Author: Terry

Rainbow Aerotrike

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Circa 2007, uses the Spirit 14.8 wing. A folding mast and brakes are standard. Options included electric start, pod, skis, and floats.

Top speed: 70 mph
Cruise: 55 mph
Range: 195 sm
Rate of climb: 800 fpm
Takeoff dist: 195 ft
Landing dist: 160 ft
Service ceiling: 10,000 ft
Engine: Rotax 503 DC, 52 hp
HP range: 52-80
Fuel capacity: 14 USG
Empty weight: 340 lb
Gross weight: 880 lb
Height: 12.5 ft
Length: 10 ft
Wing span: 33.5 ft
Wing area: 160 sq.ft
Seats: 2

Rainbow Cheetah XLS

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The Cheetah is the versatile 3-axis Microlight from Rainbow Aircraft, manufactured completely in South Africa.

Rated and tested to 560kg +6 -4g Wide range of engines and accessories available. The Cheetah has been approved by South African CAA for full PPL training and hour-building towards CPL.

The R&D team has been working on a Jabiru powered Cheetah. The first Cheetah with a Jabiru 80HP engine has performed its first test flight.

Engine: Rotax 582/99 UL, 65 hp
Gearbox reduction: 3.47 : 1
Propeller: 2 or 3 Blade
Fuel Consumption (at 80%): 14.5 l/hr
Wing span: 9600 mm
Wing Area: 13.25 sq.m
Chord: 1380 mm
Aspect Ratio: 7.01
Aircraft Length: 5670 mm
Aircraft Height (at Wing): 1900 mm
Empty Weight: 248 kg
Gross Weight: 560 kg
Useful Load: 312 kg
Load Factors: +6g -4g
Cockpit Height: 1370 mm
Cockpit Width: 1200 mm
Seats: 2
Luggage Compartment: 2 x 25 lt (max 35kg)
Fuel Capacity: 100L / 26gal
100L / 26gal
100L / 26gal
Doors (optional): 2
Take Off roll: 100 m
Landing Ground Roll: 120 m
Rate of Climb: 700 ft/min
Service Ceiling: 12000 ft asl
Max crosswind component: 32 mph
Cruise Speed (at 65%): 75 mph
Maximum level Speed: 100 mph
Max Speed (VNE): 125 mph
Glide Ratio: 10 : 1
Power Off Stall (with No flaps): 40 mph
Power Off Stall (with flaps): 35 mph
Roll Rate: 3 sec 45/45
Endurance (with reserve): 6.5 hrs
Range (with reserve): 500 miles

Engine: Rotax 912 UL, 80 hp
Gearbox reduction: 2.27 : 1
Propeller: 2 or 3 Blade
Fuel Consumption (at 80%): 12 l/hr
Wing span: 9600 mm
Wing Area: 13.25 sq.m
Chord: 1380 mm
Aspect Ratio: 7.01
Aircraft Length: 5670 mm
Aircraft Height (at Wing): 1900 mm
Empty Weight: 272 kg
Gross Weight: 560 kg
Useful Load: 288 kg
Load Factors: +6g -4g
Cockpit Height: 1370 mm
Cockpit Width: 1200 mm
Seats: 2
Luggage Compartment: 2 x 25 lt (max 35kg)
Fuel Capacity: 100L / 26gal
100L / 26gal
100L / 26gal
Doors (optional): 2
Take Off roll: 100 m
Landing Ground Roll: 100 m
Rate of Climb: 730 ft/min
Service Ceiling: 12000 ft asl
Max crosswind component: 32 mph
Cruise Speed (at 65%): 90 mph
Maximum level Speed: 105 mph
Max Speed (VNE): 125 mph
Glide Ratio: 10 : 1
Power Off Stall (with No flaps): 40 mph
Power Off Stall (with flaps): 35 mph
Roll Rate: 3 sec 45/45
Endurance (with reserve): 7.5 hrs
Range (with reserve): 670 miles

Engine: Rotax 912s ULS, 100 hp
Gearbox reduction: 2.27 : 1
Propeller: 2 or 3 Blade
Fuel Consumption (at 80%): 13 l/hr
Wing span: 9600 mm
Wing Area: 13.25 sq.m
Chord: 1380 mm
Aspect Ratio: 7.01
Aircraft Length: 5670 mm
Aircraft Height (at Wing): 1900 mm
Empty Weight: 274 kg
Gross Weight: 560 kg
Useful Load: 286 kg
Load Factors: +6g -4g
Cockpit Height: 1370 mm
Cockpit Width: 1200 mm
Seats: 2
Luggage Compartment: 2 x 25 lt (max 35kg)
Fuel Capacity: 100L / 26gal
100L / 26gal
100L / 26gal
Doors (optional): 2
Take Off roll: 80 m
Landing Ground Roll: 100 m
Rate of Climb: 900 ft/min
Service Ceiling: 14000 ft asl
Max crosswind component: 32 mph
Cruise Speed (at 65%): 100 mph
Maximum level Speed: 110 mph
Max Speed (VNE): 125 mph
Glide Ratio: 10 : 1
Power Off Stall (with No flaps): 40 mph
Power Off Stall (with flaps): 35 mph
Roll Rate: 3 sec 45/45
Endurance (with reserve): 7.0 hrs
Range (with reserve): 700 miles

