Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2

Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau · Germany · first flew 1993 · glider

The Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 is a single-seat 18m-class competition glider with a glide ratio approaching 50:1, widely regarded as one of the finest all-round high-performance sailplanes. Its predecessors include the original Ventus which won the 1983 World Championships.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × none, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	Very clean fuselage with butterfly-style airbrakes
T — Tail	T-tail

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Spot it by:

Unpowered sailplane — no engine
18m single-seater with swept T-tail and small winglets
Very clean fuselage with butterfly-style airbrakes

Identified by the T-tail with swept horizontal stabiliser, small upturned winglets, and the characteristic broad-chord Schempp-Hirth butterfly airbrakes. Slimmer fuselage than the Discus-2.

Specifications

The Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 has a length of 6.75 m (22 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18 m (59 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 Ventus lineage began in 1980 with the original 15m Ventus; the Ventus-2 first flew in 1993, introducing the 18m wing with optional 15m tips. It incorporated lessons from Schempp-Hirth's Open-class Nimbus programme and became a benchmark for 18m-class design.

Variants

Available as the 15m Ventus-2a, 18m Ventus-2b, and Ventus-2c with a longer 18m wing and self-launching Ventus-2cM and Ventus-2cx electric variants.

Where you'll see it

Extensively flown in UK BGA competitions and private cross-country touring; the Ventus-2 regularly appears at national championships and has set numerous UK speed triangles.

Related aircraft

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