Photograph:
Prototype Australian Lightwing GR-LSA E24-8487 near Ballina, NSW (Australian Lightwing)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 80 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912UL four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.1 m (29 ft 8½ in)
- Length: 6.5 m (21 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 12.9 m²
- Cruising speed: 148 km/h (92 mph)
- Stalling speed with full flaps: 74 km/h (46 mph)
- Rate of climb: 244 m/min (800 ft/min)
- Range: 695 km (432 miles)
- Endurance: 5 hours
- Fuel capacity: 105 litres (23 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 370 kg (815 lb)
- Useful load: 230 kg (507 lb)
- Loaded weight: 600 kg (1,322 lb)
History:
The Australian Lightwing Lightwing GR-LSA was a development of the Hughes Lightwing series and was a two-seat, side-by-side, high-wing light sport monoplane, the airframe being constructed of 6061T6 high tensile aluminium, the underside of the outboard wing panels being covered with Ceconite, and the control surfaces being fabric covered. The wing was of square plan using an NACA23013 section. The wing had an inbuilt anti-stall feature that kept the wing-tips flying right up to the stall. The wing-tips were of GRP laminate and contained optional strobe lights.
The aircraft was described as a stylish, state-of-the-art machine with a sleek, aerodynamically clean fuselage. The fuel burn was said to be 15 to 18 litres (3.3 to 3.9 Imp gals) per hour giving longer range and lower operating costs. Early testing revealed at 4,100 rpm and 25 inches of manifold pressure the GR-LSA would maintain altitude at 120 km/h (75 mph) using only 22 kw (30 hp) of power.
The fuselage was of welded lightweight steel with semi-structural GRP skin, and heat-formed polycarbonate windows. Undercarriage was normally a tailwheel with Air Trac six-ply aircraft tyres and 38 cm (15 in) diameter main wheels. Engine was the Rotax 912UL driving an Australian-made Bolly propeller.
Prototype of the GR-LSA model was E24-8487 which commenced testing at Ballina, NSW, at the Company’s facility.