Single seat single engined high wing mono¬plane with two axis control. Wing has unswept leading and trailing edges, and constant chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by eleva¬tor on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; control inputs through stick for pitch/yaw/roll. Wing braced from below by struts; single surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation; no suspension on any wheels. Push right go left nosewheel steering indepen¬dent from yaw control. Optional brake on nosewheel. Aluminium tube framework, without pod. Engine mounted below wing driving pusher propeller.
The MP 16 Heron was designed by Pierangelo Mez¬zapesa, the driving force behind Fulmar. The prototype made its first flight on the 1 February 1983, and became available from April 1983 with two engine options: Sachs 330cc (see per¬formance characteristics below) or Hirth F 263R of 383 cc, which develops at 3900 rpm, an equivalent power (23 hp) to the Sachs. Despite the solidity of its tubular structure, the MP 16 Heron is foldable for transport on a road trailer, its space requirement then being 16.5 x 5.9 x 5.9 ft (5 x 1.74 x 1.75 m). A side by¬side two seater version is at the design stage.
Length overall 16.5 ft, 5.00 m.
Height overall 6.7ft, 2.00m.
Wing span 32.1ft, 10.0m.
Constant chord 4.7ft, 1.40m.
Dihedral 5 deg.
Sweepback 0 deg.
Tailplane span 8.2 ft, 2.50 m.
Total wing area 151 sq.ft, 14.0 sq.m.
Fin area 5.4 sq.ft, 0.50 sq.m.
Rudder area 14.0 sq.ft, 1.30 sq.m.
Tailplane area 13.5 sq.ft, 1.25 sq.m.
Total elevator area 9.2 sq.ft, 0.85 sq.m.
Wing aspect ratio 7.1/1.
Wheel track 5.9ft, 1.75m.
Nosewheel dia¬meter overall 12 inch, 30cm.
Main wheels diameter overall 16 inch, 40cm.
Engine: Sachs SA 340 engine.
Max power 22hp at 5250rpm.
Propeller diameter and pitch 41 x 18 inch, 1.05 x 0.46 m.
No reduction.
Max static thrust 155 lb, 70 kg.
Power per unit area 0.15hp/sq.ft, 1.6hp/sq.m.
Fuel capacity 2.6 US gal, 2.2 Imp gal, 10.0 litre in main tank; 5.3 US ga1, 4.4 Imp gal, 20.0 litre in reserve.
Empty weight 1991b, 90kg.
Max take off weight 419 lb, 190kg.
Payload 220 lb, 100kg.
Max wing loading 2.78 lb/sq.ft, 13.6 kg/sq.m.
Max power loading 19.1 lb/hp, 8.63 kg/hp.
Load factors design; +6.0, 3.0 ultimate.
Max level speed 44 mph, 70 kph.
Never exceed speed 50 mph, 80kph.
Max cruising speed 37mph, 60kph.
Economic cruising speed 34mph, 55kph.
Stalling speed 20 mph, 32 kph.
Max climb rate at sea level 300 ft/min, 1.5 m/s.
Min sink rate 400 ft/min at 31 mph, 2.0 m/s at 50 kph.
Best glide ratio with power off 7/1 at 34 mph, 55kph.
Take off distance 115 ft, 35 m.
Land¬ing distance 66 ft, 20 m.
Service ceiling 6560 ft, 2000 m.
Range at average cruising speed 50 mile, 80km.
