Glaser-Dirks DG-400
First flown in May 1981, the Glaser-Dirks DG-400 was the first self-launching motorglider with a fully retractable engine and propeller to reach real production numbers rather than remain a one-off testbed. It borrowed the carbon-spar wing and most systems from the unpowered DG-202, adding a 43 hp Rotax engine behind the pilot that swings up on electric actuators and drives a two-blade propeller once airborne, letting a pilot launch, soar and land without needing a tow plane or winch. The concept caught on quickly: the DG-400 became one of the best-selling motorgliders ever built, and pilots flying it set several world gliding records during its 1981-1992 production run.
Did you know?
The DG-400's engine and prop swing up and fold behind the pilot, so it looks like an ordinary glider on the ground.
Specifications
| Length | 7 m (23 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Stall speed | 34 kt (63 km/h) |
| Rate of climb | 768 ft/min (3.9 m/s) |
| Units built | 250 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Glaser-Dirks DG-400 starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Glaser-Dirks, the DG-400 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
Browse all aircraft types, or learn to tell Airbus from Boeing.