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I always like to look at flying machines overhead. One day I saw something I've never seen before. It looked like a cross between a Cessna and a glider. It was powered, but I heard no sound from it (but I might not have anyway due to ambient noise). The wings were about twice as long and half as wide as a regular Cessna. Any idea what that was? It looked like it was built for pure fun.

Updates in response to comments:

It was not a glider; it had a front engine and high wing like a Cessna. But it was not a Cessna either. The wings were about twice as long as a Cessna, and about half as wide. On the other hand, the wings were about half as long as a glider, and twice as wide.

It was almost directly overhead, about 1,000 feet. I looked intently since I love aviation in all forms and I'd never seen anything like it.

Whatever it was, it looked like it would be a lot of fun.

If it matters, it was near downtown Seattle about 2 years ago.

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    $\begingroup$ Maybe something like this aircraft? It is difficult to know what you are talking about from the description you provided... $\endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    Jul 19, 2018 at 3:48
  • $\begingroup$ I've never seen a glider that could be in any way confused for a Cessna (any Cessna), even with the different wing size you describe. More likely you saw a normal aircraft and it was just too far away to clearly hear the engine (and/or the engine sound was masked by something else). $\endgroup$
    – jwenting
    Jul 19, 2018 at 4:56
  • $\begingroup$ There are a few high wing gliders about. There're also some high wing ultralight/microlights $\endgroup$
    – Dan
    Jul 19, 2018 at 9:22
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    $\begingroup$ The Pipistrel Sinus [Flex] is a high wing motor glider with tricycle gear option. $\endgroup$
    – amI
    Jul 19, 2018 at 22:15

2 Answers 2

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As you describe it, a motorglider would fit the bill. There are several types around, the most popular being the Grob 109 and the Hoffman Dimona.

Grob G-109

Grob G-109 (picture source)

Hoffman H36 Dimona

[Hoffmann H36 Dimona (picture source)

Other possibilities include the Valentin Taifun (the only one with a tricycle landing gear) or the Scheibe SF 36. All of those are of composite construction, but there are also earlier types with wooden wings and a steel tube fuselage, like the Scheibe SF 25 "Falke".

While a Cessna is a high wing plane, all motor gliders are low wing (well, except for this one here). Would a cross between a Piper and a glider describe what you saw even better?

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It may have been a motor glider which is effectively a glider with a small power plant often to get it off the ground under its own power or just to help maneuver and climb when needed. The power plans is generally shutdown in flight and the aircraft is flown like a glider.

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