Pipistrel Twister
| Twister | |
|---|---|
| Role | Ultralight trike |
| National origin | Slovenia |
| Manufacturer | Pipistrel |
| Status | Production completed (2018) |
| Developed from | Flight Team Spider |
The Pipistrel Twister is a Slovenian ultralight trike, designed and produced by Pipistrel of Ajdovščina. It was distributed in Europe by Flight Team UG & Company AG of Ippesheim and sometimes called the Flight Team Twister. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.[1]
By October 2018 it was listed as a "legacy" product and production had ended.[2]
Design and development
[edit]The Twister is a development of the Pipistrel Spider. It incorporates a bent main pylon, which allows more seating room for the rear seat occupant, more streamlined main landing gear legs and a Rotax 912 engine. The Twister was designed for competition use, but has been successful in the recreational market as well.[1]
The Twister was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit with a cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in pusher configuration.[1]
The aircraft is made from welded steel tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 10 m (32.8 ft) span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL engine.[1]
The aircraft has an empty weight of 198 kg (437 lb) and a gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb), giving a useful load of 252 kg (556 lb). With full fuel of 42 litres (9.2 imp gal; 11 US gal) the payload is 222 kg (489 lb).[1]
Specifications (Twister 912)
[edit]Data from Bayerl[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: one passenger
- Wingspan: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 15 m2 (160 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 198 kg (437 lb)
- Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 42 litres (9.2 imp gal; 11 US gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912UL four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 60 kW (80 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed composite
Performance
- Maximum speed: 130 km/h (81 mph, 70 kn)
- Cruise speed: 110 km/h (68 mph, 59 kn)
- Stall speed: 60 km/h (37 mph, 32 kn)
- Rate of climb: 9 m/s (1,800 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 30.0 kg/m2 (6.1 lb/sq ft)
See also
[edit]- Silence Twister, a different aircraft with the same model name
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 212. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ "Pipistrel Aircraft Twister - Pipistrel". www.pipistrel.si. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.