The Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus was developed in Germany as a high performance two seat glider. It was primarily designed for fast cross-country flying including gliding competitions. It is often used for advanced training. The Duo Discus replaced the Janus two seater trainer. Although it shares its name with the highly successful Standard Class Discus, any resemblance is only superficial. It first flew in 1993. It has a 20 metre four piece wing that is slightly swept forward so that the rear pilot is close to the centre of gravity. Its best glide ratio was measured as 44:1. An optional 'turbo' retractable 2-stroke engine can be specified for extended gliding sessions. Over 500 Duo Discuses had been built by August 2007. In U.S. Air Force service it is known as the TG-15A.
Duo Discus
German glider with registration D-XLFB is privately owned. This aircraft was photographed by Cees, who is a gliding instructor, at De Kooy airfield.
Photographed July 2008 by Cees Hendriks (c) Copyright IPMS Nederland
