Scheibe SF 36

Scheibe Flugzeugbau · Germany · first flew 1980 · light aircraft

The Scheibe SF 36 is a single-seat German motorglider designed to combine soaring capability with the independence of a self-launching engine. Its long high-aspect-ratio wing gives good glide performance while the small engine allows takeoff without a tow.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.18 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

German motorglider with high-aspect-ratio high wing
Self-launching glider with small engine for independence
Typical Scheibe tubular steel and fabric construction

Identified by its very long high-aspect-ratio wing with pronounced taper, small fuselage-mounted engine, and the general appearance of a powered sailplane rather than a conventional light aircraft.

Specifications

The Scheibe SF 36 has a length of 7.18 m (24 ft).
It has a wingspan of 16.38 m (54 ft).
Its maximum speed is 230 km/h (143 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Produced by Scheibe Flugzeugbau in Bavaria, a manufacturer with a long tradition of gliders and motorgliders dating to the 1950s, the SF 36 continued the company's line of practical self-launching designs. It was built in modest numbers for the German and export gliding markets.

Variants

Minor equipment variants were available; the type was closely related to other Scheibe motorgliders of the period.

Where you'll see it

Operated by gliding clubs and private owners in Germany and across Europe; examples remain airworthy on gliding registers.

Related aircraft

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