V-STOL Solution
| Solution | |
|---|---|
| Role | Ultralight aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | V-STOL Aircraft |
| Designer | Dick Turner |
| Introduction | 1998 |
| Status | Production completed |
The V-STOL Solution is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Dick Turner in 1998 and produced by V-STOL Aircraft. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1][2]
Design and development
[edit]The design goal of the Solution was to produce a legal US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations compliant single seat ultralight that could be easily converted to a two-seater with the addition of a second seat and a larger engine. FAR Part 103 specifies a maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg) and the Solution has a standard empty weight of 246 lb (112 kg). It features a cable-braced high-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.[1][2]
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 33 ft (10.1 m) span wing has a wing area of 183 sq ft (17.0 m2), which is large enough to support a second person. The second seat would be installed behind the first, in tandem, and could be optionally equipped with dual controls.[1][2]
The pilot is accommodated on an open seat and has conventional three-axis controls in the form of a centre stick and rudder pedals. The standard engine provided for single seat flying was the single cylinder two-stroke Rotax 277 of 28 hp (21 kW), while larger engines could be installed for two-seat operations.[1]
V-STOL Aircraft had the design on the market for only a short period before the company went out of business. Assembly time from the kit is estimated at 50 hours.[1][2]
Specifications (Solution single-seat)
[edit]Data from Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum[1][2]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Wingspan: 33 ft (10 m)
- Wing area: 183 sq ft (17.0 m2)
- Empty weight: 246 lb (112 kg)
- Gross weight: 498 lb (226 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 277 single cylinder two-stroke aircraft engine, 28 hp (21 kW)
Performance
- Cruise speed: 45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn)
- Stall speed: 22 mph (35 km/h, 19 kn)
- Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)
- Wing loading: 2.7 lb/sq ft (13 kg/m2)