Board Director George Saunders pictured in a Taurus M to left. For more information about the Taurus, CLICK ON PICTURE.
Thanks to a very generous donor, Eagle Aviators has acquired a Pipistrel Taurus motor glider. The Board of Directors plans to use this two-seat, side by side glider to teach our students the fine art of glider flying. We believe, along with the Air Force Academy, that glider flying teaches stick and rudder skills that make for superior power pilots. In addition, student pilots can solo a glider at age 14 and get their glider certificate at 16.
The Taurus is a true glider with 41 to 1 glide slope. If the Taurus is a mile above the ground, it can fly 41 miles in still air before it needs to land. It is equipped with a 50 HP engine for self-launch. The engine retracts for glider flying, but can be extended in flight to gain altitude, if needed. The double retractable main wheels let the Taurus taxi and launch like an airplane. This high-performance glider can soar with the best of them, climbing in thermals like a hawk, yet its docile flight characteristics make it perfect for instruction, as does its comfortable side-by-side seating.
The Taurus is loaded with safety features. Its Kevlar reinforced cockpit protects the occupants. The automatic flight control hookups ensure that all the flight controls function all the time. In the event of an emergency, it is equipped with a ballistic parachute that will bring the whole glider safely to the ground.
In the future, the Board of Directors looks forward to converting this gasoline engine to an electric one for greater economy and efficiency.
We are pleased to offer this wonderful glider to members of Eagle Aviators and look forward to many years of training and soaring with it.