No doubt this is aided by Alisport’s efforts to keep the Silent light, at less than 300 pounds empty.Īlisport uses a counterbalanced single-blade prop for efficiency-a lone blade passes through air undisturbed by other blades-but the company has another motivation. Ground roll was surprisingly short, and climb was healthy. When I first saw the Silent fly in a French airshow, I was amazed that the single-cylinder engine and its distinctive single-blade prop launched and ascended with such energy. Of all the ultralight motorgliders reviewed here, the Silent is perhaps the best known because Italian producer Alisport has brought its elegant creation to shows such as Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture Oshkosh. Shipping and crating add to the delivered cost. Priced at about $25,000 ready to fly, the Graal competes well in this aviation segment. Though it’s the second heaviest of our four models at just under 400 pounds, it is easily carried by its 49-foot wingspan. The design also achieves a sink rate of only 160 fpm. With a claimed 40:1 glide ratio, the Graal is the performance leader of our four subject aircraft. Once the engine has been shut down for soaring flight and has time to cool, a door over the exhaust port can be closed for maximum aerodynamic cleanliness. The Graal’s engine is mounted permanently inside the fuselage. A tailwheel is streamlined in the bottom of an extended rudder. Like the Excel, the Graal’s propeller folds to streamline when powered down for soaring flight. His artistic Graal, made of an exotic combination of molded wood and carbon fiber, looks like nothing else I’ve seen.Ĭoupled with its distinctive construction, the Graal features a propeller situated aft of the tailplane. Max Barel seems as much artist as motorglider designer. (This aspect is common to all motorgliders.) The Excel is also the heaviest of the ultralight motorgliders in this column with a 418-pound empty weight. American pilots could operate it with an FAA motorglider rating, which does not require a medical. The engine is mostly faired by the fuselage aft of the pilot, so it doesn’t involve retract complexity.Įxcel sells for $32,000 in ready-to-fly form and is available as a kit for $22,000, excluding shipping. The Excel is designed for a single-cylinder engine equipped with a folding prop that streamlines itself automatically when the engine is shut down for soaring flight. These two measurements are important for any soaring aircraft and the Excel’s results position it between hang gliders (at about 15:1) and full-size sailplanes that can achieve 60:1 glides. With a wingspan of 45 feet, this is a serious soaring machine, boasting a glide ratio of 30:1 and a sink rate of 150 fpm. The newer Excel returns to a lighter, somewhat simpler design but reveals its ancestry by incorporating the best features of the earlier models. Noins also produces the Choucas model, a two-seat trainer, and the company formerly made the Sirius, a single-place. The Excel was so well received that delivery times initially jumped to one year. Based in beautiful Tallard in the French Alps, Noins is revered by French soaring pilots. One of the newest of the breed is the Excel from France’s Noins Aeronautiques Alpaero. Like their larger siblings, these efficient designs can also cruise under power respectably well, giving them broader appeal than pure gliders. However, at $20-$30,000 ready-to-fly, a clean self-launching soaring aircraft is more affordable. Those who can afford them are surely thrilled with such beautiful machines, but most of us can’t spend that kind of money regardless of their superb performance. While America has the lovely Esprit from Aero Dovron, our soaring friends across the Atlantic continue to lead this specialized market.įull-size (higher-weight) motorgliders start at more than $100,000 and can surpass $200,000. Ultralight motorgliders are as rare as hen’s teeth in the U.S., but Europe is blessed with several choices that nicely complement high-end, high-priced full-size motorgliders. The ultralight motorglider evolution continues in Europe. for some years before Belgium-based Aeriane bought the rights to manufacture it for the European market. The flying-wing Motor Swift is a California design built in the U.S.
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