Rainbow Spirit

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The Spirit 15 Wing marks Rainbow Aircraft’s return to trike wing development and manufacture. After 2 years in development under Jenya Zozulya, the Spirit 15 Wing went into production in mid-2002.

By late 2002 over 30 wings had been produced and the first Spirit 15 Wings began arriving in the US in November 2002. Rainbow Aircraft, Inc. (through Trike-Wings.com) was the exclusive US importer of the Spirit 15 Wing.

The wing is light-handling in both pitch and roll and yet stable in both axis.

The Spirit 15 Wing incorporates:
Streamlined Downtubes and Kingpost
Batten tips are springloaded resulting in a ‘clean’ trailing edge
The main section of the upper wing sail is clear trilam.

After assembly, each wing is test flown and tuned if necessary before being shipped. All tubing is aluminum 6082-T8 aircraft tube, anodized to 25 microns. All cables are multi-strand stainless steel.

The sail is put together with precision and the finest polyester fabrics available in the world. Top front surface is 6.3 oz Dacron. Top main surface is heavy duty 3 oz trilam (clear) with a 200 kg (440 lb) Dynema cord sewn in. Bottom surface is 4 oz Dacron. Leading edge is 5 oz trilam.

The Spirit 15 wing was static tested to 450 kg (990 lbs) at 6 g’s positive for a total static tested load of 2,450 kg (5,400 lbs). Test was conducted by Spirit Wing Design Engineer Zenya Zozulya, according to the same method used by the German certification authority (DULV).

A full flight test program was also conducted in order to win CAA approval. The Spirit 15 wing is certified by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Wing area: 15.3 sq.m / 164 sq.ft
Wing Weight: 52 kg / 114 lbs
Wingspan: 10.2 m / 33.5′
Dual Surface: 75%
Nose Angel (degrees): 130 deg
Aspect Ratio: 6.9
Folded Length: 6.1 m / 20′
Short Folded Length: 4.6 m / 15.1′
Wing Loading at 450 kg / 992 lbs: +6g -3g
Stall Speed: 42 km/h / 26 MPH
Minimum Flying Speed: 50 km/h / 31 MPH
Cruise Speed Range: 80-110km/h / 50-69 MPH
Maximum Level Speed: 136 km/h / 85 MPH
VNE Never Exceed Speed: 144 km/h / 90 MPH
Sink Rate: 2 m/s / 390 fpm

Rahn Aircraft Corp Cyclogyro

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An invention of William Rahn in collaboration with Gus Miller, formerly with the Zeppelin Works in Germany, this 1933 experimental aircraft was only 15 feet long, and carried two 6-foot span rotating wings on each side. Powered with a 240 hp supercharged Wright Whirlwind motor, the wings are disposed about a central axis and change their incidence so as to produce both lift and negative drag.

It was said to fly forwards at up to 100 mph without the aid of a normal propeller.

The two 6′ rotating wings on each side theoretically would cause the plane to rise or descend vertically, or fly laterally without a conventional propeller up to 100mph, but it is unrecorded if this 15′-long creation, registered NX13247, ever accomplished any of these feats.

RagWing RW26 Special II

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Qualifies as an LSA. The “Special II” can be built as a legal ultralight trainer or with a larger engine, as an experimental. The “Special II” basic kit will be an all-wood kit, like the single seat, to keep the pricing affordable. These kits are fairly fast to build. The kit was planned to be available in a steel tube version.

Engine: Rotax 503, 52 hp
HP range: 52-100
Length: 18 ft
Wing span: 18 ft
Wing area: 120 sq.ft
Fuel capacity: 14 USG
Empty weight: 450 lb
Gross weight: 950 lb
Cruise: 85 mph
Stall: 38 mph
Range: 350 sm
Rate of climb: 800 fpm
Takeoff dist: 350 ft
Landing dist: 450 ft
Seats: 2 tandem
Cockpit width: 24 in
Landing gear: tail wheel

Engine: 1835cc VW 60 hp
Span: 28′
Length: 15′
Empty Weight: 275 lbs
Useful Load: 250 lbs
Wing Area: 120 sq ft
Seats: 1
Take Off Distance: 200 ft
Stall: 32 mph
Landing Speed: 42 mph
Cruise: 85 mph
Rate of Climb: 750 fpm