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Aviation Products Star Trike

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Star Trike
Role Ultralight trike
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Aviation Products Ltd
Designer Klaus Wisch
Introduction 1980
Status In production (2013)
Produced 1980–present

The Aviation Products Star Trike is a German ultralight trike that was designed by Klaus Wisch and is produced by Aviation Products Ltd of Bitburg.[1]

Design and development

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The Star Trike was designed in 1980 has been in production ever since. It fits the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category. The design features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat or a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in pusher configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its single or double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 10 m (32.8 ft) span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. A range of powerplants can be fitted, including the twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine and the twin cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 60 hp (45 kW) HKS 700E engine.[1]

In its single seat agricultural version the aircraft has an empty weight of 170 kg (375 lb) and a gross weight of 472.5 kg (1,042 lb), giving a useful load of 302.5 kg (667 lb). With full fuel of 44 litres (9.7 imp gal; 12 US gal) the payload is 271 kg (597 lb).[1]

A number of different wings can be fitted to the basic carriage, including the Air Creation XP 15.[1]

Variants

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Star Trike Agrar
Single seat agricultural aircraft version.[1]
Star Trike DS
Dual seat version.[1]

Specifications (Star Trike Agrar)

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Data from Bayerl[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wingspan: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 15.5 m2 (167 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 170 kg (375 lb)
  • Gross weight: 472.5 kg (1,042 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 44 litres (9.7 imp gal; 12 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 48 kW (64 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 120 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn)
  • Stall speed: 47 km/h (29 mph, 25 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 6.5 m/s (1,280 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 30.5 kg/m2 (6.2 lb/sq ft)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 206. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
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