Gliders with engines do exist. They are called motor gliders and are essentially fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with ...

So instead of outfitting their high-performance sailplane with an electric or small piston motor, they’ve attached a jet engine that folds neatly into the fuselage. Traditional sailplanes have ...

Explore the engineering behind high-performance gliders designed for icy terrain. These advanced machines combine aerodynamics, lightweight materials, and rugged construction to navigate extreme ...

Large, high-performance Open-class sailplanes sport wingspans from 18m/59 ft to 30.5m/100 ft and a price of $100,000 to $200,000 (USD) or more. Smaller, more moderately priced sailplanes compete in ...

Building a better hang glider. Says Wehren: “In 2006 we had only the intention to build a foot-launchable glider for our own flying, without any plan to produce it. The xxtherm1 was designed the ...

Despite its extraordinary mission, Perlan 2’s dimensions—33 feet long and 84 feet in wingspan—make it a large glider, but not the largest, similar in size to other high-performance gliders.

A day at the races Many sailplane pilots enjoy racing their aircraft in local, regional, and national competitions, each of which can draw up to 60 gliders in several different classes.

The filming of a TV commercial turned fatal when a high-performance glider, being towed aloft by a Cadillac Escalade, crashed and killed its pilot. The dead man's estate is now suing, alleging ...

So instead of outfitting their high performance sailplane with an electric or small piston motor, they’ve attached a jet engine that folds neatly into the fuselage. Traditional sailplanes have ...