500 km Triangle at 306 km/hr in Argentina

I just received an e-mail from Argentina that contained the text below.

"Today, Dec 22nd 2006 at 1:00 AM UTC, Klaus Ohlmann called me on the phone
just after landing to let me know he have made a 500 Km flight at 306 km/h
on average in a Nimbus 4DM... this could be the first above 300 km/h and for
far, the fastest glider flight made under FAI rules."

306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots

That is an amazing feat!

Congratulations Mr. Ohlmann!!!

Merry Christmas,

Paul Remde

that is simply amazing.

ive spent about 1000 hours going slower than that with an ENGINE.

Paul Remde wrote:
> I just received an e-mail from Argentina that contained the text below.
>
> "Today, Dec 22nd 2006 at 1:00 AM UTC, Klaus Ohlmann called me on the phone
> just after landing to let me know he have made a 500 Km flight at 306 km/h
> on average in a Nimbus 4DM... this could be the first above 300 km/h and for
> far, the fastest glider flight made under FAI rules."
>
> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
>
> That is an amazing feat!
>
> Congratulations Mr. Ohlmann!!!
>
> Merry Christmas,
>
> Paul Remde

Not bad for a glider with a VNE of 275 km/hr.

On Dec 22, 6:57 pm, "Paul Remde" <p...@remde.us> wrote:
> I just received an e-mail from Argentina that contained the text below.
>
> "Today, Dec 22nd 2006 at 1:00 AM UTC, Klaus Ohlmann called me on the phone
> just after landing to let me know he have made a 500 Km flight at 306 km/h
> on average in a Nimbus 4DM... this could be the first above 300 km/h and for
> far, the fastest glider flight made under FAI rules."
>
> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
>
> That is an amazing feat!
>
> Congratulations Mr. Ohlmann!!!
>
> Merry Christmas,
>
> Paul Remde

At 05:42 23 December 2006, Js wrote:
>
>> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
>>
>> That is an amazing feat!
>>
>Yes, it is.
>Anyone trying to beat that record should be certain
>their parachute is
>in good shape, as the number of wings will likely total
>zero.
>Jim

Does anyone know if his Nimbus 4DM has had special
modifications to increase the vne at altitude, or does
he just not care about operating limitations?

Soarin

Soarin Again wrote:
> At 05:42 23 December 2006, Js wrote:
>>> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
>>>
>>> That is an amazing feat!
>>>
>
> Does anyone know if his Nimbus 4DM has had special
> modifications to increase the vne at altitude, or does
> he just not care about operating limitations?
>
> Soarin


When you are cruising at 20,000' to 30,000', doesn't the effect of
altitude cause IAS to be substantially less than ground speed?

Soarin Again wrote:
> At 05:42 23 December 2006, Js wrote:
>>> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
>>>
>>> That is an amazing feat!
>>>
>> Yes, it is.
>> Anyone trying to beat that record should be certain
>> their parachute is
>> in good shape, as the number of wings will likely total
>> zero.
>> Jim
>
> Does anyone know if his Nimbus 4DM has had special
> modifications to increase the vne at altitude, or does
> he just not care about operating limitations?

306 km/hr true airspeed is 200 to 220 km/hr IAS at the 20000+ foot
altitudes used for these wave flights. Some gliders do require a
reduction in Vne at higher altitudes, but it isn't necessarily the case
that the limitation was exceeded.

Marc

Marc Ramsey wrote:
> Soarin Again wrote:
>> At 05:42 23 December 2006, Js wrote:
>>>> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
>>>>
>>>> That is an amazing feat!
>>>>
>>> Yes, it is.
>>> Anyone trying to beat that record should be certain
>>> their parachute is
>>> in good shape, as the number of wings will likely total
>>> zero.
>>> Jim
>>
>> Does anyone know if his Nimbus 4DM has had special
>> modifications to increase the vne at altitude, or does
>> he just not care about operating limitations?
>
> 306 km/hr true airspeed is 200 to 220 km/hr IAS at the 20000+ foot
> altitudes used for these wave flights. Some gliders do require a
> reduction in Vne at higher altitudes, but it isn't necessarily the case
> that the limitation was exceeded.

If the 4DM follows the protocol used by the Duo (for which I have a
manual), Vne is IAS up to approximately 2500M altitude, then the
equivalent TAS from there up. If Vne for the 4DM is 275 km/hr, the TAS
limitation would be around 310 km/hr.

Greg Arnold wrote:

> When you are cruising at 20,000' to 30,000', doesn't the effect of
> altitude cause IAS to be substantially less than ground speed?

That is indeed true. However, there are aeroelastic concerns (such as
flutter) which may result in a lower indicated vne at high altitude.

Charles

Marc Ramsey wrote:
> Marc Ramsey wrote:
> > Soarin Again wrote:
> >> At 05:42 23 December 2006, Js wrote:
> >>>> 306 km/hr = 190 mph = 165 knots
> >>>>
> >>>> That is an amazing feat!
> >>>>
> >>> Yes, it is.
> >>> Anyone trying to beat that record should be certain
> >>> their parachute is
> >>> in good shape, as the number of wings will likely total
> >>> zero.
> >>> Jim
> >>
> >> Does anyone know if his Nimbus 4DM has had special
> >> modifications to increase the vne at altitude, or does
> >> he just not care about operating limitations?
> >
> > 306 km/hr true airspeed is 200 to 220 km/hr IAS at the 20000+ foot
> > altitudes used for these wave flights. Some gliders do require a
> > reduction in Vne at higher altitudes, but it isn't necessarily the case
> > that the limitation was exceeded.
>
> If the 4DM follows the protocol used by the Duo (for which I have a
> manual), Vne is IAS up to approximately 2500M altitude, then the
> equivalent TAS from there up. If Vne for the 4DM is 275 km/hr, the TAS
> limitation would be around 310 km/hr.

The Vne for the Nimbus 4DM is 285km/h (154 kt). Flutter speeds do not
follow TAS, but actually follow approximately 3/4 the way between IAS
and TAS. So it is possible to fly safely past 300km/h at altitude.

Stefan wrote:
> Greg Arnold schrieb:
>
> > When you are cruising at 20,000' to 30,000', doesn't the effect of
> > altitude cause IAS to be substantially less than ground speed?
>
> Vne goes with TAS, not IAS. But then, as it most probably was a wave
> flight, there most probably was a wind.

Yes, but in a closed course, the wind is a net loss, not a benefit.