BLANIK

BLANIK

Plane & Pilot

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipović

Key Takeaways:

The L13 Blanik, a widely-flown two-seat metal glider first built in 1958, evolved into the improved L23 Super Blanik.
The L23 Super Blanik retains the L13's excellent flying characteristics while featuring enhanced visibility, easier ground handling (T-tail, swiveling tail wheel, new canopy), and is approved for all stages of flight training, including aerobatics and instrument flying, and is exclusively used by the USAF Academy.
Beyond the Blanik series, the manufacturer also produces a variety of specialized LAK gliders and motorgliders for racing and two-place configurations.

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The original L13 Blanik was built in 1958 and several thousands of them are flying worldwide. The two-seat, all-metal L13 evolved into the L23 Super Blanik. The new glider retains the excellent flying and maintenance characteristics of the L13, while visibility and handling are further refined. Among the many improvements are the new T-tail (to minimize damage during land-outs), the swiveling tail wheel (for easier ground handling) and the new canopy (enhancing visibility to the sides and back). The L23 has been approved for all stages of flight training from basic to advanced cross-country, aerobatic, stunt and instrument flying. Removable wingtip extensions of one meter each may be installed. The USAF Academy uses the Blanik gliders exclusively. Blanik also makes the LAK-17A in the 15- to 18-meter racing category, the LAK-17AT motorglider, the LAK-19 standard class racer, the LAK-19T motorglider and the LAK-20 two-place glider.