The Aviastroitel AC-4 Russia is a Russian mid-wing, single-seat glider designed by Vladimir Egorovich Fedorov and produced by Aircraft Cooperative Mechta, which became Aviastroitel, now Glider Air Craft. The aircraft is sometimes referred to as the Federov AC-4 Russia, Mechta AC-4, Fedorov Me7 Mechta, Kenilworth Me7, AS+ Ltd AC-4 or Aircraft Cooperative Mechta AC-4 Russia. It is currently marketed as the Glider Air Craft Solo AC-4. The aircraft started out in 1989 as Fedorov's "Dream" project for the OSTIV World Class Sailplane 1993 design contest. It went through several design prototypes, named Mechta I, Mechta II and Russia I and II. The Russia II was the version submitted to the competition. The bid involved forming a new concern, the Aircraft Cooperative Mechta and building three hand-made prototypes. The aircraft performed well in the competition and the fly-off held in Oerlinghausen, Germany, but the lack of a manufacturing facility behind the design, plus political pressures put the design in second place, with the Polish Politechnika Warszawska PW-5 winning. The American team at the competition was very impressed with the Russian design, thought it would sell well for Club class and student solo flying and bought one of the three prototypes to take home with them. The aircraft proved popular and so a US distributorship under the name Russia 12.6 was set up to sell the Russian production. Since the Aircraft Cooperative Mechta could not mass-produce the aircraft they reformed as Aviastroitel. In 1994 US distribution was transferred to Mechta Sailplanes, LLC, which imported 18 Russia gliders. Aviastroitel created a second set of molds to respond to the demand and started a second assembly line with a total production capacity of 48 AC-4s per year. In 1997 William Ayd became US distributor under the name Russia Sailplanes, Inc. Production of the AC-4 was suspended in 2003 when the Russian government changed the requirements for industrial production, making building them uneconomical. In 2010 Aviastroitel became Glider Air Craft and production resumed. The aircraft is made from fibreglass. Its 12.6 m (41.3 ft) span wing employs a Wortmann FX-60-157 airfoil. The AC-4 can be fitted with a McCulloch MC-101B two-stroke engine of 12 hp (9 kW) that will sustain flight. A Ballistic Recovery Systems parachute is optional. Sixty Russias were completed, some as complete non-certified aircraft and some as kits for amateur construction. For operational history and variants, click here.
