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Air Creation Pixel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pixel
Role Ultralight trike
National origin France
Manufacturer Air Creation
Status In production (2018)

The Air Creation Pixel is a French ultralight trike, designed and produced by Air Creation of Aubenas. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly or as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

Design and development

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The Pixel was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules and the German 120 kg class. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 95 kg (209 lb).[1]

The aircraft design features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat open cockpit without a cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 8.8 m (28.9 ft) span iFun 13 wing has an area of 13 m2 (140 sq ft), is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a single-cylinder, air-cooled, two-stroke, single-ignition 36 hp (27 kW) Polini Thor 250 engine.[1]

The aircraft has an empty weight of 95 kg (209 lb) and a gross weight of 250 kg (551 lb), giving a useful load of 155 kg (342 lb). With full fuel of 16 litres (3.5 imp gal; 4.2 US gal) the payload is 144 kg (317 lb) for pilot and baggage.[1]

A number of different wings can be fitted to the basic carriage, although the purpose-designed iFun 13 is standard. That wing is available as a "short pack" with optional rigid struts to facilitate hangar storage folded with the wing remaining on the trike carriage. The iFun 13 has a speed range of 41 to 110 km/h (25 to 68 mph).[1][2]

The Pixel is available in the XC model, which includes a windshield, instrument panel, electric starter, hand throttle, canvas siding and baggage storage compartment. A pneumatic ballistic parachute is optional and adds 4 kg (9 lb) to the empty weight.[1][2]

Specifications (iFun 13 Pixel XC)

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Data from Tacke and manufacturer[1][2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wingspan: 8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 13 m2 (140 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 95 kg (209 lb)
  • Gross weight: 250 kg (551 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 16 litres (3.5 imp gal; 4.2 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Polini Thor 250 single-cylinder, air-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 27 kW (36 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 110 km/h (68 mph, 59 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 80 km/h (50 mph, 43 kn)
  • Stall speed: 43 km/h (27 mph, 23 kn)
  • g limits: +6/-3
  • Rate of climb: 4 m/s (790 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 19.2 kg/m2 (3.9 lb/sq ft)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 218. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ^ a b c Air Creation (2018). "iFun Pixel". www.aircreation.fr. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
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