The two-seat Little Bear is a Piper Cub representation.
Author: Terry
Superdrone Aviation Inc
USA
Made kits available to construct the two-seat Little Bear, as a Piper Cub representation.
Super 580 Aircraft Co
USA
Produced remanufactured and turboprop-engined conversion of Convair 340, 440 and 580 series transports, as Super 580.
Sup’Air Sora
For optimal control, trimmers either accelerate or slow the glider down. They are fitted on a double strap and produce a softer sensation, in particular for the passenger, and to reduce the effort in pulling them down. They attach to the bottom of the riser with a magnet to stop them flapping in the wind.
The positioning of rods reinforcing the profile has been especially designed in order to prevent friction on the upper surface thanks to a “buffer zone”, in order to prevent early ageing and guarantee high durability. The Sora is also fitted with brake tabs adjustable in height, so pilots of all sizes may fly it in comfort.
Big ears stay in place thanks to a dedicated blocker, which is located facing the pilot for better control and safety. A new wingtip clean-up system will help remove stones and twigs from the glider more easily.
The wide certified weight range is from 120kg to 220kg.
Sup’Air
Since 2012, Supair have owned their own brand of paraglider, developed by, amongst others, Pierre-Yves Alloix (formerly with Escape).
Laurent Chiabaut was on his own at the helm of Supair since the loss of Pierre Bouilloux.
Supair, the French manufacturer which was initially known for its harnesses, then its reserves, has bought the Czech brand Gradient. Gradient is one of the best known makes of wings, but for some time now they seem to have been economically stifled.
The Gradient brand and models will continue to be developed in parallel to the Supair wings and Ondrej Dupal will remain fully active.
Supaero Duckling
The canard Duckling was a project of the Supaero school in the 1970s. Though it seemed successful, its development has never reached flight test.
Since 2003 it has been kept at Conservatory of L’Air de l’Espace d’Aquitaine (CAAS), the Bordeaux-Merignac (France).
Engines: 2 x Microturbo TSR18.
Sunshine Aero Composites Dart
First flown in 1996.
Engine: VW 2100, 80 hp
HP range: 80-150
Top speed: 200 mph
Cruise: 160 mph
Stall: 65 mph
Range: 1000-1150 nm
Rate of climb: 1200 fpm
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft
Fuel capacity: 25-40 USG
Empty weight: 625 lb
Gross weight: 1200-1350 lb
Height: 5.4 ft
Length: 15.3 ft
Wing span: 23 ft
Wing area: 75 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Cockpit width: 23 in
Landing gear: nose wheel
Sunshine Aero Composites
2001: 1125 S.W 49th Terrace, Plantation, FL 33317, USA.
LSA builder
Sun Sail Swift
The Sun Sail Swift used a sophisticated airfoil design to give delicate balance and handling characteristics. There is a special high strength baked-on epoxy on the control bar and kingpost. Injection molded spar saddles and kingpost fittings and standard, and quick change links for seated to prone flying are fitted. The Swift is fitted with a dowelled and sleeved precision bent keel and the ability to breakdown to 12 ft. Options included soaring windows, custom sail patterns, 5 x 5 control bar, and a ball variometer.
The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.5in x .049 clear anodised aluminium alloy. Exterior sleeving is 6063-T832. Spars are precision drilled with exterior hardwood dowel. Rigging cable is 3/32in 7 x 7 302 stainless steel aircraft quality, with all rigging vinyl coated. Continuous top rigging is fitted and lowr rigging is individual with no weak links. All cable ends are double nico pressed.
Tangs, control bar box, kingpost bracket, shackles and nose plate are stainless steel. Nuts, bolts and turnbuckles are aircraft quality. The wing struts are 4130 chrome molly with machined cable guides.
The sail is Howe & Bainbridge 3.8oz stabilised dacron, then available in 11 colours. Fully reinforced with unique roach tip design, three tapered fibreglass battens per side, control batten attached to leading edge for positive washou control. Panels run 90 degrees to the leading edge.
A seated harness has full height adjustment, rigid seat with leg loop security. Made from 5000 lb test web that includes a back support and spreader bar. Prone harness has full adjustment, three position suspension system with knee hangers.
Swift A
Leading edge: 19 ft
Keel length: 12 ft
Wing span: 30.3 ft
Wing area: 170 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 5.28
Nose angle: 104˚
Weight: 40 lb
Stall speed: 13 mph
Max speed: 40 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 7-1
Best L/D speed: 26 mph
Min sink: 255 fpm
Swift B
Leading edge: 20 ft
Keel length: 12 ft
Wing span: 32 ft
Wing area: 190 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 5.38
Nose angle: 104˚
Weight: 41 lb
Stall speed: 13 mph
Max speed: 40 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 7-1
Best L/D speed: 27 mph
Min sink: 255 fpm
Sun Sail Sun
The Sun Sail Corp Sun Standard was regarded as easy to take off, with good parachuting and stall charastics. It has a distortion and noise free sail.
The Sun Standard airframe is made from 606-T6 1.5 in x .049 clear anodised alloy, and exterior sleeving is 6063-T832. Spars are precision drilled with exterior sleeve and interior hardwood dowel. There are full bushings throughout.
Rigging cable is 3/32in 7×7 302 stainless steel aircraft quality, with all rigging fully coated. There is continuous top rigging, individual lower rigging with no weak links. All cable ends are double nico pressed. Tangs, control box, kingpost backet, shackles and nose plate are stainless steel. Nuts, bolts and turnbuckles are aircraft quality.
There is a powder coated baked-on epoxy on the kingpost, injecrion moulded spar saddles and kingpost fittings. The glider came with a seated harness.
The sail is Howe & Bainbridge 3.8oz stabilised dacron in 11 colours. All seams are double zig-zag stiched and stress points reinforced. The sail is cut for wing spar deflection and has utilised keel pocket construction.
