Stratos Aviation Stratos

Single-seat single-engined mid-wing mono-plane with conventional three-axis control. Wing has unswept leading and trailing edges, and constant chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin-mounted rudder; roll control by one-third-span spoilers; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wing braced from below by struts; wing profile NACA Series 23000; double-surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation; suspen-sion on all wheels (type NC). Push-right go-right nosewheel steering connected to yaw control. Aluminium-tube/fabric/ steel-tube framework, with optional pod. Engine mounted at wing height driving pusher propeller.

The prototype Stratos made its first flights during the summer of 1982. It had been designed and built by Larry Burke, an engineer specialised in the study of fatigue problems and the breaking points of materials at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Commencing design studies on this single seater in December 1981, Larry included in his design target a minimum load factor of +6, -3g at 5001b (227kg) weight. The Stratos was designed to be a low-profile fully triangulated strut-braced aircraft that places the pilot ahead of the wing, almost giving 360 degrees visibility. The machine is expected to be on sale in ready built form during the summer of 1983 and Stratos Aviation has plans for a two-seater which will be classified as an experimental aircraft in the United States.

The Stratos single-seater is fitted with a Cuyuna 430R but the manufacturer intends that alternative engines shall be offered eventually as an option.

Engine: Cuyuna 430R, 30 hp at 5500 rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 50 x 32 inch, 1.27 x 0.81 m
Belt reduction, ratio 2.0/1
Power per unit area 0.18 hp/sq.ft, 1.9hp/sq.m
Fuel capacity 5.0 US gal, 4.2 Imp gal, 18.9 litre
Length overall 19.0ft, 5.79 m
Height overall 4.5ft, 1.37m
Wing span 33.0ft, 10.05m
Constant chord 5.0 ft, 1.52 m
Sweepback 0 degrees
Total win area 166 sq.ft, 15.4 sq.m
Total spoiler area 4.0 sq.ft, 0.36 sq.m
Wing aspect, ratio 6.5/1
Empty weight 250 lb, 113kg
Max take-off weight 500 lb, 226kg
Payload 250 lb, 113kg
Max wing loading 3.01 lb/sq.ft, 14.6 kg/sq.m
Max power loading 16.7 lb/hp, 7.5 kg/hp
Load factors +6.0, -3.0 design
Max level speed 63 mph, 101 kph
Never exceed speed 70 mph, 112.5 kph
Cruising speed 63 mph, 101 kph
Stalling speed 27 mph, 43 kph
Max climb rate at sea level 750 ft/min, 3.8 m/s
Min sink rate 250 ft/min at 35 mph, 1.3 m/s at 56 kph
Best glide ratio with power off 8/1 at 35 mph, 56kph
Take-off distance 100ft, 30 m
Land-ing distance 100ft, 30m
Service ceiling 16,500 ft, 5030 m
Range at average cruising speed 150 mile, 241 km