GW-7
Role Glider
National origin United States
Designer Gene Whigham
First flight 1987
Status No longer in production
Number built one

The Whigham GW-7 is an American mid-wing, single-seat, 15 metre class glider that was designed and constructed by Gene Whigham, a retired Convair flight test engineer.[1][2]

Design and development

Whigham's last glider design was the GW-7. The aircraft was completed and first flew in 1987.[1][2]

The GW-7 is of all metal construction, has a 15 m (49.2 ft) wing span and employs a NASA NLF(1)-0215F airfoil. The flaps and ailerons are interconnected. The flaps travel +/-10° in normal flight in concert with the ailerons and then can be deployed to 60° for glidepath control on landing.[1][3]

Only one GW-7 was constructed and it was registered with the Federal Aviation Administration as an Experimental - Amateur-built.[2]

Operational history

In July 2011 the sole GW-7 built was still on the FAA registry and owned by Donald Macey of Fallon, Nevada.[2]

Specifications (GW-7)

Data from Sailplane Directory[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wingspan: 49 ft 3 in (15.0 m)
  • Wing area: 92 sq ft (8.5 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 27:1
  • Airfoil: NASA NLF(1)-0215F
  • Empty weight: 333 lb (151 kg)
  • Gross weight: 532 lb (241 kg)

Performance

  • Maximum glide ratio: 39:1 at 48 mph (77 km/h)
  • Rate of sink: 110 ft/min (0.56 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 5.78 lb/sq ft (28.2 kg/m2)

See also

Related lists

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Activate Media (2006). "GW-7 Whigham". Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Federal Aviation Administration (July 2011). "Make / Model Inquiry Results N6198". Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  3. ↑ Lednicer, David (2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
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