Manufactured by the Aerola company, Alatus-M is a microlight composite motorglider.
Alatus-M has been designed to comply with German standards LTF-UL and DULSV LFG, and with FAR-103 standards.
The engine pylon totally retractile allows very good gliding performances, the cockpit is spacious and vented and gives an excellent visibility.
The aircraft can be dismantled by one person in about 40 minutes and carried on an ordinary car Each plane is delivered with its transport covers.
Packed at delivery: One 303 x 71 x 98 cm wooden box and one 588 x 71 x 53 cm
Engine: Cors-Air 2 stroke, 20 hp electric starter, or Electravia electric 26 hp Wing span: 13,10 m Wing surface: 13,6 sq.m Empty weight equipped: 115 kg Maximum weight: 235 kg Pilot size: 60 to 110 kg – 1,60 to 1,95 m Flight range with engine: 1h 30min Glide ratio: 27 at 60 km/h Minimum sink rate: 0,65 m/s Maximum speed: 110 km/h Stall speed: 41-45 km/h Vne 140 km/h
The KR-3 amphibian was originally designed and built by Ken Rand and Stu Robinson in 1976. The prototype was first tested in June 1977. Following Ken’s tragic death in a plane crash, the improved prototype was completed in February 1981, and was undergoing FAA certification as an Amateur-Built aircraft.
The KR-3’s wings are removable and the aircraft is trailerable. The new fuselage is 9” longer than the original, with the C of G moved forward 8” and the airfoil changed from GA(W)-1 to basically a Clark Y 4418 tapering to 4412. Following the trend-setting construction techniques of the KR-1 and KR-2, the KR-3 amphibian is quick and easy to build from wood, foam, Dynel and epoxy resin. The engine is a 2100cc Revmaster VW conversion with a three bladed Rand-Robinson propeller. The tricycle gear is hydraulically actuated. Retraction and extension are a matter of flipping a micro switch to the appropriate position and pumping a light handle located between pilot and passenger. Turbocharging permits the KR-3 to operate efficiently at altitudes up to 15,000 feet.
Engine: 2100cc Turbo Revmaster VW Span 25’ Length 17’9” Wing Area 83.17 sq.ft Seats 2 Gross Weight 1000 lb Empty Weight 630 lb Fuel 17 USgal Cruise 115 mph Ceiling 15,000’ Range three hours + 45 min res
An upgraded model of the KR-2, the KR200, has an airframe developed to take a 100hp Continental O 200 powerplant. The KR200 kit first appeared on the US market in 1989 with a price of US$8,500.00 less engine.
The KR-2S includes a 16 inch stretch in the fuselage over the standard KR-2, 3 inches more head and leg room and pre-molds made of the latest oven-cured, vacuum-bagged pre-pregs. Its raked canopy and fixed landing gear give it a racy appearance and the KR-2S will accommodate engines including VW’s, Subaru derivatives, Continental C-85’s, and O-200’s.
The KR-2 is a two-place version of the KR-1 and is generally similar in construction. The low wings are removable, the main gear is retractable and the tailwheel is steerable. With a stock 1600-cc engine, cruise speed is 140 mph. With a 2100-cc turbocharged VW conversion, cruise is 180 mph at 3200 rpm. To achieve simplicity of construction, the airplane is designed so that no machining or welding is required in building the airframe. The cost and construction time is minimized by using a combination of wood, polyurethane foam, fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. The result is a structurally strong, clean, hard surface and an exceptionally fast airplane for the power used. All new premolded fiberglass parts have been developed to speed the building time for the KR-2. Luxury upholstery kits are also available and can be simply snapped into position.
First flown in July 1974.
Ken Rand, in 1974, commenced marketing plans and kits for the single seat KR-1 and two-place KR-2. Instant acceptance saw 9000 plans and kitsets sold within the first five years.
The KR-1B motorglider is essentially a stock KR-1 with longer wings and a bigger tail. For a wing curve, an RAF-48 standard KR-1 airfoil was used for the center section and the GA(W)-2 airfoil for the replacement outer panels. The outer wing section provides a clean and responsive curve for use with a spoiler/flap control, permitting deadstick landings at 70 mph TAS. Where the stock KR-1 wingspan is 172″, the motorglider wingspan measures 27′ from tip to tip, thereby increasing square footage from 64 to 91.
