Photopilot From Cuba, joined Jul 2002, 2439 posts, RR: 20 Reply 5, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 3614 times:
Here's the directory of all the gliding clubs in the UK. Perhaps if you sent an email request to the relevant club, they could provide you with the info you are seeking.
Malandan From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 380 posts, RR: 16 Reply 8, posted (7 years 11 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 3559 times:
Quoting Cosmicwind (Reply 7): KAX is a Glaser-Dirks DG-500 20-metre sailplane.
Thanks Alan, much appreciated.
May I ask how you know? It is likely that the same difficulty may occur in the future and also it's possible that some other members may also be interested.
Malcolm.
My interest lies in the future as I am going to spend the rest of my life there!
GPHOTO From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2004, 818 posts, RR: 27 Reply 9, posted (7 years 11 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 3547 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW DATABASE EDITOR
Malcolm,
A bit late, but:
BGA 4947 (Trigraph serial KAX) is a Glaser-Dirks DG-505 Orion. Chassis number is 5E229X67. There is also a small fleck of paint missing near the nose (only joking!).
Source: Air Britain Civil Registers of United Kingdom & Ireland 2003.
I recommend you buy this years version. It is expensive (the 2003 issue was £22) but well worth it and I make it last 3 years before getting the next one (so I'll buy the 2006 issue). Air Britain do some excellent books on this sort of stuff.
Malandan From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 380 posts, RR: 16 Reply 10, posted (7 years 11 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 3533 times:
Quoting GPHOTO (Reply 9): BGA 4947 (Trigraph serial KAX) is a Glaser-Dirks DG-505 Orion.
Jim, you're a winner in my book.
Just had an email from the gliding club secretary and the only difference is that he refers to KAX as being the tail code.
Apparently this aircraft has a glide ratio of 40 - one mile up and it will glide for 40 miles -plenty of time to locate a suitable field!
Also has detachable winglets enabling it to be used aerobatically or cross country. Quite a bird!
I have two cockpit shots, one for each seat, which I may upload.
Your advice is most appreciated.
Malcolm.
My interest lies in the future as I am going to spend the rest of my life there!
GPHOTO From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2004, 818 posts, RR: 27 Reply 11, posted (7 years 11 months 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 3528 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW DATABASE EDITOR
For those confused by British Glider registrations, a brief description may be in order.
Generally, they do not carry G-xxxx registrations although they can do, I have seen one once. Some have also had military registrations too.
The main glider register is arranged in order of the BGA number, which is a numerical sequence that refers to the gliders certificate of airworthiness, for example BGA 4947. This can usually be found somewhere on the tailplane, in relatively small letters. I prefer to organise my data on UK gliders using this as the prime reference, you'll see why in a minute.
Also issued is a three letter code, often but not always, carried on the airframe, usually in relatively large letters. For the glider in question, this code is KAX. Like the BGA number, these codes, if visible, are reliable airframe identifiers.
Not all gliders carry their three letter code and may instead carry a numerical or alpha numerical code, for example 876 or N4. These are competition numbers and although often carried on airframes, they are actually issued to pilots, not aircraft. They are also often changed so beware! They are not reliable identifiers of an airframe. The pilot may obtain a different glider and take his number with him. The number may remain on the old glider so there could be two or more gliders with the same sequence on the tail, although this is not that common.
In short, only the G-xxxx registration (typically older gliders only), military reg (for 'warbird' gliders), BGA number or the three letter code can be relied upon as a definitive identifier for an airframe. Beware of the numerical/alphanumerical codes!
For Airliners.net use, I personally use the BGA number as the registration as it is the closest thing to a typical aircraft registration (i.e. unique and logical). I use the three letter code or other visible codes for the 'Code' field. Hope this meets with approval from the screeners!
On the tail of '264, just under the stabiliser, you can make out a line in the same colour as the numbers 264 - that is the BGA number, but you can't actually read it in that photo.
Other countries seem to have a less confusing system than us Brits!
Granite From UK - Scotland, joined May 1999, 5542 posts, RR: 67 Reply 14, posted (7 years 11 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 3520 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD SCREENER
Hi all
I received a mail from Peter V and Joachim (editing team) on upload info for gliders as I was a little unsure and didn't want my uploaded stuff to be rejected for badinfo
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From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 380 posts, 
From UK - Scotland, joined May 1999, 5542 posts, 
From Cuba, joined Jul 2002, 2439 posts, 
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