With the new 18m wingspan Antares 18S and Antares 18T Lange Aviation offers the perfect sailplane for an 18m class cross country pilot with ambitions. All relevant parameters have been fine tuned for fast cross country flying.
The Antares 18S is a pure glider, while the Antares 18T comes equipped with a two stroke self sustainer engine. All Antares 18 come equipped with an engine bay, which means that retrofitting a self sustained engine can be done anytime.
By designing uncompromisingly for 18m wingspan, a perfectly balanced aerodynamic design with a novel wing outline could be realised. Aerodynamically, this wing represents the state of the art for 18m wings without active laminar flow control control, achieveing the lowest induced drag which is theoretically possible.
The two level water ballast system with separate wing and trim tanks allows for wing loadings up to 54.7 kg/m2 (11.2 lb/ft2 ), currently the highest value found in the 18m class. Even fully loaded does the Antares 18S/T climb well in narrow and turbulent thermal bubbles.
The flaps have been equipped with an extra negative flap setting (-3°), which has been designed especially for speeds beyond 200 km/h (108 knots).
These factors together with the high aspect ratio elliptical wing geometry of the Antares 18S/T allow for superior glide speeds at lower sink rates than have ever been achieved in the 18m class.
The cleverly designed ergonomic safety cockpit reduces fatigue during long flights. The cockpit can be adjusted to fit almost every pilot optimally. The cockpit also sets new standards in the area of safety, utilizing predefined energy absorbing structures, a super strong survival space, and a large 5” wheel with a disk brake, schock absorbers and energy absorbtion elements.
The Antares 18S/T shares more than 97% of its parts with the Antares 20E, which flew already in 2004. This means that most of the aircraft had already been thouroughly tested when the Antares 18S made its maiden flight 05.28.2006.
If you are interrested in getting up close and personal with the Antares 18S/T, then do not hesitate to make an appointment for a test flight at Lange Aviation.
The Antares 18S/T:
- Optimal soaring performance
- Highly sensitive controls and exceptional handling
- An extremely variable cockpit through a multitude of adjustment options
- Safety and comfort
- Proven motorization, simple interface (Antares 18T only)
- Last but not least: A very elegant aircraft
Antares 18S/T: A dream takes flight.