Schleicher ASW 15

The Schleicher ASW 15 is a single-seat sailplane designed in 1968 by Gerhard Waibel and manufactured by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. The ASW 15 has shoulder-mounted wings and an all-flying tailplane, with its single tow-release placement a compromise between winching and aerotowing. The later ASW 15B had several improvements, including a tow-release placed on the plane of symmetry, an 11 cm taller rudder, a slightly larger main wheel, and the provision of a 90-litre water ballast system.

Rot due to fungus infestation was found in an early example, leading to an Airworthiness Directive. Starting with serial number 356, balsa wood was abandoned in the construction in favour of synthetic foam.

In 1971 and 1972, the American pilot Karl Striedieck set world out-and-return distance soaring records three times flying an ASW 15, including one flight of 1009.854 km on October 15, 1972.

It was succeeded by the Schleicher ASW 19.

Variants

 * ASW 15:Original production version incorporating balsa / fibre-glass sandwich wing construction. Built to pre 1970 Standard class rules the ASW 15 had non-retracting recessed mainwheel and no provision for water ballast; 183 built.
 * ASW 15B:Second production version with glass-fibre / foam construction, retractable mainwheel and 90 kg water ballast tanks; 270 built.
 * ASW 15M:One ASW 15 converted to a motor-glider powered by a 300 cc 22 kW Wankel KM-27 rotary engine, with a 20 L fuel tank at an empty equipped weight of 288 kg

Aircraft on display

 * US Southwest Soaring Museum