German motor glider manufacturer Stemme demonstrated its flagship S10 aircraft at the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in an attempt to relaunch the brand in the USA.

While the glider has been around since 1990, the latest version of the aircraft, introduced in 2012, features a glass cockpit featuring Butterfly Avionics's Vario suite and solar cells to provide electricity for the system, says Paul Masschelein, the company's new chief executive officer. However, the older conventional cockpit is still available.

The aircraft also has a Rotax 914F engine capable of providing 115hp (85kW), equipped with retractable propeller blades. This gives the aircraft a range of more than 930nm (1,720km) and cruise speed of 121kt (224km/h). It also has a service ceiling of more than 30,000ft (9,140m).

The carbonfibre airframe can handle g-force load of up 5.3g. The S10 holds many glider records, which Stemme hopes will help boost its popularity in the USA.

Source: Flight International