Lukasiewicz I-45 JAY Blazes Through Initial Flight Testing

Polish engineers from the Lukasiewicz Institute of Aviation recently sent up their aerobatic glider, the I-45 JAY, for initial flight tests. The aircraft continues a long legacy of iconic Polish innovations, including the SZD-21 Kobuz, S-1 Swift, and MDM-1 Fox. As previous Polish gliders age out of service, the aircraft will fill a gap in an extremely specialized market.

...Glider’s Encounter With Flutter During Cruise Flight That Resulted In Structural Damage To The Fuselage

Analysis: The pilot stated that the glider was in cruise flight at approximately 81 kts and 4,800 ft when the cockpit began to shake violently and noisily side-to-side. When the glider slowed to about 60 kts, the shaking ceased. The pilot landed the glider without further incident. The side-to-side shaking described by the pilot was consistent with a vibration event associated with flutter in straight and level flight. The vibrations dissipated as the airplane slowed, also consistent with flutter. The damage pattern in the aft portion of the fuselage showed multiple cracks oriented at ±45° relative to the hor