User Guide

The Fleet
169
8
Schweizer SGS 2–32
Through the late 1960s and much of the 1970s,
one aircraft stood apart as the world’s highest
performance multi-seat sailplane: the Schweizer
SGS 2–32. Many world soaring records were set
in 2–32s in both men’s and women’s categories,
including a distance run of 505 miles.
In the early 1960s, it was apparent that European
manufacturers were beginning to cut into SAC’s
position as the premier builder of high-perfor-
mance sailplanes. The European companies could
build quality aircraft at 50% of the labor costs of
the U.S. manufacturer, and deliver them to U.S.
shores at a price that Schweizer couldn’t match.
In order to compete, Schweizer had to produce a
superior aircraft.
In 1962 SAC began development of the 2–32. This
aircraft took twice as many hours to design, tool,
and build as previous Schweizer sailplanes.
Initially priced at $8000, the production and
development costs of the meticulously designed
aircraft eventually pushed the price tag up
considerably.
The 2–32’s 57-foot wingspan provided a glide
ratio of 34 to 1, which meant that at an altitude of
1 mile, the plane could glide a distance of 34
miles. The interior was luxurious and comfortable
for a sailplane. It had dual flight controls, and
though technically a two-seater, it could actually
carry two people in the rear in addition to a pilot
in the front. A large bubble canopy provided
excellent visibility.
The highly efficient wing and aerodynamically
clean fuselage of the 2–32 made it a candidate
for an early attempt at non-stop flight around the
world. Although that record was not set for many
years (in 1986 by the Burt Rutan designed
Voyager), a modified 2–32, sporting a small
engine, did set a non-stop distance record of
8,974 miles (14,442 km) in 1969.
When the 1,000
th
Schweizer sailplane (a 2–32)
was built, SAC held 57% of the sailplane business
in the United States. But this was not to last. The
all-metal SAC planes last indefinitely, and by the
mid 1970s they had nearly saturated the market.
Sleek new European fiberglass sailplanes had
lower prices and carried a certain cachet that
domestic sailplanes did not. SAC eventually
ceased production of their sailplane line.
When manufacture of the 2-32 ended in 1976, a
total of only 87 had been delivered. Nevertheless,
the 2–32 had already earned a permanent place
in soaring history, and remarkably, a 2–32 in good
condition today can fetch as much as $50,000.
The model is still a popular choice for commercial
soaring rides, and if you go to a local soaring
center to take a ride, you may find yourself in a
Schweizer 2–32.
For details on flying this aircraft, see the Aircraft
Information section of Help.
Be patient and gentle. The
sailplane’s long wings don’t
move very quickly, so you
may have to wait a moment
to see a response after
moving the stick.