TG-10B gliders at the U. S. Air Force Academy

The TG-10 is the military designation for the Blanik sailplanes used for basic flight training at the United States Air Force Academy. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Terminology A "glider" is an unpowered Aircraft. The most common types of glider are today used for sporting purposes The United States Air Force Academy ( USAFA or Air Force) is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air The Academy maintains an inventory of 21 TG-10s in three variants. The aircraft are flown by cadets and officers of the 94th Flying Training Squadron, 306th Flying Training Group, Nineteenth Air Force, Air Education and Training Command. The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force. The Nineteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base and belonging to the Air Education and Training Command ( AETC) was established July 1 1993 with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.

Variants

All of the TG-10 models are of aluminium semi-monocoque construction with fabric-covered control surfaces. Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external All are equipped with full soaring instrument panels (altimeter, airspeed indicator, accelerometer, variometer, vertical velocity indicator, magnetic compass) and feature a full avionics suite (VHF radio, GPS, navigation computer, ELT).

TG-10B Merlin: LET L-23 Super Blanik. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 12 in inventory. Basic trainer; 2-seat tandem configuration. Used in the Academy's Soar For All Program and for training cadets to become glider instructor pilots. Four of them have been configured for high altitude wave soaring.

TG-10C Kestrel/"Saber": LET L-13AC Blanik. 5 in inventory. Advanced trainer; cockpit and controls are identical to the Merlin making transitions between the two aircraft very seamless. Used for aerobatics and spin training. Slightly heavier with shorter wingspan and conventional tail configuration offers slightly faster dynamic response to control inputs.

TG-10D Peregrine/"Thunder": Blanik L-33 Solo. 4 in inventory. Advanced trainer; single seater. Cockpit and controls are similar to TG-10B. Used for advanced cross country and wave soaring training.

The Air Force Academy has retired the TG-10D sailplanes in favor of their newest high-performance gliders, the Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus and Discus 2b, designated the TG-15A (tandem two-seater) and TG-15B (single seat). WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

History

The Academy used the older, very reliable TG-4 gliders (Schweizer SGS 2-33) until 2002, when it replaced them with the newer TG-10. The Schweizer Aircraft Corporation, located in Horseheads New York, was incorporated in 1939 by three Schweizer brothers, who built their WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Until 2004, sailplane operations were conducted by the 94th Flying Training Squadron under the 34th Operations Group, a unit of the 34th Training Wing, United States Air Force Academy. The 34th Training Wing ( 34 TRW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, The United States Air Force Academy ( USAFA or Air Force) is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air In 2004, the 94th as well as other operations units at the Academy (98th and 557th) realigned under Air Education and Training Command.