Company Taking Orders And Deposits At AirVenture This Week
The F4U Corsair is one of the most recognizable airplanes in the world, with its distinctive long nose and gull wing design. And while most of of will probably never be lucky enough to fly one, SportairUSA has brought the spirit of the Corsair to the Part 103 world.
Corsairs are manufactured in Hamburg, Germany. The project is an ongoing collaboration between JH Aircraft GmbH, the University Hochschule21 and the aerospace Engineering company AMM Enterprise GmbH.
JH Aircraft GmbH is responsible for the development, certification, manufacturing and commercialisation of the Corsair. The University Hochschule21 supports the project with structural tests and with the molds for serial production. AMM Enterprise GmbH supports the development with experienced aerospace design and stress engineers.
The Corsair’s fuselage is an Oratex-covered carbon fiber composite spaceframe with a Kevlar carbon safety cell surrounding the pilot. Wings and empennage are also fully manufactured of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). Individual components are joined with CFRP windings so that each joint is at least as strong as the components it joins together.
The low, inverted gull-wing design looks great, but more importantly, it has the advantages of low interference drag between wing and fuselage, shorter and sturdier landing gear as well as an ideal landing gear position which facilitates a nearly perfect angle for take off and landings.
One result of the careful and innovative design is the Corsair’s +9g and -6g calculated load strength.
The airplanes are powered by a 4-stroke, 3-cylinder Verner Motor Scarlett 3VW. This is a direct-drive radial engine generating maximum continuous power is 34 bhp and maximum torque is 123 footpounds. The propeller is a power-matched, ground adjustable, 3-bladed Hi-Tech Carbon Propeller by E-Props, capable of producing up to 220 pounds of static thrust.
Specifications:
- Wing Span: 24 feet, 5 inches
- Length: 20 feet, 6 inches
- Wing Area: 105.6 square feet
- Empty Weight: 242 - 254 pounds
- Safe Loading; +6 / -4g
- Max/Cruise Speed: 55 knots (63 mph) under Part 103
- Never Exceed Speed: 120 mph
- Engine: Radial 4-Stroke Verner Scarlett 3
A Standard Corsairs includes:
- Whole Plan Recovery: Installed GRS wholeplane ballastic parachute.
- Fuselage: Carbon tube space frame, CFRP-Kevlar-hybrid safety cell and seat, seat position and tilt angle fully ground adjustable, sliding canopy, Oratex cover.
- Wing: CFRP spars and ribs, sandwich torsion box, combined flaps and ailerons (flaperons), tie-down-cutouts optional, Oratex cover.
- Empennage: CFRP structure, rudder aerodynamically balanced, elevator aerodynamically and mass balanced.
- Landing Gear: Two cantilevered main wheels 400-4 with spring and damper units, aerodynamic aluminum profile struts, drum brakes with separate actuation, steerable tail wheel with elastomeric spring/damper.
- Controls: Flaperon and elevator control by pushrods, adjustable control stick, rudder control by steel cables, rudder pedals adjustable.
- Propulsion: 3-cylinder radial engine Verner Scarlett, including electric start, generator, 2-blade ground adjustable CFRP-prop, aluminum-spinner, 5 gallon fuel tank.
- Avionics/Electronics: GFRP panel with altimeter, airspeed indicator, bank indicator, compass, oil pressure, oil temperature, tachometer, 12V and USB sockets, aircraft grade wiring, automatic circuit breakers, LiFePo-battery.
The company will be taking orders and refundable deposits for the Corsairs ultralight at AirVenture this week.
(Source: SportairUSA. Images provided)
Klyde Morris (01.20.20)
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