test stand or in mid -air during launch. Tracing the problem to leakage between the paper plies, allowing uneven burning and thus over-pressurisation and explosion, changes were made and the project progressed. To take advantage of the rotation of the earth and increase attainable altitude, it was proposed to fire production rockets from a launch base in Zäire, negotiations were almost complete when the political situation in Zäire forced the abandonment of the project. FVA-23 (Glider-tug noise abatement) From the 1970s excessive noise produced by aircraft has become increasingly unacceptable. In 1976 the FVA received an order from the DFG (Deutschen Forschungs-Gemeinschaft – German research foundation) to research aircraft noise, particularly from glider-towing operations, and develop systems for noise reduction, under the designation FVA-23. The research investigated noise from exhaust systems, propellers, engines and panel vibrations. A demonstration of the noise reduction systems was carried out using the glider tug at the FVA gliding club, a Robin DR400-180R 'Remorqueur', giving a large reduction in noise with only 5% reduction in power. FVA-24 Wimi (Retractable glider tow rope) With the spiralling cost of petrol, both AvGas and MoGas, the need to economise on fuel usage becomes more important. Glider tugs flying from smaller airfields typically fly two circuits for every launch, due to the need for rope dropping. To remove the need for rope dropping the FVA students designed and built a retractable tow-rope system that could be retrofitted to glider-tugs. A small winch fitted inside the tug carries the tow-rope when retracted. For launch the rope is pulled out by hand and attached to a Tost hook at the extreme tail of the tug with the rope extending behind the tug to the glider, ensuring that the load from the tow is taken by the tugs structure, not the winch. When the tow is finished the tug-pilot retracts the tow rope, automatically releasing the Tost hook, enabling the tug to land directly without carrying out a rope-dropping circuit. The prototype 'FVA-24 WiMi' system was successfully fitted to the FVA club's Grob G 109 motor-glider tug. FVA-27 Since the Wright brothers started flying at Kill Devil Hill aircraft designers have recognised that canard aircraft are intrinsically more efficient than conventional aircraft and can also have safety benefits. Students at the FVA have initiated a project to design and build a canard glider to meet standard class competition rules demonstrating significant performance