Rolladen-Schneider LS6

LS6
Role	15 metre class and 18 metre class sailplane
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Rolladen-Schneider
Designer	Wolf Lemke
First flight	1983
Number built	375

The Rolladen-Schneider LS6 is a 15 metre and 18 metre single-seat flapped glider manufactured by Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH between 1984 and 2003.

The prototype of the LS6, successor to the LS3 in the FAI 15 metre Class, made its first flight in 1983. Having entered production one year later, the LS6 had an uncommonly long production run ended by Rolladen-Schneider's entry into receivership in 2003. A total of 375 of all versions were built.

A watershed design, the LS6 introduced carbon reinforced plastic as a structural material in LS-gliders, thin profiles for wings and empennage, wing extensions and other features that have been retained in all subsequent types developed by the company. The Akaflieg Darmstadt D41, the LS9 and the Akaflieg Köln LS11 all have wings built in the LS6 moulds.

Bettering the record of the LS4 in the Standard Class, the LS6 dominated the 15 metre Class over nearly a decade, winning the first two places at the 1985 World Gliding Championships at Rieti in Italy, the first three places at the 1987 Worlds at Benalla in Australia, the first four places in the 1991 World Championships at Uvalde in the United States and the first two places in the 1993 World Championships at Borlänge in Sweden.

The type consolidated Rolladen-Schneider's reputation for well rounded, easy to fly gliders that do well in any conditions, being known for its superb handling, tolerance of piloting technique and environment (turbulence, rain, contamination by insects) as well as for good glide ratios over a wide speed range.

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