Schempp-Hirth Arcus

Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau · Germany · first flew 2007 · glider

The Schempp-Hirth Arcus is a state-of-the-art two-seat side-by-side glider designed as the spiritual successor to the Janus, offering a glide ratio around 50:1 at 20 metres. It is the definitive modern club touring two-seater.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × none, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.5 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

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Spot it by:

Unpowered sailplane — no engine
Modern side-by-side two-seater with 20m winglets and T-tail
Wide cockpit canopy with panoramic visibility

Identified by the unusually wide and low canopy shared by two pilots seated side-by-side, combined with 20m wings bearing prominent upswept winglets and the Schempp-Hirth T-tail.

Specifications

The Schempp-Hirth Arcus has a length of 8.5 m (28 ft).
It has a wingspan of 20 m (66 ft).
Its maximum speed is 270 km/h (168 mph).
Typical crew: 2 (side-by-side).

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

History

First flown in 2007, the Arcus combined a new carbon-composite airframe with the proven Schempp-Hirth side-by-side concept. It introduced upturned winglets and a refined fuselage that gave markedly better performance than its predecessor. The Arcus M self-launching variant followed.

Variants

The Arcus E has an electric sustainer; the Arcus M (listed separately) is a fully self-launching motor-glider with a retractable engine. Span options of 20m are standard.

Where you'll see it

Operated by touring clubs and private syndicate owners across Europe and the UK; valued for cross-country coaching because both crew share identical flight instruments and views.

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