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SZD 59 Acro
Role	Club Class and aerobatic gliderType of aircraft
National origin	Poland
Manufacturer	Allstar PZL Glider Sp.z o.o.
Designer	Jan Knapik
First flight	9 September 1991
Number built	2 prototypes and 23 or more serial ones
Developed from	PZL Bielsko SZD-48-3 Jantar 3

The SZD-59 Acro is a single-seat glass composite glider for aerobatics and cross-country flying by PZL Allstar of Bielsko-Biała, Poland.

The SZD-59 can be flown with a 13.2m span or a 15.0m span. Attaching or detaching the wing-tips takes only a few minutes. With 15m wing-tips it is a competitive Club Class glider, while it is a competitive aerobatic glider in the 13.2m configuration.

Design and certification

The SZD-59 Acro was derived from the SZD-48-3 Jantar Standard 3 in 1990–91 mainly by Jan Knapik. The fuselage is only a slightly modified version of the one used in the Jantar Standard 3. However, the T-tail has been replaced by a cross-tail with larger rudder and the elevator of the SZD-42-2 Jantar 2.

The design life is 15,000 hours, though at present it is approved for only 4,000 hours of operation. In 15m configuration, the SZD-59 is approved in the utility category of JAR 22 (sailplanes) of the Joint Aviation Authorities, and in the 13.2m configuration it is approved according to the aerobatics category of JAR 22.

Manufacturer

The prototype was first demonstrated during the 1991 FAI World Glider Aerobatic Championships in Zielona Góra. Twelve Acros were built by PZL-Bielsko until the production stopped in 1996 due to economic problems. Allstar PZL Glider Sp. z o.o. in Bielsko-Biała (Poland) restarted production of the SZD-59 Acros in 2004. Currently, it is the only unlimited glider in serial production.

Soaring

With a handicap factor of 100, according to the 2008 handicap list of the Deutscher Aero Club e.V., the SZD-59 in 15m-configuration is a typical Club Class glider. With 15m wing-tips with or without winglets glide performance can be enhanced by increasing its wing loading with up to 150 litres of water ballast, but water ballast is not allowed in the 13.2m configuration.

Aerobatics

In the 13.2m configuration, the SZD-59 is certified for unlimited aerobatics, whereas with the 15m wing-tips only basic aerobatic maneuvers (looping, turn, chandelle, spin) are permitted.

While international aerobatic championships in the unlimited category are dominated by Swift S-1 and MDM-1 Fox, pilots have competed successfully with SZD-59 Acros in national and regional championships. Recently, Wolfgang Kasper placed 4th in the German Nationals 2008.

Specifications in utility configuration

Data from , maximum and maneuver speed according to

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 5.69 in)
• Wingspan: 15.00 m (49 ft 2.55 in)
• Height: 1.50 m (4 ft 11.06 in)
• Wing area: 10.66 m (114.74 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 21.01
• Empty weight: 270 kg (595.24 lb)
• Gross weight: 540 kg (1,190.48 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 265 km/h (164.67 mph, 143.09 kn)
• Stall speed: 82 km/h (50.95 mph, 44.27 kn)
• g limits: +5.3 / -2.65
• Maximum glide ratio: 40 at 124 km/h
• Rate of sink: 0.77 m/s (151.57 ft/min)
• Maneuver speed: 200 km/h
• Water ballast: 150l
• Wing loading range: 31.00-50.70 kg/m

at 540 kg
at 97 km/h

Specifications in aerobatic configuration

Data from , maximum and maneuver speed according to

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 5.69 in)
• Wingspan: 13.20 m (43 ft 3.69 in)
• Height: 1.50 m (4 ft 11.06 in)
• Wing area: 9.80 m (105.49 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 17.80
• Empty weight: 265 kg (585.22 lb)
• Gross weight: 380 kg (837.75 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 285 km/h (177.10 mph, 153.90 kn)
• Stall speed: 74 km/h (45.98 mph, 39.96 kn)
• g limits: +7.00 / -5.00
• Maximum glide ratio: 36 at 115 km/h
• Rate of sink: 0.70 m/s (137.80 ft/min)
• Maneuver speed: 200 km/h
• Water ballast: 0l
• Wing loading range: 33.7-38.8 kg/m

at 380 kg
at 80 km/h

See also

Comparable aerobatic gliders

The aerobatic performance of the SZD-59 13.2m is comparable to:

• Celair GA-1 Celstar
• MDM-1 Fox and Solo-Fox
• Swift S-1
• Cirrus K
• Start & Flug H101 Salto
• Vogt Lo-100

Gliders with comparable cross-country performance

The soaring performance of the SZD-59 15m is comparable to Schleicher ASW 19, Glaser-Dirks DG-100, Rolladen-Schneider LS1f, Glasflügel H206 Hornet, PZL Bialsko Jantar Standard, Grob G102 Standard Astir, Bölkow Phöbus B3, Schempp-Hirth Cirrus/Cirrus VTC 17,74m, Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus 16m, Bölkow Phöbus C1, Akaflieg Darmstadt D37, Akaflieg Braunschweig SB 7, Neukom Elfe 17m, Standard Libelle 17m and the Delphin 1 by Fritz Mahrer.

References

1. ^ Piotr Piechowski: SZD-59 Acro (German) – accessed 2008-02-23
2. ^ Official SZD-59 Acro website – accessed 2008-02-23
3. ^ Technical description of the SZD-59 Acro on SZD's website – accessed 2008-02-23; unavailable 2008-08-06, but equivalent to: Technical description of the SZD-59 Acro on the website of the German dealer (in German) – accessed 2008-08-06
4. ^ SAGA: SZD-59 Acro website (in German) – accessed 2008-02-23
5. ^ British Gliding Association: Segelflugzeug-Kennblatt Nr.: 415 (German) by the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt – accessed 2008-08-05
6. ^ 2008 DAeC Handicap list – accessed 2008-02-23
7. ^ Flight handbook of the SZD-59 Acro
8. FAI World and European Glider Aerobatic Championships – accessed 2008-08-05
9. Results of the German Glider Aerobatic Championships 2008 (unlimited) – accessed 2008-08-02
10. Allstar PZL Glider Sp website
11. calculated from data in Datasheet of the SZD-59 Acro on the SZD-Website – accessed 2008-02-23 – assuming a pilot weight of 55kg and 10kg trim weight
12. Das Projekt "Delphin 1" (German) – accessed 2008-08-05

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