New airborne topless wing?

[Bluey]

I was talking to Rob from airborne the other day and he told he that they have been testing a new topless wing and were about to release it for sale. Apparently it has a wing span about 1 metre shorter than the SST and so together with a bit more wingtip area is lighter in roll but no faster in speed. I believe it also has an overall smaller area so wing loading will be higher and so should be a little better in turbulence as well.

 

Anyone know any more about it?

 

Bluey.

 

 

[crusty]

I was speaking to someone on the weekend who was flying Airbornes 912 with the new wing and he said he was getting 80 knots out of it ( we were discussing an extended windshield would be a must at those speeds).

 

WP.

 

 

[Bluey]

Does it trim any faster than their SST? How's the handling?

 

Bluey.

 

 

[eightyknots]

I was speaking to someone on the weekend who was flying Airbornes 912 with the new wing and he said he was getting 80 knots out of it ( we were discussing an extended windshield would be a must at those speeds).WP.

80 knots from an Airborne 912!? That sounds exactly like my kind of speed!

 

 

[alf jessup]

Well they quote 70kts cruise in the original SST and they can't achieve that so 80kts with this new one , I doubt it.

 

Alf

 

 

[crusty]

Does it trim any faster than their SST? How's the handling?Bluey.

Not sure Bluey, we didn't get to talk to long as the big blue was beckoning.

 

 

[Bluey]

Rob was pretty clear in saying it was no faster than the sst. He has spent quite a few hours flying their prototype wing.

 

Bluey.

 

 

[Bluey]

The SST will do 80kts too without too much problem. I have found that it is not realistic or efficient to go much faster than bout 65kts indicated in a trike as the fuel burn is excessive. I flew in a Revo recently (100hp) and found it to be a great trike but again the fuel burn was too high at more than about 70kts (around 16l/hr). The owner said he generally doesn't fly faster than about 60kts most of the time. At that speed he's burning around 11l/hr. I'm burning less than 10l/hr in the SST at the same speed and around 12l/hr solo at around 70kts. I think the SST with the 80hp has the most economical cruise going around at the moment.

 

Bluey.

 

 

[Dieselten]

The new wing is called the "Arrow" and is 1 metre less span.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Ok.....Drum roll.....

 

http://www.airborne.com.au/pages/microlights_xt912_arrow_tundra.php

 

By the way, the specs shown are for the "Merlin" so don't take any notice of those. Rob was aware he had the wrong specs up, and thought he would get it fixed before his trip, but apparently not.

 

I'll let you know what they are like after I fly one... If everything goes to plan, next week. Mind you, plans have been all over the place lately... Thanks CASA!

 

 

[Bluey]

I'm curious to give this a go. I think the surface area has been slughtly reduced to about 12.9m squared compared to 13.5 for the SST. According to the website, they appear to have dropped the SST From the line up.

 

Bluey.

 

 

[eastmeg2]

While the wing is new, the name "Arrow" was shared by a much earlier wing used on Airborne trikes in the 1980's, if I'm not mistaken.

 

I'll be watching with interest for some flight reports . . .

 

 

[Air Creation]

Yes..you are correct eastmeg2..the Arrow was the second wing Airborne built (approx 1989) following the Osprey 210 wing which was the original wing on the Buzzard trikes. There is an Arrow wing featured in my Wombat Video.

 

 

 

[Kev]

I think the SST with the 80hp has the most economical cruise going around at the moment.Bluey.

Quik 912S two up, 60kts, better than 9.5lts/hr.

 

Kev

 

 

[Air Creation]

Flying here in Alice (airfield Elev. 2400ft AMSL) ..usually achieve 8.5 to 9.5 ltrs/hr at 60kts two-up with my Tanarg 912 iXess...

 

 

[jeff b]

I've flown the new Arrow for a couple of hrs now including this week. The hands off trim speed was approx 68 knots on the front hole position I believe, with 80 kts easily maintained as the pitch is light but still positive. I think this position is the way to go as the trimmer can now be effective to reduce the hands off trim speed when desired such as landing. Handling in roll seemed a bit lighter than the SST. I really enjoyed these flights with it. I love the fact that the top surface is the latest UV tolerant Mylar material, so keeping it from staying soiled from birds in the hangar is now easy to take care of :-)

 

Jeff.

 

 

[Bluey]

Hi, has anyone had any further experience with the arrow wing? I've got the SST and am considering doing the conversion to the arrow for around 6 grand. Is it worth it or are the two wings too similar to bother with a conversion. Airborne claim the arrow is a much better handling wing than the SST. Is this realistic or just marketing spin?

 

Bluey.