Photograph:
Arion Aircraft Lightning VH-ELZ (c/n 66) at Wedderburn, NSW (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 90 kw (120 hp) Jabiru 3300 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
-
- Wingspan: 8.53 m (28 ft)
- Length: 6.09 m (20 ft)
Height: 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 8.36 m² (91 sq ft)
- Max speed: 306 km/h (190 mph)
- Cruising speed: 282 km/h (175 mph)
- Max manoeuvring speed: 225 km/h (140 mph)
- Stalling speed clean: 90 km/h (56 mph)
- Stalling speed full flaps: 72 km/h (45 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 366 m/min (1,200 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 96 m (315 ft)
- Landing run: 152 m (500 ft)
- Endurance: 4 hours
- Range with reserves: 1,127 km (700 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 87 litres (19 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 363 kg (800 lb)
- Loaded weight: 646 kg (1,425 lb)
History:
The Lightning was an ultralight sport monoplane produced in kit form by Arion Aircraft of North Shelbyville, Tennessee, USA, the prototype (N233AL) flying for the first time on 3 March 2006, the first customer-built aircraft (N430GH) being flown on 19 April that year. The structure was tested extensively for symmetrical and asymmetrical flight loads to over 9G at a gross weight of 599 kg (1,320 lb). Construction was of welded steel 4130 tube with fibreglass panels, the panels being infused over post-cured fibreglass. The brakes were hydraulically independent and the Australian-built Jabiru 3300 engine has usually been installed driving a Sensenich carbon fibre ground-adjustable propeller. Flaps and trim were standard electrically-operated.
The type was produced in two models, the basic Lightning and the Lightning Sport 3300, the latter having the same Jabiru 3300 engine but with an extended span wing which reduced the max speed to 241 km/h (150 mph) and the stalling speed with flaps to 64 km/h (40 mph), but increases the rate of climb to 549 m/min (1,800 ft/min). The Lightning could be completed in the Experimental Category, and a development was an LSA model with extended wings and winglets. The Lightning Sport was for the US market and met US LSA Regulations, with no fairings fitted, a specified propeller, vortex generators fitted to the wings, etc, to ensure the aircraft did not exceed the speed specified by the FAA.
The type was imported and marketed in Australia by Dennis Borchardt of Kingston, South Australia, the first of the type, one of three imported in October 2006, becoming 19-4692 under RAA registration. By the end of March 2007 a further seven arrived for completion. In Australia examples have been registered under RAA Regulations, and these included: 19-5412 (c/n 36); 19-5301 (c/n 32); 19-5422 (c/n 18); 19-5562 (c/n 35); 19-7014 (c/n 67); 19-7280 (c/n 19); 19-7368 (c/n 70); 19-7380 (c/n 56); and 19-7848 (c/n 127).
First of the type registered in New Zealand became ZK-TDT (c/n 46) in Hamilton.