Rolladen-Schneider LS8
Rolladen-Schneider · Germany · first flew 1994 · light aircraft
One of the most successful Standard Class racing sailplanes ever built, flown to multiple world championships since its 1994 first flight.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.66 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unpowered sailplane — no engine
- Clean-lined Standard Class single-seater with winglets as standard
- Slim tapered 15-metre wing (18-metre tips optional) and T-tail
A very clean single-seater with a straight-tapered wing, standard winglets and a T-tail. It lacks the curved, swept leading edge of the Discus-2 and the flaps of the LS6; from the LS4 it is told by its winglets and more modern cockpit lines.
Specifications
- The Rolladen-Schneider LS8 has a length of 6.66 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 280 km/h (174 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The LS8 flew in 1994 as Rolladen-Schneider's answer to the Discus, pairing the LS6's fuselage with a new unflapped wing of extraordinary efficiency. It dominated Standard Class championships in the late 1990s and about 544 were built, with production passing to DG Flugzeugbau after Rolladen-Schneider's collapse.
Variants
The LS8-a and LS8-b are the core 15-metre versions; the LS8-18 and LS8-s add 18-metre tip extensions, and DG later offered the LS8-t with a sustainer engine. Winglets are standard across the range.
Where you'll see it
A mainstay of UK competition gliding — LS8s fill Standard Class and Club Class handicapped grids at BGA nationals and regionals, and many are privately owned at clubs like Lasham, Booker and Gransden Lodge. Its benign handling also makes it a popular first racing glider.
Related aircraft
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