Here is one aircraft that stood out at the US sport aviation expo 2019. The Stemme S12. This is a motor glider, not you everyday single engine airplane. Just at first glance, you’ll notice the much longer wings on the Stemme. The aircraft is a 2-seater that is powered by a Rotax 914 turbo charged engine.
The wings are fold-able, and so is the propeller. Once you’re done flying, all these extended parts can be tucked in and stowed away. Oh and the landing gears are also stowed away in flight. With the amount of drag this aircraft pulls, having retractable landing gear helps reduce drag and allows the aircraft to climb at a good 750 ft per minute and cruise at 115 knots.
The Stemme 12 is not a cheap aircraft. To get your hands on one, you’d have to choose between the base model at around $398,000 and the S-12G model that comes with Garmin glass avionics at $420,000. Price will change depending on additional accessories added to the plane.
Stemme S12 Specifications
- Engine: Rotax 914
- Range: up to 950 nm
- Cruise: 115 ktsCabin: seats 2
- Fuel capacity: 32 gallons
- Wing span: 82 feet (folds down to 32.5 feet)
- Price: starts at $398,000
You can find out more at https://www.stemme.com/s12.html
