Comet trailer for this aircraft.

There you have it, history 101 of the current 'RW'.