LSA/UL

Tandem Aircraft Sunny / Dewald Sunny / Airkraft Sunny

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Sunny Sport

The Sunny is a tube and fabric design ultralight aircraft that was designed by Dieter Schulz. The aircraft complies with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category rules. It features an unusual diamond-shaped biplane, strut-braced closed wing layout, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed or open cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. The upper wing is swept back, while the lower wing is straight, but mounted further aft. The two wings are joined by swept tip rudders. The elevons are mounted to the lower wing only.

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Standard engines available include many models of Hirth, Rotax, BMW and Verner 133M powerplants, ranging from 65 to 80 hp (48 to 60 kW).

A side by side trainer, production of the Sunny Sport UL-biplane was started by Dieter Schulzs company, Tandem Aircraft KG of Saulgau, Germany, in 1989. In the first year 25 Sunnies were sold, however the sale figures of the Sunny went down over the years. About 150 examples between 1989 and 1999. Finally in 1999 Tandem Aircraft KG became bankrupt.

Alexander Dewald bought the rights in 1999 and it was then produced by Dewald Leichtflugzeugbau Gmbh of Bad Schönborn, Germany and more recently by Airkraft Gmbh Leichtflugzeugbau of Beringen, Switzerland, who seem to have gone out of business in about 2011 and production ended after 250 were built.

Originally supplied ready-to-fly, later the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft. Both the tandem-seat Sunny Sport and the side-by-side versions were produced by Dewald. Both versions feature a number of small, but significant, design changes.

The price in 2009 was €13499, and €21,000 (assembled, 2011).

Variants:

Sunny Light
Version with open cockpit
Engine: 1 × Rotax 582, 48 kW (64 hp)
Wingspan: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 17 sq.m (180 sq ft)
Empty weight: 220 kg (485 lb)
Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
Fuel capacity: 44 litres (9.7 imp gal; 12 US gal)
Optional fuel capacity: 80 litres (18 imp gal; 21 US gal)
Maximum speed: 145 km/h (90 mph; 78 kn)
Cruise speed: 100 km/h (62 mph; 54 kn)
Stall speed: 55 km/h (34 mph; 30 kn)
Rate of climb: 4 m/s (790 ft/min)
Seats: 2

Sunny Sport
Two seat tandem version with enclosed or semi-enclosed cockpit

Sunny Side-By-Side
Version with side-by-side configuration seats

Sunny Targa
Fully enclosed version.

Sunny Amphibian
Version with amphibious floats

Engine: Rotax 582, 65 hp
HP range: 50-90
Height: 6.42 ft
Length: 12 ft
Wing span: 23 ft
Wing area: 184 sq.ft
Fuel cap: 14 USG
Weight empty: 396 lbs
Gross: 816 lbs
VNE: 76 kt / 87 mph / 140 kmh
Speed max: 80 mph
Cruise: 62 mph
Range: 220 sm
Stall: 31 mph
ROC: 1180 fpm
Take-off dist: 130 ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose wheel

Engine: Hirth 2706, 65 hp
Wing span: 7 m
Wing area: 17 sq.m
MAUW: 450 kg
Empty weight: 170 kg
Fuel capacity: 50 lt
Max speed: 150 kph
Cruise speed: 120 kph
Minimum speed: 65 kph
Climb rate: 5 m/s
Certification: VZ
Seats: 2
Fuel consumption: 12 lt/hr
Price (1998): 37,000 DM

Take Off 1100

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Based on an 1100cc BMW motorcycle engine.

1100
Cycle: 4 stroke
No cylinders: 2
Bore: 99 mm
Stroke: 70.5 mm
Compression: 10.7
Displacement: 1085 cc
Cooling: air/oil
Ignition: electronic
Reduction: 3.5:1 mechanical
Dimension: 540 x 740 x 90 mm
Weight: 74 kg
Max pwr: 90 hp at 7250 rpm
Max torque: 95 at 5000 rpm
Fuel consumption: 240 G/hp/hr
Price 1998: 13 000 DM

Swiss Aerolight ULM

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The Swiss Aerolight ULM was a two-seater with a Rotax 503. Four sets of plans were sold.

In June 2012 the two occupants of the ULM, including builder Dominique Loup, perished after the crash of their aircraft in the town of Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers, about twenty kilometers north of Montpellier. The aircraft had taken off a little earlier from the aerodrome of Peak Saint-Loup.

The fatal accident stopped the development.

Swing Tango / BTA Top-Air Sro Tango

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BTA 4 Tango

The Tango features a composite fuselage with a large cockpit and large doors. The wooden wings are strut braced. The pilot is almost lying down, with a Cessna style steering column.

