DG–808S Competition Sailplane

Flight Notes— how to fly the DG-808S
Soaring (tow planes, thermals, and ridge lift)

The DG-808S Competition is a lightweight, high-performance sailplane constructed with composite materials. Manufactured by DG Flugzeugbau GmbH in Bruchsal, Germany, it is the latest in a line of gliders built over the last thirty years. It features a sophisticated water ballast system that allows the pilot to tailor wing loading to prevailing weather conditions.

In weak thermals, the large surface area of the sailplane's 59-foot (18-meter) wingspan makes for high lift and good climb performance without ballast. In heavier weather, the DG-808S Competition's combination of low weight and high strength allows it to take off at more than twice its empty weight with enough ballast to soar in strong thermals. In all conditions, its upswept winglets increase the sailplane's already excellent glide ratio. These advanced features make the DG-808S Competition a winning performer under a larger variety of conditions than most of its competitors.

Specifications


U.S. Metric
Maximum Speed 146 knots (168 mph) 270 km/h
Engine none
Glide Ratio 50 to 1
Empty Weight 578 pounds 262 kilograms
Maximum Gross Weight 1,321 pounds 600 kilograms
Length 22 feet, 6 inches 6.86 meters
Height 4 feet, 6.5 inches 1.39 meters
Wingspan 59 feet 18 meters
Wing Area 127.1 square feet 11.81 square meters
Aspect Ratio 27.43
Maximum Sink 92 ft/min .047 m/sec
Seating 1
Useful Load 743 pounds 338 kilograms