The electric towplane thing caused me to do the following calculation:
Glider at 600m(2000 feet) at 60 knots has a bit less than 1 Kw-h of
potential and kinetic energy.
Assume 5 Kg of fuel to get it there by towplane.(7litres)
That fuel has an energy content of 5 x 43 MJ or 215 MJ(megajoules)
This almost exactly 60 Kw-h.
So the efficiency of turning the energy content of the fuel into
glider energy is around 1.6% !!!!!
Yikes!
Mike
Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments since 1978
phone Int'l + 61 746 355784
fax Int'l + 61 746 358796
cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784
email: mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com
website: www.borgeltinstruments.com
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