Schleicher ASH 25
The ASH 25 is a two-seater high performance Open Class glider manufactured by Alexander Schleicher from 1986 until September 2008, originally with a 25 metre wingspan. It was superseded in production by the ASH 30.
| ASH 25 | |
|---|---|
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| Role | Open Class sailplane | 
| National origin | Germany | 
| Manufacturer | Schleicher | 
| Designer | Martin Heide | 
| First flight | 1986 | 
| Produced | 1986-2004[1] | 
| Number built | 266[2] | 
| Developed from | Schleicher ASW 22 | 
Design and development
    
In 1984, designer Martin Heide (the 'H' in the type designation) combined the wing of the World Championship winning single-seater Schleicher ASW 22[3] with a fuselage derived from the Akaflieg Stuttgart fs31 which had particularly low drag. The prototype was designated AS 22-2.[4]: 2 [5] The span was increased in later versions to 25.6 or 26 metres with winglets.
A 'turbo' version was also developed, the ASH 25E, followed by the self-launching ASH 25 Mi with a large retractable propeller and a Wankel engine.
Variants
    
- ASH 25
 - A 25m Open class glider, 25.6m or 26m wingspan when fitted with option winglets.
 - ASH 25E
 - Self-sustaining version with a 24 hp Rotax 275 engine
 - ASH 25M
 - Self-launching version with a 60 hp AE50R engine. Both the ASH 25 and ASH 25E can be converted to the ASH 25M by the manufacturer.
 - ASH 25 Mi
 - Self-launching version with a 60 hp IAE50R-AA engine. The ASH 25, ASH 25E and ASH 25M can be converted to the ASH 25Mi by the manufacturer.
 - ASH 25J
 - Self-launching version with a jet engine
 - ASH 25EB
 - Self-launching version with a Rotax 535C engine, 27m wingspan and one-piece canopy
 - ASH 25EB/28
 - Self-launcher with one-piece canopy and 28m wingspan
 
Specifications (with 25.6 metre wings)
    
Data from Specifications for ASH 25 / ASH 25 Mi[4]: 4
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
 - Length: 8.97 m (29 ft 5 in)
 - Wingspan: 25.6 m (84 ft 0 in)
 - Height: 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
 - Wing area: 16.5 m2 (178 sq ft)
 - Aspect ratio: 39.8
 - Airfoil: root:HQ 17; tip:DU 84-132/V3
 - Empty weight: 478 kg (1,054 lb)
 - Max takeoff weight: 750 kg (1,653 lb)
 - Water ballast: 120 l (32 US gal; 26 imp gal)
 
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 280 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn)
 - Maximum glide ratio: ca. 60:1
 - Rate of sink: 0.42 m/s (83 ft/min)
 
References
    
- "ASH 25 (english)". Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
 -  "Dipl.-Ing. Martin Heide has retired". Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019. 
..was manufactured by Schleicher in a number of versions for almost 20 years, productions was stopped in 2004 with serial number 266
 -  Johnson, Richard (May 1988). "A Flight Test Evaluation of the ASH 25" (PDF). Soaring. New Mexico, USA: Soaring Society of America, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2003. Retrieved 3 August 2014. 
...the single seated ASW-22 from which the ASH-25 was derived.
 - "Specification ASH 25 / ASH 25 Mi (english)" (PDF). Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau. July 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
 - "AS 22-2 (english)". Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
 
Further reading
    
- Simons, Martin (2005). Sailplanes 1965–2000 (2nd revised ed.). Königswinter: EQIP Werbung und Verlag G.m.b.H. ISBN 978-3-9808838-1-8.
 - Thomas, Fred (November 5, 1999). Milgram, Judah (ed.). Fundamentals of sailplane design (3rd ed.). College Park, MD: College Park Press. ISBN 978-0966955309.
 
External links
    
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Schleicher ASH 25. | 
