Ogar Motor Glider Information Request

[10066...@compuserve.com]

I have the opportunity of taking a share in an Ogar motor glider. I would
dearly like some independent information regarding this aircraft which is
not well known in the UK.

My first port of call was the local library, for a book called "Janes World
Sailplanes and Motor Gliders". Unfortunately, not only is the book only
available in some far flung corner of the county, it is reserved for the next
month at least. If there is anybody out there who can:

a) provide me with a photocopy of the relevant pages, and/or
b) offer some first hand advice regarding its flying characteristics ...

...I would be very grateful. Unless you have something of general interest,
please respond privately to:

ala...@supvax.sls.co.uk

Alan Jackson, Bristol, UK

[Mark Emmer]

Hi Alan,

I have no first-hand knowledge of the Ogar's flight characteristics, but did
investigate buying one about two years ago. Some specs from Soaring's
1983 Sailplane Directory:

Ogar SZD-45
-----------
Specifications:
Span: 57.4 feet
Area: 213.9 feet
Aspect Ratio: 15.5
Airfoil: Wortmann FX 61-168/FX 60-1261
Empty Weight: 1054 lbs.
Payload: 486 lbs.
Wing Loading: 7.1 lbs/sq. ft.
Structure: fiberglass pod with aluminum tail boom; wood wings with
fiberglass laminate surface, pusher prop.
Performance:
L/D max: 27.5 @ 60 mph
Min. sink: 3.05 fps
6-fps sink @ 82 mph
Other:
No. built: about 60
No. active in US: 35
Commentary for directory listing:
The Polish Ogar features sailplane rigging, soaring capability and
staggered side-by-side two-place seating. The U.S. import is powered
with a dual-ignition, turbocharged, 75-hp Revmaster 2100D, and uses a
two-position propeller, making it a good ship for cross-country flying.
Basic aerobatics are approved. Experimental category.

My comments:
There's an Ogar sitting nearby in the local shop, that came in for extensive
repair due to dry rot in the wings. The pod looks like the sleek cockpit of
a Caproni. The boom configuration out to the tail is considerably less
attractive.

I spoke with a commercial operator in Washington state that had owned one
in the early 1980's, and he warned me of several items:

1. Because of the configuration of a single main wheel and wingtip wheels,
taxiing was a bear. It wanted to crab along sideways, scuffing and wearing
the tire considerably. I would be concerned about ground handling if you did
not have wide runways.

2. The turbo-charged engine in the pusher configuration was prone to overheating.
He was always setting valves or replacing burned parts. When I looked at the
logbooks of the ship in the shop, I saw that about every 200 to 250 hours it was
down for either a burned exhaust valve or a broken exhaust pipe.

3. Hangering such a large ship was going to be expensive. Rigging and derigging
such a large wing did not seem like a viable option.

The Ogar looked like a relatively inexpensive way to be free of towplanes, but
I concluded it wasn't worth the hassles.

Mark Emmer
Salida, Colorado

[Raul Blacksten]

I would suggest that you try to contact:

[Raul Blacksten]

I suggest that you contact:

Tony Morris
Ashbourne House
Marsh Gibbon
Bicester, Oxon OX6 0HW
England

Ph: 0868-277234

He collects information on Polish aircraft. I know he collects
photos of them because I have sent him some photos of Polish
gliders here in Southern California. I have not had any
contact with him since I got back from England last year, but I
have never met him. I intended to when I was in country, but
did not have the chance. Seems a nice, as you Brits would say,
"bloke."

If Tony cannot help you himself, he should be able to tell you
where to find information.

Personally, I have seen an Ogar as one is based about 30 miles
from where I soar and it has landed at my field, but I have
never flown one. The owner thinks it is a great glider though.
Seems nice to me.

Raul Blacksten

[Raul Blacksten]

I am new to this Internet. Did you get my whole message? If
not, I will repeat it.

You should contact:

Tony Morris
Ashbourne House
Marsh Gibbon
Bicester, Oxon OX6 0HW
England

Ph: 0869-277234

Tony collects information on Polish aircraft. I have sent him

photos of Polish gliders here in Southern California. I have

not met Tony, but as you Brits would say, he seems "a nice
bloke." I intended to meet him when I was in England last year
for the Vintage Glider Club's International Rally but I ran out
of time.

Personally, I have seen an Ogar but never flown one. Seems a
nice aircraft. The owner really likes it. It is based at an
airport about 30 miles from where I soar, and has landed at my
gliderport a few times.

Good Luck!

Raul Blacksten

[L. Staryszak]

I have some experience with Ogar, about 3 years of flying, 40 hours mainly
xcontry and in clouds ( cu ), so:

Mark Emmer (Mark....@internetMCI.com) wrote:

: I spoke with a commercial operator in Washington state that had owned one

: in the early 1980's, and he warned me of several items:

: 1. Because of the configuration of a single main wheel and wingtip wheels,
: taxiing was a bear. It wanted to crab along sideways, scuffing and wearing
: the tire considerably. I would be concerned about ground handling if you did
: not have wide runways.

I had no such a problem with taxi, start and landings, even when we had
grass about 40 cm high, but than I had man to grab wing tip.
The only problem was that starts are rather long something about 500 m and
landings about 200 m.

: 2. The turbo-charged engine in the pusher configuration was prone to overheating.

: He was always setting valves or replacing burned parts. When I looked at the
: logbooks of the ship in the shop, I saw that about every 200 to 250 hours it was
: down for either a burned exhaust valve or a broken exhaust pipe.

we are using limbach 1700ccm, it is important to look on temperature meter,
I had never overheated engine and we have no problems with any valves or
pipes. But you have to be patient because the temperature limited
performance of ship. I mean that in warm days you MUST fly over 100 km/h
but 120 is enogh in every weather, and the climbing ratio in this speeds is
smaller, you should expect 1.5-2.0 m/s climbing just after take-off and than
about 1.0 m/s.

: 3. Hangering such a large ship was going to be expensive. Rigging and derigging

: such a large wing did not seem like a viable option.

that's right

: The Ogar looked like a relatively inexpensive way to be free of towplanes, but

: I concluded it wasn't worth the hassles.

: Mark Emmer
: Salida, Colorado

I think that for recreational flying Ogar is OK, x-country OK, as glider....
I was flying with no engine and it has some L/D , speeds in thermals
about 100-110, min sink rate over 1m/s

if you need some more details, please, let me know
regards
Leszek

[Owen Beattie]

Though this may have come up in earlier messages on this topic, I know of
an Ogar that has been fully restored and is currently operating (i.e.
actually flying) out of the Edmonton Soaring Club in Alberta, Canada.
Their telephone number is: 403-363-3860; address: Box No. 472, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada T5J 2K1

[SOAR CJ]

ogar motorglider for sale at lake elsinore soaring club california e mail
me back and I will get the telephone number for you. Don't have it right
now.
soar cj