How do they transport large scale sailllanes in Europe

[Hoot]

Europe is full of small cars so I’m wondering how they transport large scale sailplanes. I am most interested in roof top containers for an SUV to transport large sailplanes. I don’t want a trailer because I would need to rent a storage area, licensing, flat tires, trailer lights not working, etc.

[Scalesoaring]

It is pretty much the same as here: vans, custom small model trailers, inside the camping trailer, larger model trailers. I have only seen 1 or 2 car-top carriers, shaped like full-size glider trailers. The move to larger scale sailplanes is creating demand for 2-piece fuselage models. A 6.5-meter sailplane can just fit in a Passat Station Wagon but you lose use of the passenger seats, except the one behind the driver.

[edfmaniac]

The box that I built for my 1/3 ASW22 went home to it's new owner on the roof of a minivan.

[Hoot]

Edfmaniac,
What material did you use to build the box for your ASW22 ? Do you know how much it weighed and do you have any photos you can post?
Thanks !

[edfmaniac]

I built it light. Can't remember what it weighed but probably not more than 35 lbs empty, with the handle and wheels. Two people could easily lift it onto a roof rack with a plane in it.

Construction materials were select 2x2's, and some decent light ply like 1/8 birch.

[edfmaniac]

Here's the pic that was closest to showing it completed. The only thing missing is the hardware to hold the extension box in place and the rudder box that folded forward to cover the vertical stab after the extension was slid into place over the aluminum dowels connecting the two parts of the box. Not the most handsome box out there but strong enough once everything was latched together and light enough for me to move it around by myself, although I wasn't lifting it onto a roof rack by myself, just into the bed of a small pickup.

[edfmaniac]

You could also build a nice portable home for a glider out of a piece of Sonotube, just large enough to contain the vertical stab unless you want to have a smaller tube with a rudder box of some kind. Streamline it by putting a rocket like cone on the front end.

[Hoot]

Thanks for the photos ! Now that the stock market has given an unhealthy hit to my investments, a new large scale sailplane might be many months away !