GyPSy 365 – High-Performance GPS Light Sailplane – Complete Building Kit with All Required Parts

The GyPSy 365 is a high-performance 3.65 m sailplane developed specifically for GPS Light flying. It combines excellent aerodynamic efficiency with a lightweight, rigid and practical wooden construction, resulting in a model with an exceptionally wide performance envelope.

The GyPSy 365 was jointly developed by the well-known designers Philipp Kolb and Herbert Locklair. Philipp Kolb was responsible for the aerodynamic concept, defining the model’s dimensions and airfoil, while Herbert Locklair developed the structural design and construction. Special attention was paid to achieving a highly accurate and efficient airfoil geometry, with much of the lower airfoil surface designed to remain straight and therefore well suited to precise rib-built construction.

The design was continuously refined over a period of approximately two years, resulting in a mature and thoroughly proven model.

Unlike many lightweight thermal sailplanes, the GyPSy 365 was designed primarily for excellent glide performance rather than minimum sink rate. This gives the model an exceptionally broad speed range – from approximately 12 km/h up to a measured 167 km/h.

The result is a remarkably versatile sailplane that can efficiently circle in weak thermals, cover large distances with excellent glide performance and remain fast and stable during high-speed transitions. This wide operating range makes the GyPSy 365 particularly well suited to the demanding requirements of GPS Light flying.

Designed for GPS Light

The original design objective was clear: to create a rib-built sailplane specifically optimized for GPS Light.

Despite its lightweight appearance, the GyPSy offers excellent structural rigidity and precise aerodynamic geometry, both of which are essential for efficient GPS flying.

Lightweight and Rigid Wing Construction

The wing structure uses stepped CFRP tubes as the main spars, providing high strength with very low weight.

The exposed rib sections are reinforced with 2 mm CFRP strips, while the wing and tail surfaces use 0.4 mm plywood sheeting.

This construction provides several important advantages:

• Excellent airfoil accuracy for consistent aerodynamic performance
• High structural strength and torsional stiffness
• Very rigid wings, even during high-speed flight
• Strong and accurately dimensioned 12 mm and 8 mm CFRP wing joiners
• Lightweight construction without sacrificing strength

The combination of carbon reinforcement and thin plywood sheeting has proven to be an excellent solution for both aerodynamic accuracy and structural rigidity.

Three-Part Fuselage Concept

The GyPSy fuselage is designed as a practical three-part system consisting of:

Front fuselage pod
Central pylon, which connects the wing to the fuselage
Carbon tail boom

The forward fuselage pod is manufactured from high-quality aramid composite material, making it fully 2.4 GHz friendly and allowing reliable radio signal transmission without interference.

Additional reinforcements are incorporated at strategically important areas to provide extra strength where it is needed most. This results in a lightweight yet robust fuselage capable of handling high loads, demanding flying conditions and even harder landings.

The modular three-part concept also makes the fuselage practical to assemble, transport and service while maintaining excellent structural strength.

Developed and Proven in Practice

The GyPSy 365 design was continuously refined over a period of approximately two years.

Every major construction detail and recommendation has been tested in practice, resulting in a mature and well-proven model that combines:

excellent glide performance, wide speed range, precise handling, high structural rigidity and efficient lightweight construction.

The GyPSy 365 is an excellent choice for pilots looking for a distinctive high-performance wooden sailplane for GPS Light competition, thermal flying and fast cross-country style flying.

Kit Includes

• Full-color detailed plans and drawings
• Laser-cut plywood parts in thicknesses from 0.4 mm to 4 mm
• Laser-cut balsa ribs and all other required balsa components
• Two-part aramid fuselage, consisting of the front fuselage pod and central pylon
• Carbon tail boom, reinforced at strategically important areas
• Carbon V-mount / rocker for the all-moving horizontal stabilizer
• Carbon tube main spars, ranging from 14 mm down to 4 mm in diameter
• Carbon rod wing joiners
• Carbon cap strips for structural reinforcement
• Fiberglass parts for the control linkages
• Control horns, T-nuts (blind nuts), mounting bolts and other hardware
• Additional small carbon parts and accessories

Building manual in German:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i5o9wmedqu1sab8wxvi1x/GyPSy-365-Bauanleitung.pdf?rlkey=b9yhfhpqmhbgkka3np79isvq3&st=v0lmuy8o&dl=0

Building manual in English:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9076ha9d4sienjeu5z9ah/GyPSy_365_Building_Manual_English.pdf?rlkey=4il2ddfxfptb2pg8zd8nanqhx&st=bld7ocxf&dl=0

Technical data:

GyPSy 365 control throws:

For flap/camber settings, all wing control surfaces are set to the same angle.

Due to our current high workload, the processing and shipping time for GyPSy kit orders is approximately 4 weeks.