Orlican VSO 10

VSO 10 Gradient
VSO 10 Gradient
Role	Club-class sailplane
Manufacturer	Orličan Národní Podnik
First flight	1977
Introduction	1979
Number built	225

The Orlican VSO 10 Gradient is a Czechoslovakian club-class sailplane designed by Orlican Národní Podnik as a replacement for the VT-116 Orlik II.

Development

Development of the VSO 10 started in 1972 and the first prototype flew on 16 September 1977. The Type Certificate was granted on 15 May 1979, with the first production gliders entering service with Czechoslovak aeroclubs soon after. In 1990 the company ceased production when they started to build Schempp-Hirth gliders. Schempp-Hirth are the current holders of the VSO 10 Type Certificate.

Design

The VSO 10 is a single-seat cantilever shoulder-wing monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear. It has a two-piece wooden wing, a T-tail empennage of aluminium alloy structure, a glass composite forward fuselage and an aluminium alloy rear fuselage. The VSO 10C has a fixed landing gear.

Variants

VSO 10B Gradient

Retractable landing gear variant

VSO 10C Gradient Club

Fixed landing gear variant

Specifications (VSO 10)

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7 m (22 ft 11½ in)
• Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 2½ in)
• Height: 1.38 m (4 ft 6½ in)
• Wing area: 9.30 m² (100.104 ft²)
• Aspect ratio: 24.2
• Empty weight: 234 kg (516 lb)
• Gross weight: 379 kg (836 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 250 km/h (155.3 mph)
• Maximum glide ratio: 36.2
• Rate of sink: 0.6 m/s (118 ft/min)

References

1. ^ EASA Type Certificate

• Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders and Sailplanes of the World. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 138. 
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
• European Aviation Safety Agency - Type Certificate Data Sheet VSO 10

External links

• Czech Virtual Soaring