{"id":13556,"date":"2016-12-06T10:25:06","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T09:25:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dg-flugzeugbau.de\/en\/?page_id=13556"},"modified":"2017-01-04T12:17:57","modified_gmt":"2017-01-04T11:17:57","slug":"dg400-dg600-fore-runners-dg800","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/library\/dg400-dg600-fore-runners-dg800","title":{"rendered":"DG-400 und DG-600 – the fore-runners of our DG-800"},"content":{"rendered":"

When a customer wants to buy a used DG-400 or DG-600, we are often asked, what are the special characteristics of these aircraft.\u00a0 For this reason, we would like to make a few remarks about these fore-runners of the DG-808.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A.\u00a0 DG-400:<\/h2>\n

Today the DG-400 is still the most numerous of the flapped models of self launching sailplanes in the world with 280 built.\u00a0 This place of honor is expected to be given up to the DG-800 in the year 2002.\u00a0 The engineering on this model can be called fully developed for its time.\u00a0 The costs of repair may thus be limited.\u00a0 One limitation must however be mentioned:
\nThe Rotax Company does not make the engine anymore.
\nThe airfoil of the DG-400 is somewhat older.\u00a0 It goes back to the DG-200 which was developed in 1977.\u00a0 A 17 meter, carbon fiber version was used in the motorized DG-400.\u00a0 This makes the DG-400 uncompetitive in today’s contests.\u00a0 But for cross country and entry into the flapped motor glider scene it is ideal.\u00a0 The glide angle of 42:1 is still quite good and much of what a DG of today does, the \u0091400 can also do.\u00a0 Especially nice is the large canopy with its good visibility and which affords warm feet for flying in winter and at high altitudes.
\nThe noise limiting techniques used in the \u0091400 are not up to today’s standards.\u00a0 The outside motor is somewhat uncomfortable in loudness but it still is within the limits of the \u0093increased noise standards\u0094 and therefore still usable in Germany.\u00a0 The reason for this is not because the motor is so quiet but rather that the noise measuring point is under the aircraft where it is shielded by the wings.
\nWith respect to the radiation of higher frequencies from the engine down to the ground, a significant improvement can be made through the installation of sound absorbent covering.\u00a0 This has been used by DG for some time.\u00a0 It is well worth it and especially valued by the neighbors of the airport.
\nI flew my DG-400 for six years with great enjoyment but never in the 15 meter configuration.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Simply because it flew better at 17 meters!
\nAt today’s prices for used sailplanes, you can get a lot of glider for your money and often with complete equipment.<\/p>\n

B.\u00a0 DG-600<\/h2>\n

\"\"There are three very different models of the DG-600:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • DG-600\/15 m FAI Class Course ( with winglets)<\/li>\n
  • DG-600\/17 m+ (with attachable tips)<\/li>\n
  • DG-600M<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The airfoil of the DG-600 is much more modern with higher performance than that of the DG-400.\u00a0 It was designed in 1987 and in certain aspects similar to the one used in the DG-800.\u00a0 With one exception:\u00a0 The final choice was between a \u0093conservative\u0094 layout and a second, higher performance design which could present problems during slow flight.\u00a0 The higher performance, thinner airfoil was chosen and the suspected slow flight problem became evident.\u00a0 At least in the 15 meter version, the stick of the DG-600 belonged in the hand of an experienced pilot because when one thermalled too slowly or recentered too often, the climb rate suffered.
    \nAlso the tendency to stall was not up to today’s standards.\u00a0 Because of this, the LBA mandated a \u0093Stall Warning\u0094 placard.\u00a0 These flying characteristics gave the glider a bad name and so it was never a great success.\u00a0 As an indication of how well a DG-600\/15 m can be flown, a new world record was recently flown.\u00a0 (100 km triangle at 182.4 km\/hr).
    \nThe 17 m version with is quite a different story.\u00a0 It has been increased to 18 meters and even winglets can be added at this span.\u00a0 At this larger span and by the winglets the behavior at stall is nearly harmless and significantly more acceptable.\u00a0 The performance at high speed is as good as the DG-800.\u00a0 Only in climb, is the \u0091800 better while retaining good flight characteristics!
    \nA DG-600\/18 m with winglets is, without question, competitive in the 18 meter class.
    \nA new fuselage was developed for the DG-600 with a low drag, narrow waist behind the cockpit.\u00a0 Only minor modification of this fuselage was made when it was adapted to the DG-800S.\u00a0 In order to mount a motor in the DG-600, a very small, one cylinder Rotax engine was used.\u00a0 The resulting DG-600M was capable of self launching but with only 25 Hp, the rate of climb is pretty slim.\u00a0 Because of the motor’s small size, the noise level measurements were also low when it flew over the measuring point giving a value within the German \u0093ordinary noise level\u0094 definition.\u00a0 Certain restrictions on weekends apply.
    \nIn conclusion, a DG-600M can be bought for less money than a DG-808B and you get a glider with similar flight performance which can self launch off longer runways and get home when the thermals quit.
    \nThe wing moulds for the DG-600 were destroyed in a fire at the factory in 1992 so only 112 units were built.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    When a customer wants to buy a used DG-400 or DG-600, we are often asked, what are the special characteristics of these aircraft.\u00a0 For this reason, we would like to make a few remarks about these fore-runners of the DG-808. A.\u00a0 DG-400: Today the DG-400 is still the most numerous of the flapped models of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":13414,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_trash_the_other_posts":false,"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13556"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13556"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13556\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14069,"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13556\/revisions\/14069"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dg-aviation.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}