Aircraft

Valmet PIK-23 Towmaster / PIK Pik-23 Suhinu

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The Valmet PIK-23 Towmaster is a Finnish two-seat glider towing/primary trainer aircraft built entirely out of composite materials in the early 1980s.

The Finnish technology students aviation club suggested in the 1970s, that a new aircraft should be developed for glider towing. The work focused on the improvement of a previous design, the PIK-19 Suhinu (Suhinu is a contraction of Super Hino = Super Tow-plane). Later on, the Helsinki University of Technology and Valmet Oy joined the project and the design process started from scratch. The goal was to develop a target/glider tower, which also could be used for basic training. It was given the name “PIK-23 Towmaster”.

Only two aircraft were manufactured, one at Valmet and one at the Helsinki University of Technology. The first aircraft, OH-TOW, made its maiden flight on March 22, 1982, flown by Mikko Järvi. The second aircraft, OH-TUG, flew the following year. OH-TUG was written of in 1991.

Valmet marketed the aircraft intensively, but no orders followed. It was also investigated if the aircraft could be sold in parts, for self-assembly, in order to lower the price. In its intended role as a glider tower, the PIK-23 has been quite successful.

PIK-23
Engine: 1 × Avco Lycoming O-360-A4M, 130 kW (180 hp)
Propeller: 2-bladed Hoffmann fixed pitch
Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 14.00 m2 (150.7 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 7.14:1
Airfoil: NACA 632415 (modified)
Length: 7.19 m (23 ft 7 in)
Height: 2.90 m (9 ft 6 in)
Empty weight: 590 kg (1,301 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 870 kg (1,918 lb)
Fuel capacity: 200 L (44 imp gal; 53 US gal)
Maximum speed: 250 km/h (160 mph, 130 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn) at 3,660 m (12,010 ft) (65% power)
Stall speed: 78 km/h (48 mph, 42 kn) (flaps down)
Never exceed speed: 281 km/h (175 mph, 152 kn)
Range: 1,250 km (780 mi, 670 nmi) at 3,660 m (12,010 ft) (65% power)
Endurance: 6 hr 30 min (55% power)
Rate of climb: 5.80 m/s (1,142 ft/min)
Takeoff run to 15 m (50 ft): 320 m (1,050 ft)
Crew: 2

Valmet L.70 Militrainer

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Own designed Leko-70 Vinka two-seat piston-engined trainer evolved by new design group created September 1970. The L.70 first flew on July 1, 1975.

Valmet L.70 Militrainer Article

30 Valmet Vinka were delivered to the Finish air force in the late 1970s, and entered service as the Vinka in October 1980. Production of the L.70 piston-engined side-by-side primary/basic trainer for the Finnish Air Force ended in 1982.

Gallery

L-70 Miltrainer
Engine: 1 x Lycoming AEIO-360, 150 kW
Span: 9.8 m
Length: 7.5 m
Wing area: 14.5 sq.m
Empty wt: 765 kg
MTOW: 1250 kg
Warload: 300 kg
Max speed: 235 kph
Initial ROC: 340 m / min
Ceiling: 4800 m
T/O run: 230 m
Ldg run: 175 m
Fuel internal: 170 lt
Range: 970 km

Valmet

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Valmet Oy Kuoreveden Tehdas
Valtion Metallitehtaat Lentokonetehdas
Valmet Oy Tampere
Valmet Aviation Ind
Finavitec OY

Finland
Valmet Oy was shortened title from 1958 of state-owned group (Valtion Metallitehtaat Lentokonetehdas) consisting of several metalworking factories. Kuoreveden Tehdas (Kuorevesi Works) was formerly part of factory group Valmet Oy Tampere, from which it separated in 1974, and became the largest aircraft factory in Finland. Foreign aircraft produced under license included Potez (Air Fouga) Magister jet trainers and 12 Saab Draken fighters. Own designed Leko-70 Vinka two-seat piston-engined trainer evolved by new design group created September 1970, followed in 1985 by the two/four-seat L-80 TP turboprop version. Also flew prototypes of the PIK-23 Towmaster. Valmet also assembled 46 of the 50 BAe Hawk jet trainers for Finnish Air Force. Other activities included overhaul and repair of military and civil aircraft and piston aero engines. The other aviation member of group was Valmet Oy Linnavuoren Tehdas, at Siuro, concerned mainly with overhaul and repair of jet aero engines.

