Single-seat German glider, 2003

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Akaflieg Karlsruhe AK-8" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

|

Akaflieg Karlsruhe AK-8

the AK-8
Role  | Standard-class glider

Type of aircraft

National origin | Germany
Manufacturer  | Akaflieg Karlsruhe
First flight  | August 2003[1]
Number built | 1

The AK-8 is a single-seat FAI-Standard Class sailplane, designed and built in Germany by members of Akaflieg Karlsruhe which can be distinguished by its elliptical leading edge.

## Contents

* 1 Design and development
* 2 Specifications
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 4.1 Bibliography
* 5 External links

## Design and development[edit]

The AK-8 rolling for take-off at Aalen-Elchingen

Made of synthetic materials, such as aramid fibre, carbon fibre and glass-fibre with cast aluminium alloy ribs, the AK-8 wing features an elliptical leading edge. The fuselage is derived from that of the DG-600M.

The first flight of the AK-8 took place in 2003, but a field landing accident caused severe damage to the left wing. After the left wing was rebuilt, the AK-8 flew again in 2009. In 2014 new outer wings with winglets were built to improve the flying characteristic.[2]

## Specifications[edit]

General characteristics

* Length: 6.82 m (22 ft 5 in)
* Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
* Wing area: 9.75 m2 (104.9 sq ft)
* Empty weight: 232.8 kg (513 lb)
* Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)

Performance

* Never exceed speed: 270 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn)

## See also[edit]

* List of gliders

## References[edit]

1. ^ AK-8 Erstflug Archived 2010-02-25 at the Wayback Machine bei akaflieg-karlsruhe.de
2. ^ "AK-8" (in German). 11 June 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2016.

### Bibliography[edit]

* Jansen, Andre (2014). "kaflieg Karlsruhe AK-8: Im Zeichen der Ellipse". Aerokurier (in German). ISSN 0341-1281.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akaflieg Karlsruhe AK-8.

* Akaflieg Karlsruhe (in German)

* v
* t
* e

Akaflieg Karlsruhe aircraft

* AK-1 Mischl
* AK-5
* AK-5b
* AK-8

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template