I have run the French text through "Babelfish" an online translater.
This is what it came up with, maybe not a perfect translation, but easier to understand than the full French version, well for me anyway.
In flight, with the orders of Schleicher ASW-15 Daniel TIGHTENS Aviation Magazine n°594 September 15, 1972 We tackle the study of the standard sailplane of performance proposed in the range of the German manufacturer Alexandre Schleicher. It is obviously a plastic sailplane of construction. The appearance is engaging, one wants to fly on this machine. The thickness of the drift however surprises. The cast solid depth is established with the lower third of the drift, its technology is inspired much of that by K-6. Disassembling in is easy but locking is a little discrete and a bad positioning can pass unperceived at the time of the pre-vot visit. The disassembling of the wing does not present a major difficulty, a door of visit however had to be spared on the back of the fuselage to facilitate the connection of the steering gears of warping and the air-brakes. The latter, of Schempp-Hirth type interest the suction face and the under-surface of the wing. The wheel of the landing gear is placed in front of the centre of gravity. The ground clearance of the fuselage is average but the trap doors of the housing of train are too much low and can easily be torn off at the time of a landing in shift; as their hinges are drowned in the plastic of the fuselage repairs will be long. The hook of towing is placed under the fuselage, approximately 40 cm in front of the wheel. The installation of the pilot is easy, the file of the seat can be regulated on the ground. One can also fly without this file; the parachute then comes to rest against the careenage of the gear landing and one thus gains 3 cm backwards what will improve a little centering of the pilots "not skinny fellows". The manufacturer indeed wanted a sailplane that all glides can take without having to make the subtle calculation of the number of pig moulds be locked up in the nose. The beach of centering was thus widened to the maximum. Let us say immediately that if the back limit is good the front limit is more criticizable making poor the handiness with weak, speed. The adjustment of the swing bar is easy on the ground and in flight; the order is on the right foot of handle. An adjustable head-rest of good dimensions is with the top of a sufficient compartment with luggage to contain a barograph and some clothing. But the floor of this small compartment was never designed to support the kilos of lead that certain in love with the performance place there to improve the penetration of the machine. Zone of Text: The swing bar and the handle are well carried out and do not bring any remark. It is not the same for the ordering of train; this one is consisted a vertical handle sliding in a horizontal rail placed along the top of the left wall of the cockpit. A bolt operated by a "small ball" of the ballpoint pen kind ensures the blocking of the whole in high and low position. The whole is perfectly visible and has a false air of order of air-brakes which misled certainly and will still mislead some too dedicated neophytes. In fact the trap doors of the train will make the expenses of the operation. The steering gear of train is awkward close to the left shoulder. The true ordering of air-brakes, more shy person, hides under the preceding one; articulated around an axis perpendicular to the partition, it has a limited race and does not come naturally in the hand. Locking seems a little weak: I had an inopportune exit of air-brakes during a takeoff, the same adventure arrived to a comrade at the time of a flight by average turbulence. The braking of the wheel is obtained in back race end. The compensation depth is obtained by bar of torsion which acts known steering gear. The order consisted a metal stem which one moves along a series of notches located right of the cockpit; it obstructs sometimes the operation of the air-brakes. The ordering of the hook towing seems hidden a little in the cockpit; is located on the left foot of the handle and it should be sought under the cushion for the larguage. The altimeter is not very visible behind the handle, close to the floor. On the studied sailplane, the compass was located under the right arm, along the wall; since, do-it-yourself made come on table edge. The canopy of good dimensions is very easy to set up, its locking and its dropping are obtained by the operation of only one handle placed at the dashboard and which fall easily under the hand. Thus an excellent visibility and evacuation in easy flight what a very good point in my opinion IN FLIGHT Takeoff. - the direct one seems immediately effective and makes it possible to quickly control the departures in laces supported by the back hook; the behaviour of axis is easy. The depth has a threshold of effectiveness towards 35 km/h; front, it is necessary to be patient and keep the handle with the