ASH 25
Role	Open Class sailplane Type of aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Schleicher
Designer	Martin Heide
First flight	1986
Produced	1986–2004[1]
Number built	266[2]
Developed from	Schleicher ASW 22

The ASH 25 is a two-seater high performance Open Class glider manufactured by Alexander Schleicher from 1986 until September 2008, originally with a 25-metre wingspan. It was superseded in production by the ASH 30.

Design and development

In 1984, designer Martin Heide (the 'H' in the type designation) combined the wing of the World Championship winning single-seater Schleicher ASW 22^[3] with a fuselage derived from the Akaflieg Stuttgart fs31 which had particularly low drag. The prototype was designated AS 22-2.^{[4]: 2 [5]} The span was increased in later versions to 25.6 or 26 metres with winglets.

A 'turbo' version was also developed, the ASH 25E, followed by the self-launching ASH 25 Mi with a large retractable propeller and a Wankel engine.

Variants

ASH 25

A 25m Open class glider, 25.6m or 26m wingspan when fitted with option winglets.

ASH 25E

Self-sustaining version with a 24 hp Rotax 275 engine

ASH 25M

Self-launching version with a 60 hp AE50R engine. Both the ASH 25 and ASH 25E can be converted to the ASH 25M by the manufacturer.

ASH 25 Mi

Self-launching version with a 60 hp IAE50R-AA engine. The ASH 25, ASH 25E and ASH 25M can be converted to the ASH 25Mi by the manufacturer.

ASH 25J

Self-launching version with a jet engine

ASH 25EB

Self-launching version with a Rotax 535C engine, 27m wingspan and one-piece canopy

ASH 25EB/28

Self-launcher with one-piece canopy and 28m wingspan

Specifications (with 25.6 metre wings)

Data from Specifications for ASH 25 / ASH 25 Mi^[4]: 4

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 8.97 m (29 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 25.6 m (84 ft 0 in)
• Height: 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 16.5 m² (178 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 39.8
• Airfoil: root:HQ 17; tip:DU 84-132/V3
• Empty weight: 478 kg (1,054 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 750 kg (1,653 lb)
• Water ballast: 120 L (32 US gal; 26 imp gal)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 280 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn)
• Maximum glide ratio: ca. 60:1
• Rate of sink: 0.42 m/s (83 ft/min)