Schempp-Hirth Discus

The Schempp-Hirth Discus is a Standard Class sailplane produced by Schempp-Hirth between 1984 and 1995. It replaced the Standard Cirrus. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus.

Studies had long shown that the leading edge of the ideal wing should be a crescent shaped in plan view and so an approximation of this shape was adopted for the Discus, though to keep production costs down, the actual shape of the leading edge near the tips is more angular. The wing section was also new. Winglets were only available towards the end of the production run, though many have been retro-fitted. The fuselage and tail were adapted from the Schempp-Hirth Ventus. A version with a narrow fuselage is called the Discus A and the wider fuselage version is called the B. All control connections are made automatically during rigging.

The design was so successful that the Discus dominated world gliding championships until the mid-1990s. The best measured glide ratio is 42.5:1. However its high performance causes no vices, its handling being well within the capabilities of inexperienced pilots, though it picks up speed rapidly and imperceptably. Fortunately, its powerful air-brakes greatly reduce the chances of overshooting when landing in confined spaces.

Over 850 Discuses had been built by 2004. Even after the Schempp-Hirth Discus 2 was launched, many Discuses have continued to be built under licence by Orlican in the Czech Republic with the designation Discus CS. Some Discuses are fitted with small sustaining engines (turbos) and are designated Discus T.

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• Specifications of Schempp-Hirth gliders