Stemme S10
Stemme · Germany · first flew 1986 · light aircraft
An extraordinary self-launching sailplane whose propeller folds away inside an opening nose-cone, combining a 50:1 glide with genuine touring capability.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Enormous 23-metre wings on a side-by-side two-seat fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Nose-cone opens to reveal a folding propeller — engine hidden amidships
- Enormous 23-metre wings on a side-by-side two-seat fuselage
- In gliding flight the nose is perfectly smooth with no visible engine
Span is the giveaway — 23 metres dwarfs club gliders — with a wide side-by-side cockpit, tailwheel undercarriage and T-tail. On the ground or under power, look for the split nose-cone and two-blade folding prop; in soaring flight it looks like a huge, perfectly clean sailplane.
Specifications
- The Stemme S10 has a length of 8.42 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 23 m (75 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
Reiner Stemme's S10 first flew in 1986, solving the motor-glider compromise with a mid-fuselage engine driving a folding propeller through a long shaft; with the prop stowed the nose-cone closes to a perfect sailplane profile. Its 23-metre wings deliver a glide ratio around 50:1.
Variants
The S10-V introduced a variable-pitch prop, and the turbocharged S10-VT with the 115 hp Rotax 914 became the definitive model; the later S12 (Twin Voyager) develops the concept further. Wings fold to under 12 metres for hangarage.
Where you'll see it
A small but devoted band of S10s flies in the UK, prized by wave and expedition pilots who self-launch from sites like Aboyne, Portmoak and the Black Mountains without needing a tug. They also appear on long European touring flights, cruising under power between soaring days.
Related aircraft
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