RHL II Rhonlerche II (Total: 1, Canadian: 1, Group 1)
Schleicher RHL II Rhonlerche II
RHL ll Rhonlerche I
The Schleicher Ka-4 Rhonlerche II (English: Rhön Lark), sometimes called the KA-4 or even K 4, is a West German high-wing, strut-braced, two-seat glider that was designed by Rudolf Kaiser and produced by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co.
The Rhönlerche II was first flown 7 December 1953. Its design goals were to produce a simple, inexpensive and robust two-seat trainer for school and club use. The design was a success and several hundred were constructed.
The Rhönlerche II is constructed with a welded steel tube fuselage and a wooden wing and tail surfaces, all finished in doped aircraft fabric covering. The 13.0 m (42.7 ft) span wing is supported by single lift struts and employs a Goettingen 533 airfoil. The aircraft's landing gear is a fixed monowheel, with a nose skid.
The Ka-4 was widely used by clubs and schools in West Germany and also by Canadian military gliding clubs stationed in West Germany, including the Lahr Gliding Club at CFB Lahr. One of these aircraft was later shipped to Canada and operated by the Cold Lake Gliding Club at CFB Cold Lake and in July 2011 was owned by the Gravelbourg Gliding And Soaring Club, Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Wikipedia
KA4 RhonlercheRHL II Rhonlerche II serial
m/d RHL II
c/n 108
Known Units:
Built in 1955, imported in 1972. Registered in 1976 to the Cold Lake Soaring Club and E.N. Ronaasen. Ronaasen was a test pilot at AETE at the time, and would later be a civil test pilot with Trident Aircraft and Canadair. Killed in the crash of the first CL-600 Challenger prototype on 3 April 1980, the E. N. Ronaasen award presented annually by the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute is named in his honour. Last registered to Saskatchewan branch of the Air Cadet League. Sold to C. Gorzkiewicz of Gravelburg, Saskatchewan on 7 November 1985, this registration cancelled on 4 August 1989. To Gravelburg Gliding and Soaring Club 5 May 1992.last update: 2025-November-19