BTA 4 Tango
Empty weight: 276 kg
Wing span: 10.2 m
Wing area: 12.9 sq.m
Fuel capacity: 75 lt
Certification: vVz
Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp
MAUW: 450 kg
Seats: 2
Max speed: 220 kph
Cruise speed: 160 kph
Minimum speed: 65 kph
Climb rate: 6 m/s
Fuel consumption: 10 lt/hr
Price (1998): 73,500 DM

Swallow AeroPlane Swallow

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Swallow B

Single seat single engined high wing monoplane with conventional three axis control. Wing has unswept leading and trailing edges, and constant chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; roll control by one third span ailerons; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wing braced from above by kingpost and cables, from below by cables; wing profile; double surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation with additional tailskid; steel spring suspension on nosewheel and glass fibre suspension on main wheels. Push-right go right nosewheel steering connected to yaw control. No brakes. Aluminium tube framework, with optional pod. Engine mounted at wing height driving pusher propeller.

Chet Fudge, the creator of the Swallow, named it in memory of the 1928 American biplane. Swallow AeroPlane Company (earlier called Aeroplane Marketing), originally sold two versions of this single seater, the Swallow bi-motor, which is classified as an ultralight in the United States and the Swallow B with single engine, classed as an experimental homebuilt aircraft. The twin engined ultralight used two single cylinder Yamaha KT100S engines giving 15 hp each and driving through a common reduction drive with separate clutch¬es for single engine operation in case of failure.

The company introduced another ultralight variant, this time with one engine, called the Swallow A. It uses a Rotax 277 engine.

The Yamaha engined machine was avail¬able for $5475 in kit form in 1983. Nosewheel steering, previously optional, has been stan¬dardised for the Swallow A and for the first time in the Swallow range a pod is available as an option. Other options include floats and a strobe.

The Swallow B is the same as Swallow A except: No ground steering (optional: push right go right nose-wheel steering connected to yaw control). Optional brakes on main wheels. No pod option.

In the US the Swallow B is too heavy to be classified as an ultralight, but it could come into the microlight category in some countries. It is basically the same aircraft as the original twin engined Swallow, but with a Cuyuna 430 engine substituted, developing 30 hp.

The engine is shrouded behind a distinctive glass fibre fairing, which also improves its cooling. According to the prices given at Sun ‘n’ Fun in Lakeland in March 1983, the Swallow B sells for $5790 including the engine cowling. Options: wheel fairings for the main wheels $115, steerable nosewheel $360, hydraulic brakes $388, float mountings $456.

Swallow A
Engine: Rotax 277, 28 hp at 6200 rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 52 x 34 inch, 1.32 x 0.86 m
Toothed belt reduction, ratio 2.0/1
Max static thrust 170 lb, 77 kg
Power per unit area 0.20 hp/sq.ft, 2.2 hp/sq.m
Fuel capacity 3.8 US gal, 3.2 Imp gal, 14.3 litre
Length overall 18.1 ft, 5.51 m
Height overall 8.0ft, 2.44m
Wing span 34.4ft, 10.49m
Constant chord 4.0 ft, 1.22 m
Sweepback 0 deg
Total wing area 138 sq.ft, 12.8 sq.m
Wing aspect ratio 8.6/1
Empty weight 253 lb, 115kg
Load factors +4.0, 3.0 design
Never exceed speed 60 mph, 97 kph
Best glide ratio with power off 8/1

Swallow B
Engine: Cuyuna 430R engine
Max power 30 hp at 5500 rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 52 x 34 inch, 1.32 x 0.86 m
Toothed belt reduction
Power per unit area 0.21 hp/sq.ft, 2.3 hp/sq.m
Fuel capacity 3.8 US gal, 3.2 Imp gal, 14.3 litre
Length overall 18.1 ft, 5.51 m
Height overall 8.0ft, 2.44m
Wing span 34.4ft, 10.49m
Constant chord 4.0 ft, 1.22 m
Sweepback 0 deg
Total wing area 138 sq.ft, 12.8 sq.m
Wing aspect ratio 8.6/1
Nosewheel diameter overall 10 inch, 25 cm
Main wheels diameter overall 10 inch, 25 cm
Empty weight 290 lb, 131 kg
Max take off weight 585 lb, 265 kg
Payload 295 lb, 134 kg
Max wing loading 4.23 lb/sq.ft, 20.7kg/sq.m
Max power loading 19.5 lb/hp, 8.8kg/hp
Max level speed 70 mph, 113 kph
Max cruising speed 60 mph, 97kph
Stalling speed 28mph, 45kph
Max climb rate at sea level 780 ft/min, 4.0 m/s
Min sink rate 550ft/min at 45mph, 2.8m/s at 72 kph
Take off distance 75 ft, 23 m
Landing distance 125 ft, 38 m
Range at average cruis¬ing speed 137 mile, 220km