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X-Air H / Hanuman / Hawk
Joel Koechlin of Raj Hamsa the manufacturing company in India, wanted to build a new aircraft, which kept the features of the original Xair, and add all the things owners wanted. Like bigger doors, adjustable seats, folding wings, more speed, overhead visibility, better comfort etc. The Hanuman is very different from the existing X-Air’s. The Hanuman has been designed to accept a larger range of engines which include the Jabiru 2.2, the Rotax 912 / 914 and some of the bigger Hirth 4 cylinder engines, the aircraft would also perform reasonable well on the 582 or 618 Rotax two strokes.
The flap lever has been sited on the top left hand side of the cabin, so no more need to change hands on the stick. The seat belts now come through the headrest which means they fit better over the shoulders. The seats are adjustable. The X-Air also has a solid wooden floor in the cockpit.
The Standard Xair pilots had a draft that came between the seats, but now there is a piece of clear fabric sewn in place to seal it up, but still allowing you to see the big 80 litre fuel tank. A Baggage compartment is located behind the seats and the dashboard has now also been sloped forward & closer to the occupants. A purpose surround for the compass is now incorporated on the top of the dashboard.
The Hawk like the original X-air is fitted with full Dual controls, i.e. two sticks, two throttles and the pilot has toe operated brakes; aircraft used for training can also be fitted with an emergency brake operated by the instructor. All the controls are now under the floor so there is a much better & cleaner look.
The Doors are now wide so access is easy. They hinge at the front so they are totally out of the way when opened and allow excellent access. Overhead visibility is provided with four clear lexan panels in the fiberglass roof section.
The Hanuman model is generally fitted with the Rotax or Jabiru 80 hp four stroke engines and these generally have a different instrument specification to the standard two stroke powered X-Air aircraft. The Jabiru 2.2 and Rotax 912 engines both need to modify the engine mounts.
The Hawk has achieved BCAR ‘S’ Certification and can be built from a kit, through the PFA system. This aircraft is a 2 place aircraft, and features the Jabiru engine, a wing fold system, Kevlar reinforced, coated fabric, a ‘proper’ bungee-sprung, undercarriage; dual controls and a wide, comfortable cockpit with excellent forward/side visibility. A cockpit heat system is also included.
The X-Air can be pulled down in about 15 minutes. Firstly, the Velcro attached wing nappy is removed, the wing skin tensioning belts are released, the aileron cable is detached and with the assistance of a helper the wing struts are removed and finally, the wings are detached from the main fuse tube. All the wing removal can be done without tools. The wing can be reattached in about 25 minutes.
The suspension design is similar to shock absorbers on a motorcycle and can handle all the bumps and potholes on grass and bush strips with ease. The front wheel has dual shock suspension with trailing link design steering; the trailing link design straightens up immediately on touch down, so even landing in cross wind is relatively easy in the X-Air. The shock absorber design used on the X-Air offers rebound dampening. The undercarriage is rated to 9 g’s.
A Clear illustrated build manual with colour photographs and pre assembled parts make assembly easy.
Some of the added benefits are:
Cabin Heat
Easy Remove/Folding Wings
Four Stroke Engine
90+ mph Cruise
60 litre fuel tank now up to 5+hrs flying time
Quick Adjusting seats on Sliding Rails
85hp Jabiru 2200 Engine as standard
The X-air Hawk is the UK/Eire Version of the Xair-H, also referred to as the Hanuman in other countries.
The Xair Hawk is available both as a BCAR Section 'S' Microlight and as a Group A VLA at 499kg. The aircraft has been in the design for some years, undergoing various tests and trials, with the first showing of the prototype at Blois in 2002.
X-Air Hawk
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