Power is supplied by a 60-hp VW engine. Maximum cruise is 130 mph, and with 33 gallons of fuel, range is 950 miles while getting 29 mpg. At the standard 4-gph burn rate, 33 gallons should deliver 8.25 hours of flying at 120 mph for a range of 1,020 miles.
Engine: 60-hp VW Wing span: 27 feet Wing area: 91 sq.ft Maximum cruise: 130 mph Fuel capacity: 33 USgallons Range: 950 miles At 120 mph Endurance: 8.25 hours At 120 mph Range: 1020 miles Airfoil centre: RAF-48 Airfoil outer: GA(W)-2
The KR-1 is the single seat low wing retractable monoplane which is typically powered by smaller VW engines, up to the VW 2100. The KR-1B motorglider is a standard KR-1 with modified outer wing sections. With this simple wing conversion, the original KR-1 becomes an excellent self-powered glider.
Ken Rand, in 1974, commenced marketing plans and kits for the single seat KR-1 and two-place KR-2. Utilising spruce, foam and Dynal cloth in construction, these designs could be built in as few as 800 hours sparetime work. The clean lines and smooth finishes attainable with this technique meant reduced drag, resulting in higher speeds on less power. Retractable gear adds to its performance. The prototype KR 1 (first flown in February 1972) reached 150 mph in level flight, powered by a 36 hp converted VW car engine. Instant acceptance saw 9000 plans and kitsets sold within the first five years.
The Italian Trident amphibious ultralight trike was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category’s maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). The Trident features a strut-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit with a rigid boat hull, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.
Introduced in 1998, the Ramphos Trident is designed and produced by Ramphos of Fontanafredda. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft, in production in 2013.
Ramphos is an amphibious boat shaped flying hull with wings made of anti-UV mylar of 15 sq.m mounted as standard. Wings up to 21sq.m or a new strong foldable wing (tested +6/-3G) can be mounted. The 15sq.m wing is manufactured in Treviso, Italy.
The hull is a triple “V”, stepped to enhance its rough and glassy water performance. It has a retractable tricycle undercarriage, which enables it to be taxied from the beach to the water and is also suitable for ordinary airstrips.
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth and its boat hull made from either fibreglass or carbon fibre and Kevlar.
Its 10.5 m (34.4 ft) span Hazard wing has struts and uses an “A” frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine or a four-cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four-stroke, dual-ignition 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL engine or a 78 hp (58 kW) converted Smart Car four stroke turbocharged engine. All engines are fitted with a clutch that stops the propeller from turning when the engine is at idle to permit water handling. The three ¬blade Warp Drive propeller has nickel inlaid edges for operation from water sur¬faces. The propeller can be two or three bladed, made of wood or composite material. The propeller ring functions as a protective as well as an anti-noise device. Engines can range from 50 to 80 Hp (Rotax, Hirth, etc.). The boat hull features a water rudder.
Starting in 2005 the frame and wing portion of the aircraft was taken from the Skyrider Sonic ultralight trike, built by Skyrider Flugschule.
Variants:
Hydro Initial flying boat model that lacks wheeled landing gear. Introduced in 1998 and in production in 2013.
Trident Amphibious model with fibreglass boat hull, in production in 2013.
C Amphibious model with carbon fibre/Kevlar boat hull and lexan windows in the bottom of the hull to allow visibility downwards. In production in 2013.
The Santa Anna 001 is a 2 seat tandem touring motor glider with short cruise wings with double slotted flaps and optional long span soaring wings. Retractable tandem nose wheel gear and outriggers. Construction is mixed wood and composite. Yellow cedar structure, glass/kevlar flying surface, Okoume ply fuselage skins.
First flown on 10 April 2008, C-GPLC was owned by Paul Ralph, Victoria BC, Canada.
Engine: Continental A65 Prop: Home made Cruise: 115 mph Stall: 45mph
All Aero 