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Whats your favourite fixed wing recreational aircraft?


recflyer

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If I had the spare cash number 1.Pure fun number 2.[ATTACH=full]34251[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]34252[/ATTACH]

They seem like a good pair to own together. One stol and slow and the other low wing and looks like it goes like a rocketship.

 

 

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Need more info on this bird! Amazing shape!

Blackshape Prime

 

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Prime

 

 

Role Ultralight aircraft

 

National origin Italy

 

Manufacturer Blackshape

 

First flight 2007

 

Introduction 2009

 

Status In production

 

Unit cost

 

134,000 (assembled, 2011)

 

Developed from Millennium Master

 

The Blackshape Prime is an Italian ultralight aircraft, produced by Blackshape Aircraft, the company founded in Monopoli byLuciano Belviso and Angelo Petrosillo. The aircraft first flew in 2007 and was introduced at the Aero show held in Friedrichshafen in 2009. It is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.[1]

 

Contents

 

 

 

 

 

Design and developmentEdit

 

The Prime started as the Millennium Master, but the design was later acquired and further developed by Blackshape. The aircraft was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.[1]

 

The aircraft is made from pre-preg carbon fibre. Its 7.94 m (26.0 ft) span wing has an area of 9.96 m2 (107.2 sq ft) and double slotted flaps. The standard engine available is the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant, driving a two bladed constant speed propeller, which gives it a maximum level speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and a cruise speed of 275 km/h (171 mph).[1]

 

Specifications (Prime)Edit

 

Data from Bayerl and Blackshape[1][2]

 

General characteristics

 

  • Crew: one
     
     
  • Capacity: one passenger
     
     
  • Length: 7.18 m (23 ft 7 in)
     
     
  • Wingspan: 7.94 m (26 ft 1 in)
     
     
  • Height: 2.41 m (7 ft 11 in)
     
     
  • Wing area: 9.96 m2 (107.2 sq ft)
     
     
  • Empty weight: 296.5 kg (654 lb)
     
     
  • Gross weight: 472.5 kg (1,042 lb)
     
     
  • Fuel capacity: 66 litres (15 imp gal; 17 US gal)
     
     
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 75 kW (101 hp)
     
     
  • Propellers: 2-bladed constant speed propeller
     
     

 

 

Performance

 

  • Maximum speed: 300 km/h (186 mph; 162 kn)
     
     
  • Cruising speed: 275 km/h (171 mph; 148 kn)
     
     
  • Stall speed: 65 km/h (40 mph; 35 kn) flaps down
     
     
  • Never exceed speed: 340 km/h (211 mph; 184 kn)
     
     
  • Wing loading: 47.44 kg/m2 (9.72 lb/sq ft)
     
     

 

 

 

 

 

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It's not a question of you or me, it's what the insurance company and coroner will make of it. I think the type endorsement requirement in the new ops manual is wrong, people should be make aware of it and lobby for a change.

Do a search on my posts - the Ops Manual 7 is appallinging written - contains dozens of contradictions, incinsistencies and outright errors.

Back the Avocet ... its a kit/home built experimental aircraft - as such the BUILDER is the manufacturer so when the Ops manual says:

 

Aeroplane Type

 

Aeroplane undercarriage configuration, designfeatures, flight envelope (e.g. high drag/low drag andconsiderations of inertia), stall speeds and normal/

 

emergency handling characteristics as designated bythe manufacturer.

 

You as manufacturer get to nominate if its high or low performance and the Ops Manager or a Lawyer or any judge cannot say you were wrong .... if Mr Avocet wants to let you fly it and you trained on a fixed prop tri gear three axis he can declare it hi/low performance as required depending on your training.

 

So there you go - I can march an infantry battalion through the Ops manual in just about any of the areas people worry about so do not be too concerned with the Ops Manual - focus on have I got a pilots certificate with the basics covered in term of features I can't declare (props, undercarriage, aircraft group) and then get a briefing and off you go.

 

And Yes, I have pointed out the errors and issues in the Ops Manual ... have been for the l past 22 years in fact and not much changes and basically new stuff gets grafted on without a full understanding of the existing structure and language and it just progressively gets worse.

 

And No. I do not want to re-write the ops manual in a consistent, coherant and understandable form ... we have paid personnel in the RAA whose job it is to do this and while I'm happy to review and comment (as are many RAA members with decades of experience) its up to our paid personnel to do their job.

 

 

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Guest Maj Millard

Lightwing GR 912... or any LW really...the oldest original factory still operating. One of the roomiest cabins available. Rugged.

 

Savannah VG or XL....flys great ...rugged...STOL....shit loads of fuel with double tanks. 10 Ltr fuel sump for safety.

 

Slepcev Storch 100 HP 912......one of the best flyers....fingertip control...great ride...super STOL.

 

Any Drifter of course.

 

 

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First 30 hours was in a 582 Lightwing, which taught me heaps (particularly what a rudder is used for) while having lots of fun. Last 650 hours or so has been in the BushCaddy, a well sorted all-rounder. What more do you need?

 

 

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Here are the votes so far:

 

Jabiru: 6

 

Lightwing: 5

 

Drifter: 3

 

Thruster: 2

 

Savannah: 2

 

Slepcev Storch: 2

 

Vans: 2

 

There were lots of other single votes...

 

I will do a more detailed count once there are more votes.

 

 

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Admittedly I'm biased, but I'll add another vote for Vans, (8,961 flying worldwide as of today, including around 500 in Australia). However as you're focussing just on Australia, your summary seems good to me. Expected to see a higher proportion of Jabiru's though. Ignoring all the debate about the engines, they're a popular aircraft.

 

rgmwa

 

 

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Favourite is hard to define. If someone asked me to recommend a plane suitable for them, say . It wouldn't be the same answer. Favourite is more personal. Nev

I agree. Its more sentimental, definately not scientific or analytical. I guess your favourite should be the aircraft you answered without thinking too much about it.

 

 

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Admittedly I'm biased, but I'll add another vote for Vans, (8,961 flying worldwide as of today, including around 500 in Australia). However as you're focussing just on Australia, your summary seems good to me. Expected to see a higher proportion of Jabiru's though. Ignoring all the debate about the engines, they're a popular aircraft.rgmwa

I think everybody likes the vans, how could you not, speed, looks, great handling and Value for Money.

 

 

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My 2 cents worth on this:

 

Eurofox 3k. Loved it so much I bought one.

 

Rotax 912 reliability, 110 knots TAS cruise, 36 knots at touchdown - all with very well mannered flight characteristics, thanks to suspended full length flaperons. Roomy with excellent visibility. STOL (140 metres at 560 kg MTOW - much shorter when light). Wings fold back for solo trailering. Robust & immaculate factory build quality. Dynon Skyview runs the autopilot - handy for the long navs (540 nm max range). I know I'm biased, but there are no significant shortcomings I can think of. It even tows gliders if required!

 

 

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My 2 cents worth on this:Eurofox 3k. Loved it so much I bought one.

Rotax 912 reliability, 110 knots TAS cruise, 36 knots at touchdown - all with very well mannered flight characteristics, thanks to suspended full length flaperons. Roomy with excellent visibility. STOL (140 metres at 560 kg MTOW - much shorter when light). Wings fold back for solo trailering. Robust & immaculate factory build quality. Dynon Skyview runs the autopilot - handy for the long navs (540 nm max range). I know I'm biased, but there are no significant shortcomings I can think of. It even tows gliders if required!

Well said. Thats a lot of features in one aicraft. It sounds like it almost jumps in the air. 140m is quite short. What speeds do you generally aim for on final, short final and the flare?

 

 

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