Ravin Aircraft Ravin 500

 This composite aircraft, based on the concept of the Piper Comanche was designed and developed by SA Ravin in 2 years and 5 months. The Ravin 500 made it's first flight on 15 September 2002.

An all Composite kit aircraft for amateur construction by SA Ravin Aircraft of Pretoria, South Africa.

An NACA 64-series profile (modified) was used, brought into the shape by Francois Jordaan.  The standard handshake overlap main spar design is used to join the two spars in the fuselage.

A Hartzell 3 Bladed Scimitar Pulse Prop was used from the beginning.  It uses a 12 liter plenim box in conjunction with the air filter.  

The fuselage mold is split vertically with port and starboard halves. There are cross braces below the cockpit floor and one bulkhead visible in the rear fuselage.

Wings are also two-piece, incorporating mainspars and rear subspars. The carbon mainspars overlap and join within the fuselage. Horizontal tailplane was one-piece, glass with carbon elevator.

The fuselage, wings, tailplane and other components appear to have been molded with an inscribed grid covering the exterior surfaces as an aid to alignment and windshield, window cutouts.

Ravin 500
Type: 4-Seat cruiser, conventional
Engine: Lycoming IO540 (194kW, 260h)
Wing span: 10,40m (34ft 2 in)
Wing Area: 14,6 sq m (157 sq ft)
Empty Weight: 975 kg - 1040 kg
Max take-off Weight: 1620 kg (3564 lb)
Aircraft Length: 7,42 m (24 ft 4 ins)
Fuel Capacity: 160 US gal integral wing tanks
Max power loading: 8.35 kg/sq m (22.7 lb/hp)
Max wing loading: 111 kg/sq m (22.7 lb/sq ft)
Max level speed (sea level ISA): 210 kts (242 mph) IAS
Cruise speed (75% power): 185 kts (213 mph) IAS
Optimum cruise (75%@ 6500 ft): 196 kts (226 mph) TAS
Stall speed clean @ max weight: 64 kts IAS (75 mph) IAS
Stall speed with flaps, gear down: 56 kts IAS (64 mph) IAS
Fuel consumption @ 75% power: 14.1 US gal/hr
Range with 10% fuel reserve: 2000 naut miles (2300 stat miles)