Best Of Both Worlds

摘要

Powered airplanes must land when out of fuel. Sailplanes must land when out of lift. But a motorglider like the Phoenix—ah, the simple, sophisticated genius of it—frees you from the prime shortcomings of both. Motorgliders let you motor up to the lifting air, shut the engine down, feather (streamline) the prop, then soar as long as you want without burning a drop of fuel. At day's end, or if the lift peters out, restart the engine and land...or go hunt for another thermal or wind-facing ridge. Pure heaven! Motorgliders have captivated designers' and pilots' dreams for decades. They free pilots from the confinements of tow planes, winch launches, remote landing retrievals, and the need to stay close to airports on marginal days. There are two basic types: touring motor gliders (TMG) and self-launchers. TMGs compromise between conventional airplanes and sailplanes.