Valmet Aviation Ind followed on from Valmet OY before the latest change to Finavitec OY. Manufactured the L-90TP RediGO turboprop trainer before being sold to Aermacchi of Italy in 1996. Began assembly of 57 F-18C Hornet fighters for the Finnish Air Force from kits, and manufactured parts, plus their engines.

Valley Engineering Back Yard Flyer

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Back Yard Flyer Prototype

A Back Yard Flyer UL prototype was built by Valley Engineering in 2005 as a STOL ultralight. Featuring a constant-chord wing with trailing full-length “flaperons.” Demonstrated take-off in about three seconds over 70 feet. With simple disassembly for trailering it was priced around.$25,000.

Planned production was for a two place, open cockpit low wing monoplane, side-by-side SP version for the FAA Part 103 Sport Pliot market, includes ballistic parachute system.

Engine: Valley-VW
Cruise speed: 90 mph
Stall: 30 mph
Seats: 1

Valentin Taifun

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The Taifun two-seater motor glider was designed by Thomas Fischer and Dipl-lng Jorg B. Stieber for Valentin GmbH Gerateund Maschinenbau, makers of high-quality aircraft switches.

The Taifun is a cantilever low wing monoplane with a T-tail; the one-spar wings and ailerons are of glassfibre/foam sandwich construction, with all glassfibre flaps. The wings can be folded flat along the fuselage for easier hangar stowage, and Schempp-Hirth air brakes are fitted in their upper surfaces. The stressed skin fuselage is also a glassfibre/foam sandwich structure as are the fixed incidence tailplane and elevator. All versions have disc brakes on the main wheels, and the nosewheel of the 15E and 17E is steerable; the undercarriage of both these variants is fully enclosed when retracted. The pilots are seated side-by-side under the rear sliding canopy, with dual controls as standard. Engine is an 80hp Limbach L2000 EB ‘flat four’ driving a Hoffman HO-V62 three-position two bladed
propeller.

Construction of the prototype had begun in July 1979. The prototype, a Taifun 17E registered D-KONO, made its first flight late in February 1981, as the Valentin Taifun, when more than 25 had been ordered.

Four versions of the Taifun were to be produced: the Taifun 15S is the basic model with 15m span wings and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage, the Taifun 17S has the same undercarriage as the 15S and 17m span wings, the Taifun 15E has 15m span wings and a retractable nosewheel undercarriage, and the Taifun 17E has the same undercarriage as the 15E but has 17m span wings.

Taifun 15E
Span: 49 ft 2.5 in
Length: 25 ft 6.5 in
Height: 7 ft 1 in
Wing area: 176.0 sqft
Aspect ratio: 13.8
Empty weight: 1,058 lb
Max take-off weight: 1,598 lb
Max speed: 165 mph (in smooth air)
Max cruising speed: 132 mph
Min sinking speed: 3.25 ft/sec at 54 mph
Best glide ratio: 28:1 at 75 mph
Max rate of climb: 531 ft/min at sea level
Range with max fuel: 652 miles

Taifun 15S
Span: 49 ft 2.5 in
Length: 25 ft 6.5 in
Height: 7ft 1 in
Wing area: 176.0 sqft
Aspect ratio: 13.8

Taifun 17E
Span: 55 ft 9.25 in
Length: 25 ft 6.5 in
Height: 7ft 1 in
Wing area: 189.4 sq ft
Aspect ratio: 16.4

Taifun 17S
Span: 55 ft 9.25 in
Length: 25 ft 6.5 in
Height: 7ft 1 in
Wing area: 189.4 sq ft
Aspect ratio: 16.4

TWI Taifun 17E II
Engine: 67 kW/ 90 bhp Limbach L 2400 EB1.b
Wing span: 17 m / 55.7 ft
Wing area: 17.6 sq.m / 189.4 sq.ft
Aspect ratio: 16.4
Airfoil: Wortmann FX-67-K-170/7
Empty Weight: 610 kg / 1345 lb
Payload: 240 kg / 529 lb
Gross Weight: 850 kg / 1874 lb
Wing Load: 48.3 kg/sq.m / 9.9 lb/sq.ft
L/DMax: 30 115 kph / 62 kt / 71 mph
MinSink: 0.95 m/s / 3.12 fps / 1.85 kt
Seats: 2