neutral, around 40 km-H the sailplane will only come on line from flight. Until this speed, the low wing must be rectified with the foot, warping being not very effective because of the strong incidence of the wing. When the wheel is inflated with the pressure recommended by the manufacturer, takeoff is a little hard for the kidneys and one wants that that finishes quickly. Takeoff except trim does not pose any problem, the efforts with the depth remaining weak. Answers to the gust. - the ASW-15 is a machine rather not very charged with the square meter, the response to the gust is thus more severe than on the majority of the other standard sailplane but the flexibility of the wing makes it possible to box accelerations due to turbulence; all would be thus perfect if the steering gear of the ailerons were not disturbed by the inflection of the aerofoil. This phenomenon results in variable efforts, unpleasant hardenings and sometimes even by a kind of aspiration of warping (this is perhaps particular with the FCEAQ on which I flew in Chérence). Towed flight. - the visibility is excellent when one is in the plan of the tug boat or in low position. In high position the shape of the dashboard is a little awkward. Why, devil, the manufacturers they make canopies which go down to the nose from the sailplanes and reduce then the visibility by a board of flight badly conceived? This is not clean in I' ASW-15: seek in your clubs, you will find considerable other examples. The phenomenon announced higher returns towed in rather unpleasant turbulence; this disturbance of warping is also found when one goes down in the breath from the tug boat. The trim makes it possible to cancel the efforts with the depth in all the range the speeds practised at the time of this evaluation. It is necessary to prepare the dropping by releasing the order as of the installation in the sailplane. No particular phenomenon at the time of the dropping. Study of the control surfaces. - pleasant Depth; no tendency to controlled pumping. - a little heavy Warping for a sailplane of performance; the opposite lace is average. - the direction has a good effectiveness and produces rolling induces very acceptable; displacements of the swing bar are important to obtain the full steering. Stabilities. - stabilities longitudinal, static and dynamic are good. - Dutch-roll is deadened immediately. - In skidded stabilized one meets a very weak over-compensation of the direction, from 50% of the steering. The effort disappears and the control surface goes until the full clearance. One very easily meets this tendency which disappears as soon as warping is brought back to the neutral. In thermics, one does not feel the influence of this phenomenon. - stability in turn is excellent, the recall in lace is rather low. - In straight and level flight, the sailplane settles rather easily with the ball in an unspecified position and remains there. A characteristic of the K-6E there is found. - Unhooking in straight line. - Deceleration undertaken starting from 85 km/h. The effort with the depth grows in a continuous way until the handle is in back thrust (VI = 62 km/h). - Direction and warping remain effective and the sailplane marsouine without taking down. - unhooking along an ascending trajectory with 20° is very frank, the resumption of control without problem, handle in the front sector. The side orders are immediately effective, the airspeed indicator passing by 50 km/h. With air-brakes and left train, the behavior of the sailplane does not change, stalling speed increasing by 2 km/h. Average unhooking in virage(centrage before and with 45° of slope). - deceleration is started with 85 km/h; one obtains the back thrust of handle with 70 km/h without additional phenomenon. Too light over-compensation does not disturb this operation. The lack of effectiveness to the depth is awkward with this centering. - Autorotation. - over-compensation does not intervene and it operation is traditional; however your great effectiveness of the direction surprises a little and one leaves with a marked skid. - gliding Use. Not very charged with the square meter, this sailplane hangs well, been useful in that by a very good stability in spiral. However his lack of handiness is regretted when it is centered front. A pilot of 90 kg will be obstructed by small time. In chahuté weather, warping will be unpleasant for all. The penetration is excellent when speed is established but acceleration is slow and it is necessary to prick seriously before obtaining the wished airspeed indicator, characteristic which can become awkward in chopped weather. Finally a very good point, the air-brakes are very effective and one is posed in a handkerchief with this machine. It is always reassuring of knowing that when "the cow" arrives. Excellent machine, the ASW-15 suffers from some defects which deserved to hold the attention of its manufacturer. The Schleicher firm seems to have reacted and I' ASW-15B exists. Let us wish to see it soon.
Clinton
