Sunraysia Gliding Club

Celebrating 60 years!

                           The  Fleet

IS28B-2 VH-GCN

Built in Romania and ordered new form the factory in 1995, the IS28 is the club's primary training two seat aircraft used for ab initio training. The IS28 is also fully aerobatic, featuring positive and negative flaps, and is certified to +5.5 -2.7G. The IS28 is a very safe and reliable training glider, perfectly suited for it's role in our club.

Twin Astir VH-IKU

Twin Astir VH-IKU was acquired from a private owner in Waikerie in 2011.
IKU serves the role as a second training two seater at our club, while offering increased performance over the IS28. It is used for all ab initio and cross country training. This very 'Twin' was the holder of Australian records for both 100 & 200km triangle speed.

LS3a VH-WUQ

The club's performance single seater ordered new from the Rolladen Schneider factory in 1979. The LS3a competes in the 15m class when ballasted and is very competitive in club class when unballasted. The LS3a is a delight to fly and is the ideal cross country and competition glider for our club. This LS3a completed a 1000km flight from our club in 1982.

Astir CS VH-GDJ

Previously owned by a club syndicate, the Sunraysia Gliding Club purchased DJ in 1978. DJ has a 15m wing span and is classified under the Standard glass, having no flaps. DJ is a competitive and reliable cross county glider, ideal for the first conversion from the two seat gliders into the sporting single seaters.

Privately Owned Discus BM VH-ZAR

Schempp-Hirth Discus BM, built in Germany in 1994. Features a retractable Solo engine, allowing self-launching and a climb rate of over 700fpm!

Privately Owned Discus A VH-GSO

Schempp-Hirth Discus A, built in Germany in 1985. Originally owned by the late Janet Hider-Smith, who flew multiple feminine national and continental records in this aircraft. Later purchased and refurbished by Martin Rule.

Privately Owned LS3 VH-GQI

Rolladen-Schneider LS3, built in Germany in 1978. This example differs from the club-owned WUQ mainly with it's full-span flaperons and smaller tail volume, producing slightly different performance and handling characteristics.

Privately Owned LS7 VH-XOW

Pie Cart

Acquired by the Sunraysia Gliding Club this caravan was converted into the strips control centre in 1990. The Pie Cart is moved depending on which strip is in use.

Winch

Originally assembled in 1979, the present day winch was refurnished with several modifications including the updated 360 cubic inch, Chrysler V8 and a modified automatic transmission to deliver the power along an axel to the two winch drums. The winch is designed to launch one aircraft at a time and uses approximately 1.5kms of synthetic compound rope to achieve launch heights of between 1500-2000 feet in approximately 50 seconds.