The seated harness has full height adjustment, rigid seat and leg loop security, made of 5000 lb test web that includes a back support and spreader bar. An optional prone harness had full adjustment, a three position suspension system with knee hangers and sheepskin padding.
The Sun III has a higher aspect ratio for an extended glide ratio. It has a hyperbolically, non-symmetrical cut trailing edge to reduce drag. It has an extremely slow take-off speed, soars in marginal conditions, its control is light and responsive, and it has good parachuting capabilities.
The Sun III has powder coated baked-on epoxy on the kingpost, injection moulded spar saddles and kingpost fittings. The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.5in x .049 clear anodised alloy with 6063-T832 exterior sleeving. Spars are prcision drilled with exterior sleeve and interior hardwood dowel. Full bushings ae throughout.
Sun III cabling is 3/32in 7 x7 302 stainless steel aircraft, with all rigging vinyl coated. Continuous top rigging, lowr rigging individual with no weak links is fitted. All cable ends are double nico pressed.
Tangs, control bar box, kingpost bracket, shackles and nose plate are stainless steel, and nuts, bolts and turnbuckles are aircraft quality on the Sun III. A seated harness has full height adjustment, rigid seat with leg loop security, made of 5000 b test web that includes a back support and spreader bar. A prone harness has full adjustment, three position suspension system with knee hangers.
The Sun III sail is Howe and Bainridge 3.8 oz stabilised dacron which was available in 11 colours. All seams are double zig-zag stitched and stress pointts are reinforced. The sail is cut for wing spar deflection and has keel pocket construction.
With the same materials and construction as the Sun II, the Sun IV is a high aspect truncated tip flexible wing Rogallo. It has low take-off speed and will soar in winds under 15 mph. It features a sail cut to improve airflow characteristics, a factory cambered keel and rigid strut supported trunks.
The Sun IV BC is a high aspect ratio Rogallo hybrid with an ‘S’ shaped keel, fully battened sail and finite tips. It is controlled solely by weight shifting.
It is reported as having a slow take-off speed and it will soar in wind conditions under 15 mph.
Some available options were soaring windows, aerodynamic streamlining, custom sail patterns, and a variometer.
Take down and set up times should be less than 10 minutes and the Sun IV BC can be transported like a standard.
Sun Standard 16×16
Leading edge: 16 ft
Keel length: 16 ft
Wing span: 21 ft
Wing area: 160 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 2.75
Nose angle: 82˚
Sail billow: 4˚
Weight: 33 lb
Pilot weight: 110-155 lb
Takeoff speed: 14 mph
Stall speed: 17 mph
Max speed: 37 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1
Best L/D speed: 25 mph
Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun Standard 17×17
Leading edge: 17 ft
Keel length: 17 ft
Wing span: 22.5 ft
Wing area: 181 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 2.75
Nose angle: 82˚
Sail billow: 4˚
Weight: 34 lb
Pilot weight: 120-170 lb
Takeoff speed: 14 mph
Stall speed: 17 mph
Max speed: 37 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1
Best L/D speed: 25 mph
Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun Standard 18×18
Leading edge: 18 ft
Keel length: 18 ft
Wing span: 23.8 ft
Wing area: 203 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 2.75
Nose angle: 82˚
Sail billow: 4˚
Weight: 35 lb
Pilot weight: 130-185 lb
Takeoff speed: 14 mph
Stall speed: 17 mph
Max speed: 37 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1
Best L/D speed: 25 mph
Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun Standard 19×19
Leading edge: 19 ft
Keel length: 19 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 228 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 2.75
Nose angle: 82˚
Sail billow: 4˚
Weight: 36 lb
Pilot weight: 145-225 lb
Takeoff speed: 14 mph
Stall speed: 17 mph
Max speed: 37 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1
Best L/D speed: 25 mph
Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun III 19 x 18
Leading edge: 19 ft
Keel length: 18 ft
Wing span: 27.25 ft
Wing area: 180 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 4.13
Nose angle: 90˚
Sail billow: 6˚
Weight: 40 lb
Pilot weight: 125-165 lb
Takeoff speed: 13 mph
Stall speed: 15 mph
Max speed: 40 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 6-1
Best L/D speed: 29 mph
Min sink: 422 fpm
Sun III 20 x 19
Leading edge: 20 ft
Keel length: 19 ft
Wing span: 28.25 ft
Wing area: 195 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 4.13
Nose angle: 90˚
Sail billow: 6˚
Weight: 42 lb
Pilot weight: 150-210 lb
Takeoff speed: 11 mph
Stall speed: 15 mph
Max speed: 40 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 6-1
Best L/D speed: 17 mph
Min sink: 422 fpm
Sun IV
Leading edge: 19 ft
Keel length: 15 ft
Wing span: 31.25 ft
Wing area: 180 sq,ft
Aspect ratio: 5.1
Nose angle: 105˚
Sail billow: 3˚
Weight: 43 lb
Pilot weight: 150-220 lb
Takeoff speed: 12 mph
Stall speed: 14 mph
Max speed: 40 mph
Best glide ratio (L/D): 7-1
Best L/D speed: 22 mph
Min sink: 250 fpm
Sun IV BC
Wing span: 31 ft 6 in
Wing area: 185 sq.ft
Aspect ratio: 5.1
Keel length: 12 ft sail – 3 ft stinger
Leading edge length: 19 ft
Nose angle: 105 degrees
Billow: 2.5 or 3 degrees
Empty weight: 44 lb
Max flying weight: 257 lb
Useful load: 213 lb
Best L/D: 7.5 – 1Min sink: 235 fpm
Stall: 12 mph
Cruise: 25 mph
Max speed: 45 mph
