Photograph:
Aerosport Supapup 19-3666 (c/n 1011) at Avalon, VIC (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Single-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 40 kw (54 hp) Jabiru 2200 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.925 m (26 ft)
- Length: 18.7 m (5.7 m)
- Wing area: 9.5 m ² (102.26 sq ft)
- Max speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
- Cruising speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Stalling speed: 66 km/h 41 mph)
- Rate of climb: 335 m/min (1,100 ft/min)
- Endurance: 4½ hours
- Fuel capacity: 54 litres (11.8 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 200 kg (441 lb)
- Loaded weight: 340 kg (750 lb)
History:
The Supapup was a two-seat ultralight monoplane produced by Sport Aircraft Pty Ltd near Hahndorf in the Adelaide hills, SA. Designed by the manufacturers for Australian conditions, it had a cantilevered high wing, a tailwheel undercarriage, and an enclosed cockpit. The fuselage and tail structure were of welded tubular steel, and the wing ribs were ply with the box spar fabricated from spruce and ply, supplemented by two aluminium tubes fitted with a moulded pilot’s seat fuel tank. A forward fuel tank could be installed in front of the instrument panel. The aircraft was fabric covered and had folding wings as an option. The Company produced a trailer for conveyance to and from the airstrip.
The prototype was built and flown in the early 1980s. Early production aircraft were fitted with the two-cylinder in-line 22 kw (30 hp) Cuyuna O-2 engine. The SupaPup was produced in Mk 1, Mk 2 and Mk 3 versions but production ceased in 1987. In 1992 the type was re-designed and placed in production as the Mk 4, becoming available in kit form. At this time new engines were made available, and the Supapup in 1992 had a new wing, a new windshield, and a fully sprung undercarriage. Engines that could be installed included the 40 kw (54 hp) Jabiru, the 36 kw (48 hp) Rotax 503, and the Mosler.
The type has been very popular in this region, most aircraft being registered under AUF / RAA Regulations. First completed and registered in Australia was a Supapup IV VH-DZZ (c/n SPK005) based in the Northern Territory. In 2004 a two-seat variant was released, known as the Aeropup, at first fitted with a Hirth F-30 EFI engine, but this was replaced with a Rotax 583. This model had a lengthened fuselage to 6.03 m (19 ft 7 in) and wider span wing. Production two-seat aircraft could be fitted with engines up to 75 kw (100 hp), including the Jabiru four and six-cylinder units, and the Rotax two and four-cylinder units. In later years the series was available from Teknico Pty Ltd at Oakbank in South Australia in kit form.