DG808 Performance Data

[rlink 0]

I have been flying the DG808S glider a lot lately in FSX. But now I would like to fly it a little more intelligently. Does anyone know where I could find performance data (like a Pilot Operating Handbook) online for this aircraft? I did find a limited amount of performance data at the DG website, but I don't know if this data bears any relation to the aircraft in FSX. I would like like to find the reference speeds for the aircraft (Vso, Vs1, Vfe, Vne, etc) as well as best L/D speed, minimum sink speed, best speed-to-fly, etc for both the ballasted and non-ballasted aircraft and different flap positions.

Also, I notice in the FSX version of the DG808 that there are more flap settings above the flap actuator handle - even negative flap settings - than you can actually move the flaps to in FSX. Does anyone know if one can move the flaps to more settings? And if I set the flap actuator handle to the most forward position, is this 0 degrees flaps, or -14 degrees flaps? So far I have only been able to move the flaps to 4 positions and I would love to find out what all 4 of those positions actually relate to. I would love to use the negative flap settings, if they work in the FSX version of the aircraft.

Thanks for your help...

Randy L.

"When making an emergency off-field landing at night

turn on the landing light just before touchdown.

If you don't like what you see, then turn off the landing light."

[sf4JC 1]

I haven't flown the DG808S for a long time now, but I was under the impression that the flaps worked in both directions. If I have time tomarrow, I'll see if this holds true. Right now I'm on my laptop, so I cannot varify this.

sf4JC

[sf4JC 1]

Yep, they work on my computer. Here is a demonstration of it

. The most forward position is the -14 I would assume.

sf4JC

[Peter Lürkens 30]

At least the vario of the FSX-DG808 is cheating you. If you take a stop watch and look at the real altitude by Shift-Z you will find out that the sink at 60 kn IAS/63 kn TAS is at 1.6 kn (in 3000 ft, flaps +4, 15°C, QNH 1013) which results into L/D of only 41 while the "DG808-vario" reads -0.4 kn which is according to the "Training-Center" the speed of the thermal updraft shown by a "comepnsated vario" (BTW, the first I looked into it for the DG).

As this is the 18m version, the real DG808S has approximately 1:50 at 60kn/110 km/h IAS and 1220 lb/525 kg. Minimum sink is 0.47 m/s at 41 kn/75 km/h _and_ 790 lbs/340kg.

best regards,

Peter

[rlink 0]

Yep, they work on my computer. Here is a demonstration of it

. The most forward position is the -14 I would assume.

sf4JC

Hi sf4JC,

The flap settings in the FSX DG808 are printed next to the flap actauator handle on the side of the cockpit. The scale for the flap settings reads "L, 8, 5, 0, -10, -14". However, the simulator only allows you to move the flap lever in four positions. It looks to me like it moves to "L, 8, 0, -10, -14". I still think that one cannot move the flaps to all of the indicated flap settings, but it's no big deal. As long as I can move the flaps downward, and upward then I'm happy. Now I really am confused about something. Are negative flap settings ones where the flaps trailing edge are postioned above the wing chord line? I'm curious because in the pre takeoff checklist for the DG808 it says to place the flaps in the "takeoff position (+13 degrees)". A positive 13-degree flap position would be extended all the way down, wouldn't it? I have never heard of areo-towing a glider with the flaps extended all the way down. The only time that I have ever areo-towed a glider that had flaps (a Blanik L-13) the flaps were set at 0 during takeoff and all through the tow. But again, I have never flown a really high-performance glider like the DG808. I would think that the extra drag of the fully extended flaps wouldn't be a good thing on takeoff. But then again it would tend to pitch the nose of the glider down for better visibility of the tow plane.

By the way, I did find the performance data for the FSX DG808S... right where I should have looked to begin with - the kneeboard! It has both checklists and performance data. I created my own checklist and performance data sheet with MS Word using this data, as I have created original checklists for all of my FS9 and FSX aircraft that I fly the most. I like to have a printed checklist so that I don't have to have a window open while I am flying.

Although I have never flown a DG808, I have logged about 120 hours in various and assorted sailplanes. Most of my time has been in Schweizer aircraft. And I have my license for both single engine airplanes and gliders. I must say that flying MSFS is much cheaper. I appreciate your reply, and the link to the video. Take care...

Randy L.

[rlink 0]

At least the vario of the FSX-DG808 is cheating you. If you take a stop watch and look at the real altitude by Shift-Z you will find out that the sink at 60 kn IAS/63 kn TAS is at 1.6 kn (in 3000 ft, flaps +4, 15°C, QNH 1013) which results into L/D of only 41 while the "DG808-vario" reads -0.4 kn which is according to the "Training-Center" the speed of the thermal updraft shown by a "comepnsated vario" (BTW, the first I looked into it for the DG).

As this is the 18m version, the real DG808S has approximately 1:50 at 60kn/110 km/h IAS and 1220 lb/525 kg. Minimum sink is 0.47 m/s at 41 kn/75 km/h _and_ 790 lbs/340kg.

best regards,

Peter

Hi Peter,

I noticed at the DG web site that they had performance data listed for 2 different versions of the 18-meter DG808S. One version had winglets, the other didn't. I noticed that the 18-meter version with the winglets had a slightly better L/D than the one without the winglets. I wonder if Microsoft modeled the winglet version for FSX, but used the performance data from the version without the winglets? That sounds like something that Microsoft might do.

Randy L.

[sf4JC 1]

Yep again, only 4 positions. I must have missed that portion of your post when I went through it the first time. Sorry about that.

If I remember right when real life R/C gliding, if you had the negative flap position, you would set it to that on takeoff from a wench launch. Not sure if that helps any. Just thinking about it, I may be wrong on that.

sf4JC

[Peter Lürkens 30]

Hi Peter,

I noticed at the DG web site that they had performance data listed for 2 different versions of the 18-meter DG808S. One version had winglets, the other didn't. I noticed that the 18-meter version with the winglets had a slightly better L/D than the one without the winglets. I wonder if Microsoft modeled the winglet version for FSX, but used the performance data from the version without the winglets? That sounds like something that Microsoft might do.

Randy L.

Hi Randy,

neither nor, I suppose. The L/D 40 is even worse than the 15m Version which has 45. It appears more as a wild guess to me. I have a faint remembrance that the FS9-Schweitzer was even better. A sort of chauvinism ?:winks: Actually I'm not that critical on it. I even didn't hit on the data-sheet with the winglet differentiation.

I'm going to prepare a compensated vario-substitute, similar to b21's gauge, but with a better damping. Unfortunately, the beep will not be affected, but only the hands of the gauge. The original vario is almost useless.

regards,

Peter